Garden Center at Moreno Valley II #1087

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
It's time to start thinking of spring. Sweep out the gazebo and clean the shed to prepare for warmer temperatures, sprouts poking out of the ground, and fragrant breezes. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights means you'll be ready to transplant spring annuals and young veggie plants when the ground thaws and the frosts are through. You might even want to plant seeds directly into the earth. What better way to start than by exploring your favorite local plant nursery, The Home Depot Moreno Valley II Garden Center?

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to know when planting spring flowers, veggies, 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 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 8 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–8. 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 plants later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will 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 there's usually gorgeous gardening weather. 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. The weather and climate make it easy to get and keep a beautiful garden going. A wide variety of vegetables, plants, and flowers thrive in southern California. If you've got good soil drainage, you can even grow citrus trees. You’ll have excellent results with peppers of all heat levels and colors, including bell peppers, jalapeños, and more. Cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and pumpkins, which are direct sow only, will flourish. Planting tomatoes will yield thriving fruit and leaves, as they’re tropical in origin and love the heat.

In the desert, native plants like succulents, cacti, and other hardy desert shrubs will easily grow outside. 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. 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.

Plant Seeds Outside With Direct Sow
Planting seeds with the direct sow method, right into the soil, is another option. There's less tending and planning than growing indoors. If you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed pack and give it a try.

Your seeds might struggle to grow or get washed away, or critters or bugs might eat the sprouts. But if you're really lucky, you might get strong sprouts, perfectly spaced and ready to grow all spring. The reality of your sown seeds will usually be somewhere in between, and spreading out tiny sprouts throughout the soil isn't so bad. You know those sprouts are hardy and primed to survive, although there are no guarantees.

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 in your own seedling garden. 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 heating 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
Place your transplants in the ground, then water them well. Blanket the surrounding ground with mulch, marking where the plant is with a 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 rodents or deer visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish your flower bed with mulch and compost. Mulch controls weeds and keeps the soil moist. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster 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 right amount.

Greet the Spring
Early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden and landscaping, and browse The Home Depot nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding artificial grass, a pellet grill, or an outdoor rug to your balcony or patio. Shop for the soil, seeds, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your Moreno Valley II Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.