Lawanda's Garden

When you buy transplants for your garden and flower beds this spring there are several things you should know before exchanging your hard-earned green dollars for green plants.  First, I strongly recommend that you do your buying at a local greenhouse rather than at a department store.  Prices for plants are comparable at a greenhouse and you can be confident that the plants offered have been cared for by employees who know what they are doing, rather than someone who works in Health and Beauty Aids or Sporting Goods the rest of the year. 

      Whether you are buying annuals, perennials or vegetables, don’t leave home without a list of what types of plants you intend to buy and how many of each you need.  It is very easy to get carried away and to forget how much or how little space you have at home when you are dazzled by the huge selection of plants at the greenhouse.

      Here are some tips for buying strong healthy plants.

• When choosing plants, make sure they are well rooted.  Tug very gently on the stem – a plant with damaged or rotten roots will feel loose. 
• Avoid leggy overgrown plants.  The green part of the plant should be no more than three times the size of the container.
• Choose plants with lush but compact foliage.
• Never buy wilted plants thinking you can rescue them.  Under-watered plants are weak and will be slow to establish.
• Check for insects on the tops and undersides of leaves and along the stems.
• Avoid plants with brown or yellow foliage.  They have either dried out or have disease problems.
• Check underneath the planting container.  If roots are coming out of the holes, the plant is rootbound and probably starved for nutrients. 
• When buying vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers, do not buy plants that are already flowering.  They won’t survive the shock of transplanting as well as smaller plants will. It won’t take long for small plants to catch up and you’ll have a stronger plant that hasn’t undergone the stress of adjusting to new conditions while trying to develop fruit at the same time.

If you aren’t able to put your new plants in the ground as soon as you get home, water them well and keep them in a shady spot away from frost until you are ready to plant.