Garden
Welcome to our Garden page where you can find exciting upcoming gardening projects, information about community gardens throughout San Diego County, native plants, and resources for making your own healthy at-home garden! Select the activity you want to start with by clicking the icons below.
For translation needs on pages throughout this site, you can use the Google Translate widget in the upper right of this page to select different languages.
What is the COC Demonstration Garden?
To support a more resilient local food system that builds healthy communities, supports the economy, and enhances the environment, the County developed a demonstration garden at the County Operations Center that opened on October 27, 2021.
The 20x20 foot garden is located across from the cafeteria. It showcases an edible landscape design and offer education about urban gardening and sustainability for visitors to the COC, County staff, and the general public.
The design of Live Well San Diego Demonstration Garden was
done in close partnership with the Master Gardeners Association of the
University of California Cooperative Extension.
This project is a demonstration site for learning about nutrition, sustainability, importance of pollinators, and the cyclical nature of our food system. It includes its own Little Free Library, and educational signs in multiple languages about pest management, composting, water conservation and nutrition. It will also be a place for County staff to enjoy, and host future lunch and learn workshops, and participate in harvest days. Learn more here.
Grow Your Own Vegetables at One of San Diego County's Community Gardens
Note: The videos on this page provide subtitles and closed captions (cc) that are available for translation in multiple languages by clicking the settings icon on the bottom right corner of each video.
Sweetwater Community Garden opened in 2020 and contains more than 200 garden plots with perimeter fencing and water hookups. Visitors have access to ample parking, restrooms, a drinking fountain, a gazebo with picnic tables, compost bins and a demonstration garden managed by the Bonita Valley Garden Club. Special events are held throughout the year for master gardeners and novices, alike!
Sweetwater Community Garden is owned by the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation, and operated by the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County. Exercise your green thumb while growing healthy produce, saving money, and connecting with your community. Learn more about reserving a plot at this location at rcdsandiego.org.
The Tijuana River Valley Community Garden is the largest community
garden in San Diego County, located in the southernmost portion of San
Diego, within the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. The garden
contains 210 garden plots, seven quarter-acre plots for education and
demonstration, a native pollinator hedgerow, and a diversity of
wildlife. It is owned by the County of San Diego Department of Parks
and Recreation and operated by the Resource Conservation District of
Greater San Diego County. Learn more about reserving a plot at this
location at rcdsandieo.org.
Visit! The garden is open to the public every day from 8 am until sunset. Visitors are welcome to walk the garden pathways, but please do not enter individual plots or pick produce without permission. There's also a Bird and Butterfly Garden nearby! Learn more about the County of San Diego's Tijuana River Valley Regional Park.
Join Senior Park Ranger Mike for a Walk Through the Tijuana Valley
Regional Park & Garden!
A Bird's-Eye View of the Tijuana River Valley Community Garden
Resources for Gardening in San Diego County
Note: The videos on this page provide subtitles and closed captions (cc) that are available for translation in multiple languages by clicking the settings icon on the bottom right corner of each video.
Do you know how to properly plant a tree?
Learn from the County of San Diego Parks and Recreation team the importance of replanting native trees to replenish the tree canopy and create a diverse garden!
First, find the topmost root, dig a shallow and wide planting hole, and place the tree. Finally, learn how to water and care for your tree.
Put in Native Plants
Adding native plants in landscaping can achieve a range of benefits including biodiversity and habitat preservation, increased drought tolerance and local market development. The County of San Diego Planning & Development Services is developing options for incentivizing, requiring, and/or educating the public and County facilities on the increased use of native plants in landscaping. Learn more
Master Gardeners are volunteers trained and supervised by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), part of UC’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. San Diego County has over 300 Master Gardeners that provide home gardening and pest control information free to the public!
Master Gardeners support programs at school gardens, earth-friendly gardens, community gardens, and healthy-home gardens. They even host workshops and events! San Diego County residents can also call or email Master Gardeners anytime with questions about gardening or garden maintenance. Learn more at mastergardenersd.org.
The San Diego County Resource Conservation District (RCD) provides opportunities for residents to learn about gardening and get involved with gardening in their local community. Learn more about how RCD supports farms, pollonator habitats, school gardens, and community gardens at rcdsandiego.org.
Throughout California, the UC’s 64 Cooperative Extension offices are local problem-solving centers. UCCE San Diego County unites campus-based specialists with County of San Diego advisors to advocate for healthy communities, preserve land and water resources, and support local agriculture. Learn more about these cooperative efforts and upcoming events at ucanr.edu.
Did you know that there is at least one San Diego County Certified Farmers’ Market on every day of the week? Produce sold by the farmer is grown in California and meets all California quality standards.
Support locally grown food by buying your produce directly from farmers! Find the best location and day for you at sdfarmbureau.org.
Are you looking for a community supported agriculture program? Do you want to visit a farm stand? Use the UCSD Good Food Finder Tool to find good food in your neighborhood and directly support San Diego County farmers!
This tool provides also provides information about farmers that accept SNAP and EBT, and farms or gardens owned or operated by BIPOC and women. Support your local food system today!
Composting in Unincorporated San Diego County
What You Need to Know!
Composting encourages waste diversion and reduces greenhouse gas emissions caused by the decomposition of organic materials in landfills and what's more, composting can reduce agricultural costs and even become a source of income.There are expanded opportunities for people in the unincorporated area to get involved! What does this mean for YOU?
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