Woo hoo! It’s time to go to the garden center. It’s hard to curb our excitement, isn’t it? All that color and beauty is overwhelming, and I always feel like a kid in a candy store. I know you are oh-so-ready – me, too – but let’s take a moment and talk about how to pick really good plants. After all, you deserve the best, right?
Healthy plants look better, last longer, grow more vigorously, and allow you to pat yourself on the back for being such a savvy plant shopper. So, whether you’re buying vegetables, annuals, herbs or perennials, take the time to really look at the plants you’re considering. Use these tips to pick the best of the bunch.
Photo credit: Elizabeth Jones, Washington County Master Gardener
First, think green. A healthy plant has dark green leaves. So if a plant looks pale or yellow, walk away. It’s probably stressed and growing slowly. Of course, this excludes plants bred to have red, purple, chartreuse, or variegated leaves.
Bigger isn’t always better. Yes, you want a healthy plant, but smaller plants with healthy root systems often adapt better than large plants when planted in your garden. When I see someone wrestling a 3-foot tall tomato plant out a garden center door now, I cringe. Too early! Too big! I look for 8-inch tall tomato plants in 4-inch pots and prefer perennials in quart pots. Steer clear of tall, skinny plants. Opt for thick bushy ones instead. Skinny plants have often been grown in poor light or overgrown their pots. You want lush compact growth.
Photo credit: Home & Garden Information Center
Next, check for signs and symptoms of insect pests and diseases. Don’t accept any hitchhikers. If you see insects, nibbled leaves, spots, webbing, or fuzz, put down the pot. Now, check out the roots. Yes, it’s okay to hold a plant horizontally and gently wiggle it out of its pot to look at the roots. Healthy roots are white, not yellow or brown. They should be solid, not mushy. And they should not be encircling the pot or growing out of the bottom. That’s the sign of a plant that’s been in its pot too long. Beware of pots with unknown sprouts. Weeds can hitch a ride on desirable plants, bringing untold problems into your garden. Tiny seedlings you can remove, but if a pot is overrun, steer clear.
Know your garden center. Look around. Do all the plants look healthy? Are staff members watering and inspecting the plants and providing good care? Can they answer your questions? Good nurseries grow good plants. Beware the deep discount. Yes, that flat of begonias is half price, but what’s the real cost? If they are overgrown, potbound, infested, or diseased, they are no bargain. The real deal is a plant that is full, green, problem-free, and well-tended.
You can find good plants at local nurseries and garden centers and plant sales run by schools and nonprofit groups. Many Master Gardener programs have spring sales, as do arboretums, native plant societies, and other conservation groups. Get connected. I hope you’ll use these tips to enjoy gardens brimming with beautiful, healthy, productive plants.
By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension. This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.