This article tells about how you can decide if you should buy a particular plant at a store, nursery, or other garden center you are shopping at. This article details five tips to help you choose that right plant that has a better chance of living in your home or yard. Choosing plants and buying plants is not easy.

  1. Buy a plant with good roots. Hold the plant by the crown, which is just above soil level. Is the plant tight or loose in the pot? If you pull gently, does it seem very intact with the roots or do the roots seem weak? You should choose a plant that is well secured, with a strong root system.
  2. Don’t buy plants that have been over watered. Look in the soil mix of various plants the store is selling. Do they tend to over-water? Do you see water pooling under various plants? Do you see the health of plants declining? You want to make sure that the people at the store caring for the plants have not done more harm than good.
  3. Don’t buy bugs! Look for bugs on the leaves. This is a big one. They can be scales, mealybugs, flying insects, or other bugs. If you see many plants here and there with bugs, watch out. You should go to another nursery rather than bring bugs into your home. For example, I bought a six pack of red cabbage, and forgot to inspect the plants. As they grew larger, within a month I had an infestation of bugs so bad in these plants that rather than treat them, I uprooted the plants and composted them.
  4. Get a plant that is ready to bloom. Did it just start to bloom, or it is ending? Look for plants that still have the show coming.
  5. Choose the right kind of plant, meaning annual or perennial. Is it an annual or perennial? Some annuals may live longer than one year in some climates, but you must be careful here. Perennials live more than one year. Generally annuals are more for quick growth and bloom color added to the garden, while perennials are meant to add longevity and stability to the garden. I buy mostly perennials, with only a few annuals. I do find perennials that are showy like many of the fast growing annuals, but it does take a bit of looking. It is worth it.

Selecting the right plants for your garden can save you a lot of time. Following these tips for your indoor or outdoor plants should help you in success of your garden.