Hello Friends,
Today I am sharing the article I wrote for our village newspaper, Cameron Chronicle..."The Little Paper with Personality."
Tips for When You Take a Trip to the Garden Center
By Carla TePaske of Cameron WI ~ The Little Garden That Could
Spring has sprung and we are ready to visit the Garden Center. Plants and seedlings can get expensive, the last thing you need is for your plants to die shortly after bringing them home from the Garden Center. Here are a few tips to help you pick out healthy plants.
1. What is your impression with the Garden Center. Overall, are the staff caring for the plants. Is the nursery clean? Do they take care in how they display the plants, hanging baskets and seedlings?
2. Inspect the leaves. Look under the leaves for eggs. Inspect curled leaves, indicating possible contamination. Look for pest damage on the leaves.
3. Check the potting soil, is it a well drained potting soil. Is the plant watered adequately? Check for fungus growing on the top layer of the potting soil.
4. Check the roots of the plant. Are they looking strong and healthy.
5. Do not purchase plants in full bloom. Look for plants with many flowering buds still to open.
6. Ask questions. Ask, ask ask.
Until next time happy gardening!
Great tips. Hope your Mother's Day was great. I know you are missing Sam but I know he will be coming back soon. Have a good week. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I always get overwhelmed at the garden center. I also get swayed by the blooming plants!
ReplyDeleteThis article is great, I have never seen one like it!!!! And I go to garden Centers often.
ReplyDeleteThose are great tips, Carla. I would have never thought of not buying a plant in full bloom, but it makes sense to get one that still has some flowering buds to open. I really enjoy going to the garden centers. I don't have one in this town, but I've been wanting to go to the one in the next town over. It's such a peaceful place to visit with different flowers and plants and shrubs. And I love how you suggest to ask, ask, ask. Many times people don't want to bother, but that is what they are there for. I enjoy your articles that you write for your village newspaper, and the photo you shared is so pretty. Have a happy May week, dear Carla.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Good advice! I admit I sometimes buy plants in bloom (especially seedlings) so I can see the flowers/color/so on...and then I deadhead them when I get home to encourage healthy growth. Happy late spring!
ReplyDeleteWe have a huge plant nursery and garden centre a few minutes from our place but I grow my own seeds as everything is so expensive. But you are right. Good tips...
ReplyDeleteI hope that you had a great Mother's Day despite Sam still being away. I hope that you got to talk to him.
Take care and happy gardening.
Hugs,
Julia
Great advise Carla! I go to the same nursery each year...but I wait until Memorial Day to plant any flowers. Janice
ReplyDeleteI love these tips. Last year we went to the local nursery and I couldn't believe the prices. They wanted almost $100 for a flowering basket. I'm not good with plants so I left empty handed. I finally waiting weeks before I got my nerve up again and just bought $9.99 baskets at the grocery store of all places...they lasted and looked great, but now I'm armed with how to pick the best ones!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to stick to what you went for when you see all of the beautiful plants and flowers. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteWell my dear, as you know I am no gardener but I read this carefully and the next time I buy a plant, I will do these things. Actually we will be soon purchasing three more full-grown sword ferns for our giant poolside pots. We tried to winter over the three that we got last year by mowing them down almost level with the dirt late last fall, covering them with heavy towels, and putting huge plastic bags over the entire pots. Everything is still brown sticks but now the little sword frond shoots are coming up ... however, it will not be enough to look good by Memorial Day, which is pool opening day and the day that everything has to look good. So when we visit our local nursery (which I believe does an excellent job of caring for the plants), I will look around and see what I can see about the things you said! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThose are great questions. We just recently had a bad experience with a nursery we trusted.
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips, Carla. I bookmarked this page!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! We found the best plants last weekend at our local high school.
ReplyDelete