Garden Center at Grand Island #3208

On those beautiful days, clean up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Lawn care is often a priority, as well. Plan your garden to make the most of your time and space. Remember to measure your garden so you can find fresh mulch near you as soon as it's available. No matter what outdoor projects you choose to tackle, The Home Depot Garden Center in Grand Island can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn 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.

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, and all the zones numbered less than that. In other words, a Zone 5 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–5. The timeframe to direct sow outdoors in your garden is often around a month later than the indoor start date. Be sure to 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
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 broccoli and kale. You can try squash, too. If you plant outside, prepare for additional warming upkeep 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 starting your seeds indoors or directly sowing them into your garden.

The state of Kansas and slightly north of the state line is in Zone 6, so planting can begin earlier there 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, peppers, cucumbers, squash, 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 really moves in.

Start Seeds Indoors
Save money when you grow your garden from seeds by starting them indoors. We've got all the seed starter supplies you'll need. Make sure you have a warm and sunny spot that gets at least 12 hours of light and good soil, a spray bottle of water, and patience. Then you have everything you need to try growing seeds. Early spring light isn't usually strong enough, so we recommend extra lighting to keep those seeds warm enough to germinate.

Measure your finger to use it as a ruler. In general, you'll plant 3–5 seeds, then press them into the soil to the depth you need with your finger. Mark where you planted the seeds with a plant tag or toothpick. 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.

Sprouts
When your seeds have sprouted but aren't ready to go outside yet, 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 don't get all this pampering in nature when they volunteer and grow wherever, so they can handle more than you think. However, don't go overboard, as your sprouts are still babies. You can even use an oscillating floor fan on low to mimic the wind and strengthen their stems.

Harden Your Seedlings
Harden your seedlings for best results later. On days above 45 degrees, take your pots or trays of seedlings outside to slowly warm in the shade for a couple of hours, but bring them inside at night. A cloudy day will also work well. Gradually add more outside time each day, gently introducing your plants to the sun. After a week or more of this, you can leave them out overnight if the temps stay above 50 degrees. Cover your plants if they're in the ground and a late-season frost sneaks back in.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
When your plants have three or four true leaves — different from miniature seedling leaves – it's time to transplant them. In quality soil, dig a hole the same size as the dirt plug where your transplant has been growing. If your ground soil isn't great, dig a slightly bigger hole and fill the extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply any fertilizer as directed on the package, either on top of the soil after it's planted or in the hole. Only apply as much as recommended, as you could burn the plant and kill it instead of helping it along.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish it all off with mulch and compost. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger and stronger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch keeps your soil moist and controls weeds. Mulch and compost 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 seeds, fertilizer, and soil you need in the aisles of your Grand Island Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.