Garden Center at Howell #933

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
On beautiful spring days, tidy up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Remember to measure your garden so you can find fresh mulch near you as soon as it's available. Don't forget to sweep out the gazebo and clean the shed in preparation for spring, too. No matter which plants you need and what outdoor projects you choose to tackle, search for your local plant nursery and find that The Home Depot Howell Garden Center can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to know when planting veggies, spring flowers, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the U.S. and its territories is sorted into blocks by climate. Find your zone on the USDA zone map and learn when to plant flower bulbs and seeds.

For example, you could transplant bell peppers outdoors in mid-March in Zone 10, but not until the end of May in Zone 4. The plants that'll thrive in your area are in your zone — plus all the zones numbered less than that. In other words, a Zone 6 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–6. The timeframe to direct sow outdoors in your garden is often around a month later than the indoor start date. Always read your seed package for details. If you start your seeds later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in New England
In Zone 5, which includes parts of Pennsylvania as well as upstate New York, Vermont, southern Maine, and New Hampshire, your best bets for veggies will be root vegetables like beets and carrots, leafy greens including lettuce, and cole crops like cabbage and kale. You can try squash, but prepare for additional warming upkeep when late frost is forecast. Planting dates are roughly mid-March through May 1st, depending on whether you're starting your seeds indoors or directly sowing them into your garden.

Much of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, Connecticut, southern New York state, and Massachusetts are in Zone 6, so planting can begin earlier there than farther north. Parts of Virginia are even warmer, coming in at Zone 7. The outdoor growing season doesn't begin until mid-March or even April, although you can plant some veggie seeds halfway through February. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, and other classic garden crops will do well in this region, and most of them can get an early start indoors before spring really moves in.

Plant Seeds In Your Garden With Direct Sow
Direct sow, or planting seeds directly into outdoor garden soil, is another way of gardening. If you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed pouch. Direct sow timeframes are later than indoor planting because the soil needs to be warm enough.

There's more variation with seed survival with direct sow. Your seedlings need to survive hungry rodents and storms, weather too little rain or sun, and obtain proper nutrition. Be ready to deal with whatever nature gives you. If you're lucky, you'll get strong sprouts that grow all spring.

Start Seeds Indoors
If you'd like more control over your seedlings' journey or you're eager to get growing, start your seeds indoors in your own plant nursery. In general, you can plant seeds indoors about a month before you can do it outdoors. Like direct sow, you push the seeds into the soil as directed on the seed packet, but that's where the similarities end. Seed trays make it easier to transplant later.

You're responsible for giving them quality substitutes for sun and rain. Keep your seeds warm with heat mats and grow lights, water them carefully with a watering can or spray bottle, then thin them as they germinate in groups of three. Give them a boost with a gently blowing fan as they lengthen into sprouts if you'd like. Harden them off to get them used to outdoor conditions, then transplant them into your garden when they're big enough.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
In quality soil, dig a hole that's the same size or bigger than your plant's dirt plug. Carefully remove your transplant without pulling on it, keeping it inside its clump of dirt. Place your transplant in the ground, and fill any extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil and fertilizer, then water it well. Only apply as much fertilizer as is recommended, as too much could harm the plant. Consider putting up chicken wire or other protective measures if deer, squirrels, rabbits, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise get eaten.

Enrich Your Garden With Mulch
Nourish your garden with mulch and compost. Mulch keeps your soil from drying out and controls weeds. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. Mulch and compost can be DIY creations, but you can also purchase them in-store. The next time you're looking for "mulch near me," stop by the Garden Center to get the correct amount.

Greet the Spring
Don't miss a minute of growing season. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden and landscaping, and browse your nearest plant nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. If you don't have a lawn, consider adding artificial grass, an outdoor rug, or a pellet grill to your balcony or patio. Shop for the fertilizer, soil, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Howell Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.