Garden Center at Portland #2401

Set Up For Springtime
On gorgeous spring days, tidy up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Planning your garden lets you make the most of your time and space. Don't forget to sweep the gazebo and clean out 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 Portland Garden Center is the local plant nursery to help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

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

For example, you could transplant bell peppers outdoors in mid-March in Zone 10, but not until the end of May in Zone 4. For best results, choose plants in your zone number or less. 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 them later, it's not ideal, but it will 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 carrots and beets, leafy greens including lettuce, and cole crops like kale and cabbage. 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 Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, 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. Peppers, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, 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
Planting seeds into your garden soil, or using the direct sow method, is an alternative option. There's less planning and tending than growing indoors. If you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed pouch and try it out.

Prepare to deal with whatever hand nature deals you: You could have no germinating seeds or all of them might sprout. A critter might munch the tender seedlings for a snack. All the seeds you plant in each hole may sprout, so you'll need to choose the most robust sprouts to survive in a process called thinning. Garden pests or bugs might eat your seedlings before they take off. But 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 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 rain and sun. Keep your seeds warm with grow lights and heat mats, water them carefully with a spray bottle or watering can, 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 bigger than or the same size as your plant's dirt plug. Place your transplant in the ground, and fill any extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer if desired inside the plant hole or on top of the dirt, then be sure to water it. Only apply as much fertilizer as is recommended, as too much could kill the plant. Consider putting up chicken wire or other protective measures if rabbits, squirrels, 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 controls weeds and keeps your soil from drying out. It may help foster stronger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. Compost and mulch can be purchased in-store, or you can learn how to make compost DIY-style. The next time you need "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 landscaping and garden, and browse your nearest plant nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding a pellet grill, artificial grass, or an outdoor rug to your balcony. Shop for the fertilizer, seeds, and soil you need in the aisles of your Portland Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.