Garden Center at Rio Rancho #3517

Set Up For Springtime
It's time to start thinking of spring. Clean out the shed 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 ground thaws and the frosts are through. 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 veggies, spring flowers, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the United States and its territories is sorted by climate. Find your zone on the USDA plant hardiness 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. 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 packet for details. If you start your plants a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone: Pacific Mountain Desert
The diverse topography of this area means planting times vary widely. Desert areas are in Zones 7 through 10, depending on location, and areas with more elevation are in chillier Zones 4–6. Both deserts and mountains are can have extreme conditions, so consider indoor gardening as a strong supplement to growing outdoors when and where you can.

In the desert, native plants like cacti, succulents, and hardy desert shrubs will grow outside with ease. Other beloved garden vegetables love the heat, like nightshades. 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 heat and sun, so research to find which varieties can handle the weather before planting outdoors.

Colder regions in Zones 6 to 8 should wait a little longer to plant, and all these zones need to wait an additional month before planting seeds outdoors rather than indoors. Mountainous regions in Zones 3–5 will have the shortest growing season, with seed starters going in later in the spring. Although the weather may vary, waiting until the frost is done for the season will give your seeds the best chance at a hearty and healthy life.

Check out cruciferous veggies and certain herbs if you're ready to get planting. This includes broccoli, kale, and cabbage. Greens like spinach, artichokes, and fragrant herbs, including basil, parsley, and oregano, also don't mind a jump on things. In Zones 4–6, traditional garden vegetables, like hot peppers of all kinds, cucumbers, and tomatoes, are fine with an early spring or late winter start indoors under the grow lights.

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 envelope. 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 rodents, 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 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 roughly a month before you can do it outside. Like direct sow, you push the seeds into the soil as directed on the seed package, 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 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
In quality soil, dig a hole that's the same size or bigger than 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 before planting or on top of the dirt, then water it well without overdoing it. Only apply as much fertilizer as is recommended, as adding more could burn the plant. Consider putting up wire fencing or other protective measures if deer, squirrels, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise get eaten.

Enrich Your Garden With Mulch and Compost
Finish it all off 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 larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch and compost can be purchased in-store, or you can learn how to make compost DIY-style. 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 garden and 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. Shop for the seeds, fertilizer, and soil you need in the aisles of your Rio Rancho Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.