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Do you have what you need to make your garden grow?

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Explore Your Local Garden Center at a Home Depot Near You. Get inspired to upgrade your plants and landscaping.

Garden Center

Contact Us
Pro Service Desk(302)761-8902
Tool & Truck Rental(302)761-8908
Store Hours
Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 9:00pm
Sun: 7:00am - 8:00pm
Curbside: 09:00am - 6:00pm
Location
3600 Miller Road
Wilmington, DE 19802
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The Home Depot Garden Center at Wilmington, DE

Spring Black Friday Savings
Find some of the top bargains of the season with our Spring Black Friday deals. Spruce up the great outdoors with patio furniture to fit any decor style. Spring cleaning applies both outdoors and indoors, so upgrade your lawn and garden with gorgeous flowers. Don't forget to check out our outdoor power equipment, too. Get it all done when you save during our spring sale, which runs only from April 4th through the 28th. Don't miss these deals.

Small blue house with lots of colorful flowers in front garden
The Home Depot Mother's Day Sale
When you're searching for Mother's Day gardening gifts, check out the bargains on our garden decor, flower pots, and planters. Our Mother's Day Sale is your solution for the right present. You can even surprise her with new patio furniture. If you're not sure what to get, a gift card will always be appreciated. It's easy to shop the sales that run from May 2nd to May 12th on our mobile app or in person at your local store.

Mother and child gardening with tools

On those beautiful days, clean up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Lawn care is often a priority, as well. Planning your garden lets you make the most of your time and space. You can also add beauty and interest with hardscaping, stonework, and water features. No matter what outdoor projects you choose to tackle, The Home Depot Garden Center in Wilmington, DE can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

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 by climate. Find your zone on the USDA zone map and learn when to plant 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. The plants that'll thrive in your area are in your zone, and 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 packet for details. If you start them a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
In Zone 5, which includes parts of Pennsylvania as well as upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and southern Maine, your best bets for veggies will be root vegetables like beets and carrots, leafy greens including lettuce, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and kale. You can try squash, but prepare for additional warming upkeep when late frost is forecast. Target planting dates are roughly mid-March through May 1st, depending on whether you're directly sowing them into your garden or starting your seeds indoors.

Much of West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, southern New York state, and New Jersey 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. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, onions, 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 Outside With Direct Sow
Planting seeds with the direct sow method, right into the soil, is another option. It doesn't give you as much organized planning in terms of space and reliability as starting indoors. However, if you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed pouch and try it.

Prepare to deal with whatever hand nature deals you: Be ready for all your seeds to sprout, none of them to come up, and anything in between. Your seedlings will need to survive rain, wind, rodents and bugs that crave tender greens, and cold snaps. But if you're lucky, you'll get strong sprouts that are ready to grow all spring.

Start Seeds Indoors
If you're eager to get growing or would like more control in the care and feeding of seedlings, start your seeds indoors instead. 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 packet, but that's where the similarities end.

You're responsible for giving them quality substitutes for sun and rain. Keep your seeds cozy with warming mats and grow lights, water them carefully with a mister 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
When your plants have three or four real leaves — different from miniature seedling leaves – it's time to transplant them. In quality soil, dig a hole that's the same size as the dirt plug where your transplant has been growing. If your ground soil isn't fantastic, dig a slightly bigger hole and fill the extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply any fertilizer as directed on the package. Don't apply more than recommended, as you could burn the plant and kill it instead of helping it along.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish your planting by following it with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch keeps your soil moist and controls weeds. Compost and mulch can be DIY creations, but you can also purchase them in-store. The next time you're looking for "mulch near me," stop by the Garden Center to get the perfect amount.

Greet the Spring
Early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Don't miss a minute of growing season. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden and landscaping, and browse our garden center pages to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. Shop for the soil, seeds, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your Wilmington, DE Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.


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Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening

How do I check my planting zone?

Check the USDA zone map, as planting zones have shifted slightly through the years. Zones with higher numbers can plant earlier in the year. Increase your odds of successful gardening by choosing plants that are meant for your zone.

Can I just put seeds in the ground?

If the soil is warm and pliable, consider planting your fruit, flower, or vegetable seeds directly into your garden. This is called the "direct sow" method. The time to plant will be after the threat of frost is gone for the season, as seedlings and sprouts can't weather those conditions. You can also start your seeds indoors if you'd like. Consult your seed envelope for when and how to sow seeds.

How do I plant seeds?

Check your seed package for the best info on how to grow spring flowers, fruits, and vegetables — indoors or outdoors. Requirements vary with each seed type. Certain seeds should only be sown indoors, and your seed package will tell you that, too. For more details, check out how to plant flower seeds.

Do I have to harden off my seedlings before planting them outside?

Yes, if you raised plants indoors from seeds, harden them first before you transplant them. Hardening allows your seedlings to adjust to the great outdoors, making them more resilient against cold snaps. It slows their growth until they're strong and ready to take off during a spring warm front.

Can I strengthen my seedlings before planting them outdoors?

Get your sprouts used to storms and breezy spring days with a fan and keep fungus from growing in damp conditions. Set up an oscillating floor fan on low to mimic the wind. Just the gentlest breeze for several hours a day will do the trick. They'll gain strength even though you shouldn't see them moving. If you don't set up a fan, your seedlings may be more sensitive to strong winds. Try to plant between storms.

Should I use peat moss starters or coir starters?

Seed starters, full of nutrients in pots or pellets, work for new and experienced gardeners. You don't have to use these starters if you're planting in soil, but you may want to. Starting seeds in peat pots works best for delicately rooted plants like carrots and beets, as well as flowers that require an acidic pH. Some people prefer coir starters instead, as they have a neutral pH. Check what type of soil your plants need to help narrow it down, and chat with a garden center associate if you need more info.

Nearby Stores

601 Naamans Rd

Claymont, DE 19703

5.29 mi

Pro Service Desk

(302)793-7406

Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 10:00pm

Sun: 7:00am - 8:00pm

138 Sunset Blvd

New Castle, DE 19720

7.52 mi

Tool & Truck Rental

(302)395-7410

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(302)395-7404

Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 10:00pm

Sun: 7:00am - 8:00pm

1301 New Churchmans Rd

Newark, DE 19713

7.82 mi

Pro Service Desk

(302)369-7400

Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 10:00pm

Sun: 7:00am - 8:00pm

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