Garden Center at Wasilla #1304

Mother's Day Deals on Gardening Gifts
When you're searching for Mother's Day gardening gifts, check out the discounts on our planters, garden decor, and flower pots. Our Mother's Day Sale is your solution for the perfect present. You can even surprise her with new patio furniture. If you're debating what to get, a gift card is always a winner. This big sale runs from May 2nd to May 12th, so be sure to shop it 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 with grow lights 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 plant organic seeds into the earth.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to know when planting spring flowers, vegetables, 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 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. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, or direct sow. Always read your seed packet for details. If you start them later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
Alaska has a range of growing zones, ranging from Zones 1 and 2 in the coldest regions, to slightly warmer Zones 3 and 4, to the areas on the coast that go all the way up to Zone 8. You’re not going to grow many veggies outside for very long and will need to resort to greenhouses, growing tables, and grow lights to supplement for the cold temperatures and low-angle or lack of sunlight. For the warmer coastal regions in Zones 5–8, consider starting your plants indoors between the middle of January and March. The heart of growing season is from May 15th through the middle of September, so get your indoor starts going on time. When you hit the ground running as soon as the weather warms, you can get the most out of those five sunny months.

If you’re planting outdoors, Zone 3 options include root vegetables, greens, and cruciferous veggies. Greenhouses let you expand your range to popular vegetables that need more sun and warmer temperatures, like bell peppers, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other veggies that usually require a Zone 4 or greater. If possible, plant where you can get as much sun as possible on the southern side. Root vegetables and cruciferous veggies can go on the opposite side or northwest. There are many tricks to get the best yield and results from your garden, but they vary according to where you live in this vast state. Remember to check out spring flowers, too. For full details, look into specific tips tailored to your region, whether it’s sun-warmed mound gardens or plastic mulch.

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 reliability and spacing compared to indoor starts. However, if you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed pouch and give it a try.

Prepare to deal with whatever hand nature deals you: You might have no seeds that germinate. A critter may snack on the tender seedlings. All the seeds you plant in each hole may sprout, so you'll need to spread them out later or choose the most robust sprouts to survive in a process called thinning. Garden pests or bugs might make a meal out of 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'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 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
Carefully take your seedling out of the container. Turn it upside-down or sideways and gently squeeze the plastic to break the seal. If your transplant grew in the garden, leave plenty of room around the stem and dig deeper than you think with your garden trowel. You don't want to damage the roots. Place it into the hole you dug for it, even with the surrounding soil.

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 stronger and larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch controls weeds and keeps the soil moist. Compost and mulch 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 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, fertilizer, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Wasilla Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.