Garden Center at Palm Springs #8526

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
On beautiful spring days, tidy the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Lawn care is often a priority as well. Don't forget to clean out the shed and sweep the gazebo in preparation for spring, too. No matter which plants you need and what outdoor projects you choose to tackle, search for your local plant nursery and find that The Home Depot Palm Springs Garden Center can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to know when planting veggies, spring flowers, 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 transplant bell peppers 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. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, known as direct sow. Be sure to 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 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 climate and weather make it easy to get and keep a beautiful garden going. 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 colors and heat levels, 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 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 flowers, both annuals and perennials, are sensitive to that much sun and heat, so research to find which varieties can handle the weather before planting outdoors.

Start Seeds Indoors
Save money and gain the satisfaction of growing your garden from seeds by starting them indoors in your own plant nursery. 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 Palm Springs Garden Center — to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs when the time comes. 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 plant tag or toothpick. 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 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
Remember to harden off your seedlings once they're a few inches tall. 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
Place your transplants in the ground, then give them a generous drink of water — without drowning it. Surround them with mulch, marking where the plant is with a stick so you can easily find it among the grass clippings, old leaves, or straw. Consider putting up chicken wire or other protective measures if rabbits, squirrels, deer, or chipmunks 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. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. Mulch keeps your soil moist and controls weeds. Mulch and compost 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
Don't miss a minute of growing season. Plan your garden and landscaping, prepare to fertilize your lawn, and browse The Home Depot nursery to find inspiration on what to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding a pellet grill or artificial grass to your outdoor space. Shop for the fertilizer, soil, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Palm Springs Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.