Choosing Healthy Nursery Plants For Your Home Garden
It is time to head down to your local nursery and choose plants for your home garden. But buyer beware: there are a few things to look out for at any nursery to make sure that what you take home will grow big and beautiful.
Plants frequently suffer from neglect at the big box stores, so I definitely recommend NOT going there. Many is the day I’ve wandered in to my local Home Cheapo (just looking…) and the plants were practically dead from lack of water: drooping over the edges of their containers, yellowing, yech! And then there’s the clearance rack with plants that look like they’ve been through a war. Taking a chance on a plant that’s suffered lots of stress is just not worth it – it will most likely die from transplant shock, rot in the ground, never produce new flowers or foliage, or/and never root properly.
You should always buy your plants from a reputable local nursery so you can see exactly what you’re getting. Here’s a simple buying guide:
It's clear which plant is stressed out
Make sure the plant’s foliage is not yellowing – this can be a sign of too little water, too little nutrition, or other problems. In short, the plant has been stressed in some way. The leaves should be deep green and growth should be robust.
If you’re buying a tree, check the trunk – it should be straight, with a slight flare at the base. If you don’t see a flare, the tree is planted too deeply. The branches should be widely and evenly spaced and NOT exclusively at the top of the trunk. Check the buds on the foliage – they should be plump and firm.
This is a proper tag
All plants, including trees and shrubs should be clearly labeled with cultivar information (flower color, bloom size, mature height) and their area of origin. The plant should have been grown in an area with weather similar to the one where its new, permanent home will be. This is especially important when buying trees and shrubs.
Root Bound Plant
If a plant, shrub or tree looks like it’s trying to bust out of its pot – leave it be, because it’s probably root bound. Overgrown plants have roots circling the stem and are suffering from growth problems or worse.
The plant should be at proper depth in the container – make sure that it’s not too deep (soil should not be far over the crown) and not too shallow (you shouldn’t see any roots).
Foliage, twigs, or flowers should not easily fall off the plant – if they do, it hasn’t been taken care of properly, so pass it by.
Check for insects on the tops and undersides of leaves and on the stems. If you see any at all, move on.
These are just a few of the basics of what to look out for. Your best bet is to always shop at a reputable local garden center-their reputation is built on the quality of the plants they sell so they take their job seriously. 99 times out of 100 you’ll get a healthier plant at an independent nursery than a big box store.
Just about every tree I’ve ever purchased, big box or independant local source, was planted too deep. It’s a real problem up here at least. I know it’s not fashionable to say so, but I’ve purchased some really nice plants from the big boxes as well as the locals. Also seen some atrocious, half dead stuff at both places. We don’t have tons of nurseries up here, so the big boxes can be a really great resource for unusual or hard to find plants. Home Deep is my go-to place for unusual ornamental grasses, which the local places are just starting to carry.
Christine in Alaska