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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(808)331-3402
Store Hours
Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 9:00pm
Sun: 7:00am - 7:00pm
Curbside: 09:00am - 6:00pm
Location
73-5598 Olowalu St
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
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Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening

What number planting zone am I in?

Check the USDA plant hardiness zone map, as planting zones have shifted over the years. Planting 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 plant seeds directly in the ground?

If the soil isn't cold and frozen, consider planting your veggie, fruit, or flower seeds directly into your garden. This is called the "direct sow" method. Plant 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 package for how and when to sow seeds.

How do I plant fruit seeds?

Read your seed packet for info on proper depth, spacing, and how many seeds to sow per hole when planting spring flowers, fruits, and vegetables — indoors or outdoors. Requirements vary with each seed type. Some seeds should only be planted indoors, and your seed envelope will tell you that, too. For more details, check out how to plant seeds.

Should I harden off my seedlings before planting them outside?

Yes, for best results, if you raised plants indoors from seeds, harden them before you transplant them. Hardening is the process of getting them used to the great outdoors. It slows their growth until they're strong and ready to take off during a spring warm front. Hardening also makes your plants more resilient to a sudden cold snap. Read your seed packets or speak to a garden center associate for more info on caring for your seedlings.

How do I plant a transplant or baby plant?

Squeeze the plastic around the plant to loosen the soil. Gently coax your transplant and the surrounding clod of dirt out into the palm of your hand, then place it into the hole you dug for it. Make sure the top of your transplant's soil is even with the garden soil, and carefully press the earth into place. Avoid leaving the plant as an island with a moat around it, and don't pack the ground too tightly. Your plant baby needs to breathe.

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 need acidic soil. 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.

The Home Depot Garden Center at Kona

The Home Depot Mother's Day Sale
The Home Depot Mother's Day Sale is a great time to help Mom upgrade her garden. We've got discounts on popular brands of decorative plants, herb plants, and those details that make a garden special: flower pots, planters, garden decor, and even patio furniture. If you're unsure of the right present when searching for Mother's Day gifts, a gift card never fails. Shop The Home Depot Mother's Day Gardening Gifts Sale from May 2nd through May 12th in-store or online.

Mother and child gardening with tools

It's time to start thinking of spring. We're here to help you prepare for fragrant breezes, sprouts poking up, and warmer temperatures. Planting seeds indoors near a sunny window means you'll be ready to transplant young veggie plants and spring flowers when the ground thaws and the frosts are through. You might even want to directly sow organic seeds into the earth.

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 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. For best results, choose plants in your zone number or less. 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 seeds a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
Hawaii's growing zones range from 9 to 12, with a few areas of Zone 13. Your climate is excellent for growing year-round if you've got rich soil. Why not think of springtime planting now? With such beautiful weather, you can direct sow many types of seeds. Your garden might still be growing if there's no reason to put it to bed. In that case, tend it as usual.

Some seeds, like tomatoes, do best when started indoors and aren't recommended as direct sows, so read your seed packets and adjust accordingly for your region. Bananas, breadfruit, and coconuts thrive in Hawaii's tropical climate. Roots like yams, taro, and tapioca grow well, too.

Hot peppers thrive here, and you can try bell peppers. Veggies in the squash family, like cucumbers and pumpkins, also enjoy the weather. If your temps regularly get over 90s, look into shade sails or another shade structure to give your garden a break from the intense heat and humidity. The sun is so strong here that the full sun recommendation that works on the continental U.S. might be too harsh here. Container gardening, potted plants, or hydroponics give you extra flexibility to control the amount of sun and shade for best results.

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 packet and try it.

Prepare to deal with whatever hand nature deals you: Be ready for none of your seeds to sprout, all of them to come up, and anything in between. Your seedlings will need to survive rain, wind, bugs and critters that want a crunchy green snack, and sudden 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 sunlight and rain. Keep your seeds warm 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 true 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 great, dig a slightly bigger hole and fill the extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer as directed. Don't apply more than recommended, as you could burn the plant and kill it instead of helping it.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish your garden bed with compost and mulch. Mulch controls weeds and keeps the soil moist. 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 and compost can be purchased in-store or created at home. The next time you're looking for "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. 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 what to plant when the weather warms. Shop for the soil, seeds, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your Kona Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.

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