Garden Center at Waterloo #2101

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
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 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 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 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 transplant bell peppers outdoors in mid-March in Zone 10, but not until the end of May in Zone 4. You'll have good results with plants that have your zone number or less. 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 package for details. If you start them later, it's not ideal, but it will even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone: Great Plains and Upper Midwest
Much of the Great Plains and Upper Midwest is in Zones 3 through 5. Your best bets for veggies will be root vegetables like beets and carrots, leafy greens including lettuce, and cruciferous veggies like cabbage and kale. You can try squash, too. If you plant outside, prepare to cover outdoor seedlings when late frost is forecast. Planting dates are similar to Zone 4, that is to say, the target is mid-March through May 1st, depending on whether you're directly sowing them into our garden or starting your seeds indoors.

The state of Kansas and slightly north of the state line is in Zone 6, so you can plant there earlier than farther north. The outdoor growing season doesn't kick off until mid-March or even April, although you can start some veggies by seed halfway through February. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and other classic garden crops will thrive in this region, and most of them can get an early jump on growing indoors before spring truly 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. 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
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 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 rain and sunlight. 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 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 before planting or on top of the dirt, then give it a generous drink without overwatering. Only apply as much fertilizer as is recommended, as too much could harm 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
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 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 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 your nearest 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 seeds, fertilizer, and soil you need in the aisles of your Waterloo Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.