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Do you have what you need to make your garden grow?

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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(661)873-6464
Store Hours
Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 9:00pm
Sun: 8:00am - 6:00pm
Curbside: 09:00am - 6:00pm
Location
2655 Mt Vernon Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93306
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The Home Depot Garden Center at Ne Bakersfield

Spring Black Friday Is Back
Find some of the best bargains of the season with our Spring Black Friday sale. Level up your patio or backyard with patio furniture to fit any decor style. Spring cleaning applies both outside and inside your house, so refresh your lawn and garden with gorgeous flowers. Don't forget to check out our outdoor power equipment, too. Save on everything you need during our spring sale, running only from April 4th through April 28th. Don't miss these deals.

Small blue house with lots of colorful flowers in front garden

On those beautiful days, clean up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Many people feel inspired to refresh their outdoor space for entertaining, as well. Planning your garden lets you 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 Ne Bakersfield can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn 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 plant hardiness 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. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, or direct sow. Read your seed packet for details. If you start plants later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
This area is in growing Zones 8 or 9, but it’s desert, so utilize greenhouses to grow vegetables and herbs. Native plants like cacti, succulents, and other hardy desert shrubs will grow outside with ease. Other beloved garden vegetables love the heat, like squash, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. If you start them indoors and carefully introduce them outdoors in the shade, you can enjoy raising vegetables even in a dry climate. However, many spring flowers are sensitive to that much sun and heat, so research to find which varieties can handle the weather before planting outdoors.

An indoor garden of greenery might be lovely as well. Look into house plants and create an oasis within your home. A sunroom or covered porch is a great place to encourage plant growth, especially with plant stands and pots of all sizes. Your spring flower seed choices, whether they're perennials or annuals, can also often get an indoor start.

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 planter pots. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your Ne Bakersfield Garden Center — to make it easy to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs later. You can also use pots with seed starter mix and potting soil.

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, and you'll know they're not weeds. 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 fan on low to mimic the wind and strengthen their stems.

Harden Your Seedlings
Once your seedlings have sprouted and are a few inches tall, start hardening them off. This is a process of gradually introducing them to the outdoors, making them stronger in the long run. Hardening means you're less likely to lose your growing garden during a sudden cold snap.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
When your plants should have three or four real leaves — different from mini 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 fantastic, dig a slightly bigger hole and fill the extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer as directed, 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 your planting by following it with mulch and compost. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster stronger 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 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 which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. Shop for the seeds, soil, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your Ne Bakersfield Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening

How do I know what planting zone I'm in?

Check the USDA growing zone map, as planting zones have shifted over the years. 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.

What's direct sow?

If the ground isn't frozen solid and the soil isn't cold, consider planting your fruit, veggie, or flower seeds directly into your garden. This is called the "direct sow" method. The time to plant will be 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 packet for when and how to sow seeds.

Do you carry organic seeds and plants?

Yes, we've got a variety of organic options, including organic veggie seeds and fruit seeds, and organic herb and flower seeds which are subject to availability. We carry the organic soil to plant it in as well as the organic fertilizer to feed it.

Do I have to 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 allows your seedlings to adjust to outdoor life and the fluctuating spring weather, making them more resilient against cold snaps. It slows their growth until they're strong and ready to take off during a spring warm front.

How do I prep for planting seeds or transplants outside?

Before you plant, make sure that your plant will have the right amount of sun, it's warm enough outside, and the soil is healthy. Check your seed packet to see if it likes full sun, partial sun, or shade, as well as what time of year it should be planted. Space your plants as described on the seed envelope for best results so your plant babies have room to grow big and strong.

Should I use peat moss starters or coir starters?

Seed starters, full of nutrients in pellets or pots, work for new and experienced gardeners alike. 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 require an acidic pH. 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.

Nearby Stores

4001 Ming Ave

Bakersfield, CA 93309

6.06 mi

Pro Service Desk

(661)837-5262

Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 10:00pm

Sun: 8:00am - 6:00pm

8700 Rosedale Hwy

Bakersfield, CA 93312

7.66 mi

Pro Service Desk

(661)587-3304

Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 10:00pm

Sun: 8:00am - 6:00pm

4700 Gosford Rd

Bakersfield, CA 93313

9.02 mi

Tool & Truck Rental

(661)835-4480

Pro Service Desk

(661)835-4484

Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 10:00pm

Sun: 8:00am - 6:00pm

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