Garden Center at Powder Springs #6940

Set Up For Springtime
It's time to start thinking of spring. Clean out the shed and sweep the gazebo to prepare for warmer temperatures, sprouts poking up out of the ground, and fragrant breezes. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights means you'll be ready to transplant spring annuals and young veggie plants 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 you should know when planting vegetables, 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 plant hardiness zone map and learn when to plant flower bulbs and seeds.

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. For best results, choose plants in your zone number or less. In other words, a Zone 8 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–8. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, known as direct sow. Always read your seed envelope for details. If you start them a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone: South
The South is in Zones 7 to 9, with coastal regions being the warmest at a Zone 9. The zone number decreases to an 8 as you go farther inland, then to a 7 as you go up in elevation to the foothills of the Georgia mountains. Just check your planting zone, then consult the seed package for the most accurate instructions for each plant. You're in a micro-climate near a valley, wetland, or lake, zoom in on the USDA planting map for precise details down to street level.

In balmy Zone 9 on the coast, you can begin planning and planting indoors in January if you'd like. Zones 7 and 8 generally have a slightly later recommendation for indoor starts. Cruciferous veggies and garden favorites, like peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes, all do well when started inside your home. Greens like spinach, artichokes, and fragrant herbs, including basil, oregano, and parsley, also don't mind an early beginning. You can sow flower seeds and watch them progress under the grow lights, too. Whatever you choose to grow, tend and carefully transplant them when the threat of frost is gone for the season.

Plant Seeds Outside 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 about a month before you can do it outside. Like direct sow, you push the seeds into the soil as directed on the seed pouch, 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 grow lights and heat mats, 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
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 be sure to water it. Only apply as much fertilizer as is recommended, as too much could kill the plant. Consider putting up wire fencing or other protective measures if squirrels, rabbits, deer, or chipmunks visit your yard, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Nourish your garden bed with mulch and compost. Mulch controls weeds and keeps your soil from drying out. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster stronger and larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch and compost can be purchased in-store, or you can learn how to compost DIY-style. The next time you're searching 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 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 artificial grass, a pellet grill, or an outdoor rug to your patio or balcony. Shop for the fertilizer, seeds, and soil you need in the aisles of your Powder Springs Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.