Garden Center at Lancaster #8913

Set Up For Springtime
On spring days, tidy up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Plan your garden to make the most of your time and space. 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 Lancaster, SC Garden Center can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn when planting vegetables, spring flowers, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the United States and its territories is sorted into blocks by climate. Find your zone on the USDA planting 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 7 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–7. 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 a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will even out as time passes.

Gardening in Appalachia
Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia are in Zones 6–8. Cruciferous veggies and certain herbs are ready to grow when you're ready to plant. This includes cabbage, broccoli, and kale. Greens like spinach and artichokes, early-blooming annuals like marigolds, and fragrant herbs, including parsley, oregano, and basil, also don't mind an early beginning. Even in the highest peaks of West Virginia in Zone 5b, traditional garden vegetables like peppers of all kinds, tomatoes, and cucumbers are fine with an early spring or late winter start indoors under the grow lights.

Look up the date of your last predicted frost, then count backward 6–8 weeks. That's the time you should sow your seeds indoors. The idea is to have strong seedlings that are ready for transplant at the same time the ground is warm enough. Do your best and enjoy the process — watching your plants grow, bloom, and put out tiny veggies that'll grow to harvest size is part of the fun.

Plant Seeds Outside With Direct Sow
Direct sow, or planting seeds directly into outdoor garden soil, is another way of gardening. If you prefer 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 much rain or too little sun, and obtain proper nutrition. Prepare to deal with whatever nature gives you. If you're lucky, you'll get strong sprouts that are ready to 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 outside. 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 sunlight 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 Your Garden
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. Never apply more fertilizer than recommended, as adding more could harm the plant. Consider putting up garden fencing or other protective measures if squirrels, rabbits, deer, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise get eaten.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Nourish your garden bed with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. Mulch keeps your soil from drying out and controls weeds. It may help foster stronger and larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Compost and mulch 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
Late winter into early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden, and browse your nearest 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 patio or balcony. Shop for the seeds, fertilizer, and soil you need in the aisles of your Lancaster, SC Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.