Buying plants
It can be a bit daunting buying plants for the first time, the good news, plants are very forgiving and will always try to grow.
The secret to how well your plants will grow, lies partly in the past, if only they could talk.
On the nursery the plants are happily growing in perfect conditions, unfortunately for our poor unsuspecting plant, it usually goes downhill when they are packed and delivered.
During loading and delivering the plants are squashed together and kept in the dark. While in the dark, the plant has to live on stored food reserves until it gets back into the light.
The clock is ticking the sooner it is delivered and unpacked the better.
In summary, the longer plants are in the dark the more damage they suffer.
Local suppliers, quick delivery and unloading, will reduce the time in the dark. Plants that are bought from a well-lit, sheltered area that are carefully watered will recover quickly and continue to grow. When plants are dispatched from the nursery, the grower hopes that they arrive at the shop quickly, then be unpacked, spaced and displayed in a well-lit area avoiding extremes of temperature. However, you will find plants sold in a wide variety of places some good and some terrible.
Our guide Where to buy plants will help you.
This is our guide to choosing a plant when tempted.
Should you buy it
You would like to think nobody would sell the wrong type of plant but it does happen. Some plants need special soil conditions or are not suitable for our climate and sometimes they are sold at the wrong time of the year.
Is it dry
If the plant looks dry don’t buy it. When plants are allowed to dry out, especially to the point of wilting, the plant’s natural defence mechanisms are activated. Small plants and pack bedding are often the first to dry out
Kept in the dark
On the nursery plants are given the perfect conditions to grow.
When plants are delivered the plants are deprived of sunlight and the clock is ticking.
Is it alive
How to check if the plant is okay.
Why some plants are sold when they look dead, especially bare-root plants.
Is it hardy
The number one question in the garden centre. Is it hardy?
Some plants are tough and will happily take whatever the British weather can throw at it, others need to be kept warm or should be planted out in the summer. You can’t tell by just looking at the plant, you need to read the labels or research it before buying.
Which plant to choose
How to choose the best plant, biggest might not be best. Our guide to picking the best plant. We can help you learn to read the plants health and recognise the telltale signs of damage
