Garden Center at Sunrise #258

Gardening Sale for Mother's Day
When you're searching for Mother's Day gardening gifts, check out the deals on our garden decor, planters, and flower pots. 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 is a sure-fire winner. 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.



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

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn when planting spring flowers, veggies, 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 planting 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. You'll have good results with plants that have your zone number or less. 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. Read your seed packet for details. If you start seeds later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
Your climate is excellent for growing year-round if you've got good soil. Why not think of springtime planting now? With such beautiful weather, you can direct sow many types of seeds. From classics like peppers and cucumbers to strawberries, green beans, and spinach, you have a wide variety of options. Your garden might still be growing if there's no reason to put it to bed — especially if it's close to the house or in a greenhouse. In that case, tend it as usual.

Some seeds, like tomatoes, do best when started indoors and aren't recommended as direct sows. Read your seed packets and adjust accordingly for your region. Although the warm temps are excellent for growing, check your soil to make sure it's rich enough and a good match to your plants. Miami limestone and sandy soil will need soil amendments to adjust the texture and pH for a successful garden if you're growing many garden plants. If you go with native plants like persimmons, muscadines, red mulberries, and blueberries, they're already adapted to the soil of southern Florida.

Start Seeds Indoors
You can save money and gain the satisfaction of growing your garden from seeds by starting them indoors. We've got all the seed starter supplies you'll need. For best results, you'll want grow lights or a warming mat to go with your seed tray or plant pots. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your Sunrise Garden Center — to make it easy to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs later. You can also use pots with potting soil and seed starter mix.

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 toothpick or plant tag. 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 certainly don't get all this pampering in nature, 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 trays or pots of seedlings outside to slowly warm in the shade for a couple of hours, but bring them inside at night. Cloudy days are fine, but no harsh nighttime chills or direct sunlight yet. After a week or more of this, you can leave them out overnight if the temps stay at 50 degrees or above at night. Cover your plants if they're in the ground and a late-season frost sneaks back in.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
Place your transplants in the ground, then give them a generous drink of water — without drowning it. Blanket the surrounding ground with mulch, marking where the plant is with a stick or tag so you can easily find it among the grass clippings, old leaves, or straw. Consider putting up chicken wire or other protective measures if deer or rodents visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish your garden bed with compost and mulch. Mulch keeps your soil moist and controls weeds. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger and stronger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. 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
Late winter into early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Don't miss a minute of growing season. Plan your garden and landscaping, prepare to fertilize your lawn, and browse our garden center pages to find inspiration on what to plant when the weather warms. Shop for the fertilizer, seeds, and soil you need in the aisles of your Sunrise Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.