Garden Center at N Reno #3304

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
It's time to start thinking of spring. Sweep the gazebo to prepare for fragrant breezes, warmer temperatures, and sprouts poking up out of the ground. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights means you're ready to transplant young veggie plants and spring annuals when the frosts are through and the ground thaws. You might even want to plant seeds directly into the soil. What better way to start than by exploring your favorite local plant nursery?

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 United States and its territories is sorted into blocks by climate. Find your zone on the USDA growing zone map and learn when to plant seeds and flower bulbs.

For example, you could plant bell pepper seedlings 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 envelope for details. If you start your seeds later, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone: Utah, Nevada, and California
This region ranges from Zones 7–9, with higher elevations in Zones 5–6. You'll find fertile land in some places, but mountains and deserts with harsher conditions elsewhere. What you can grow and when will vary considerably depending on where you live. In Zones 5 and 6, the outdoor growing season doesn't begin here until mid-March or even April, although you can start some veggies by seed halfway through February. Warmer Zones 7 through 9 can plant earlier, but if you're in the desert, you'll likely want to consider indoor gardening in a sunroom or enclosed porch.

Utilize greenhouses to grow herbs and vegetables. Native plants like cacti, succulents, and hardy desert shrubs will grow outside with ease. Other beloved garden vegetables love the heat, like peppers, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes. If you start them indoors and carefully introduce them outdoors in the shade, you can enjoy raising vegetables even in a dry climate. However, many flowers are sensitive to that much sun and heat, so research to find which varieties can withstand the weather before planting outdoors.

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 prefer to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed package. 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 storms and hungry critters, weather too much 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 are ready to grow all spring.

Start Seeds Indoors
You can save money and gain the satisfaction of growing your garden from seeds by starting them indoors in your own plant nursery. We've got all the seed starter supplies you'll need. For best results, you'll want grow lights to go with your nursery pots and seed trays. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your nearest plant nursery — to plant tiny soil plugs with seedlings. You can also use pots with seed starter mix and potting soil.

Measure your finger to use it as a ruler. In general, you'll plant 3–5 seeds, then press them into the soil to the depth you need with your finger. Mark where you planted the seeds with a toothpick or plant tag. That way, you'll know where your seeds should pop up. Otherwise, it'll be a surprise when the sprouts push out of the soil.

Strengthen Your Sprouts
When your sprouts aren't ready to go outside, you can still prepare them for outdoor life. These micro-seedlings are fragile — only an inch or so high, with the tiniest seedling leaf or two — but they're resilient. Seedlings don't get all this pampering in nature, so they can handle more than you think. However, your sprouts are still babies, so don't go overboard. You can even use an oscillating fan on low to strengthen their stems by mimicking the wind.

Harden The Seedlings
Once your seedlings are a few inches tall, start hardening them off. Gradually introducing them to the outdoors, strengthening them in the long run. Hardening means your seedlings are less likely to die during a sudden cold snap.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
In quality soil, dig a hole that's bigger than or the same size as 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 without overdoing it. Never apply more fertilizer than recommended, as adding more could harm the plant. Consider putting up garden fencing or other protective measures if deer, squirrels, rabbits, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish it all off 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 larger and stronger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. 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 right amount.

Greet the Spring
Don't miss a minute of growing season. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your landscaping, and browse The Home Depot nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding artificial grass, an outdoor rug, or a pellet grill to your balcony or patio. Shop for the soil, seeds, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your N Reno Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.