Garden Center at South Riding #8551

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
It's time to start thinking of spring. Sweep the gazebo and clean out the shed to prepare for sprouts poking up out of the ground, warmer temperatures, and fragrant breezes. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights means you'll be 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 earth. 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 spring flowers, vegetables, 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 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 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 your plants later, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in the Hills of 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 kale, broccoli, and cabbage. Greens like artichokes and spinach, early-blooming annuals like marigolds, and fragrant herbs, including oregano, basil, and parsley, also don't mind an early beginning. Even in the highest peaks of West Virginia in Zone 5b, traditional garden vegetables like hot peppers of all kinds, cucumbers, and tomatoes are fine with a late winter or early spring 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 when the ground is warm enough. Remember to 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
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. Bugs or garden pests 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
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 seed trays. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your nearest nursery — to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs when the time comes. 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 press 3–5 seeds into the soil at the proper depth. 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 aren't pampered 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 measure a few inches tall, start hardening them off. Gradually introducing them to the outdoors, making them stronger in the long run. Hardening means you're less likely to lose your growing garden during a sudden cold snap.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
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. Never apply more fertilizer than recommended, as too much could burn the plant. Consider putting up wire fencing or other protective measures if rabbits, squirrels, deer, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Enrich Your Garden With Mulch
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 fruit and flowers. Mulch and compost can be purchased in-store, or you can learn how to compost DIY-style. The next time you need "mulch near me," stop by the Garden Center to get the right 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 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 soil, seeds, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your S Riding Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.