Today you can buy plants anywhere, in supermarkets, big-box stores and roadside stands. They often cost less in supermarkets than they do in nurseries, and it’s tempting to toss a box of petunias into the cart along with your groceries. Sometimes they’ll work out fine, but it’s a gamble. Plants at these stores may not have been watered regularly and may or may not be hardy in your region. Nevertheless, it’s sometimes worth giving them a try if the price is right and they’re a variety that you know. Wherever you shop, here are some things to look out for before you buy.
Yellowed leaves. A number of things can cause yellowing, all of them bad. IN general, a bright green or dark green leaf color is a sign of health, but even here you can never be quite sure. Look at the seed leaves, the little pair of leaves closest to the soil, which were the first to emerge. If these are a healthy green the plant had a good start and has been cared for since.
Wilted leaves. A good watering might perk up the plants. Might. But you don’t know if they’ve been neglected so often that they’re permanently weakened.
Tall, spindly plants. Whether you’re buying annuals, perennials, or shrubs, you generally want compact, bushy plants with many stems. Taller is usually not better and often indicates that the plant suffered from lack of light during growth, was not pinched or pruned enough or has been growing in a pot too long.
Plants in bloom. Many nurseries display these most prominently; because blooming plants lure the most buyers. But you want to let the plants do their growing in your garden, not in nursery pots!
Signs of bugs or disease. Look for insect bodies stickiness, oddly distorted leaves, blackened area, mushy or rotten places, spots, blotches, holes or jagged bites taken out of the leaves. The plants have been weakened by the problem, and if you bring an infected plant home, the insect or disease may spread to other plants in your garden.
Weeds in the pots. Weeds rob a plant of water and food and show neglect by the nursery.
Roots crawling out of the pot’s bottom. These pot bound plants are often starved and may contain girdling roots that have wound their way around the pot and can strangle the main root years later. They may well respond to good care, but loosen the root systems before you plant them.
Bottom line, it’s always a good idea to buy your plants from a knowledgeable nursery. They will help you select plants that will work for your location. and you can have confidence that your garden will do well this season.
Nancy on the Home Front 