Garden Center at El Cajon (r676) #1848

Mother's Day Gardening Gift 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: garden decor, planters, flower pots, and even patio furniture. If you're on the fence about the perfect present when searching for Mother's Day gifts, a gift card always works. Shop The Home Depot Mother's Day Gardening Gifts Sale from May 2nd to May 12th in-store or online.



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 with grow lights means you'll be ready to transplant spring flowers and young veggie plants when the frosts are through and the ground thaws. You might even want to directly sow 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. 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 them a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
The southernmost part of California is primarily in Zones 9 and 10, with small areas of 6–8 sprinkled in near San Bernadino and Palm Springs. A temperate Mediterranean climate on the coast means it’s usually gorgeous gardening weather and excellent for growing. Areas in the mountains and desert are more challenging to grow vegetables in, but indoor gardening is an excellent workaround.

For more temperate areas, find your planting zone and prepare to get planting. Growing season begins early and ends late in this part of the country. The weather and climate make it easy to get and keep a beautiful garden. A wide variety of plants, flowers, and vegetables thrive in southern California. You can even grow citrus trees for fresh fruit when you plant somewhere with good soil drainage. You’ll have excellent results with peppers of all heat levels and colors, including bell peppers, jalapeños, and more. Zucchini, cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins, which are direct sow only, will flourish. Planting tomatoes will yield thriving leaves and fruit, as they’re tropical in origin and are happiest in the heat.

In the desert, native plants like succulents, cacti, and other hardy desert shrubs will grow outside with ease. Other beloved garden vegetables love the heat. If you start them indoors and carefully introduce them outdoors in the shade, you can enjoy raising vegetables even in a dry climate. Heat-resistant spring flower seeds, whether they're annuals or perennials, can also often get an indoor start.

Start Seeds Indoors
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 a spray bottle of water, good soil, 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. Otherwise, it'll be a surprise when the sprouts push out of the soil.

Sprouts
Prepare your seed sprouts for outdoor life while they're still indoors. 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 they please, 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
When you're hardening your sprouts and gradually introducing them to the outdoors, be flexible. Keep an eye on your baby plants. Bring them inside or move them to a shady spot if they're looking rough. As always, make sure they're watered enough. Whisk wilted plants inside and give them a good drink, making sure they're strong before returning them outdoors.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
Carefully take your seedling out of the container. A good way to do this is to 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 root system. Place it into the hole you dug for it, even with the surrounding soil.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish your planting by following it with compost and mulch. Mulch controls weeds and keeps your soil from drying out. 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 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. 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 soil, seeds, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your El Cajon (R676) Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.