Nursery Know-It-All: How To Shop Like A Pro At Your Local Plant Nursery

When it comes to selecting plants for your next landscaping project, choosing plants that are healthy and thriving is the key to success. Whether you are designing a cutting garden of fresh flowers or looking for decorative grasses and shrubbery, you want to get the best buy for your money. Knowing what to look for when selecting your plants will help you shop like a pro.

Research before you shop

When planning your landscape project, check to see which plants will grow best in your climate. Unfortunately, some nurseries carry plants better suited for other climates. These plants often grab the attention of buyers with their showy blooms and lush foliage but may not be the best plants for your specific soil type or climate.

Be realistic about your experience

Unless you can afford to have a landscaper care for your plants, be realistic about your skill level. If you are a beginner, choose plants that are easy to care for and will thrive in suboptimal conditions. You can always add more challenging plants to your landscape design as you gain experience.

Go for smaller plants

It can be tempting to reach for the largest plant in a container thinking it may be better established. However, younger plants are often better able to handle being transplanted, and with less upper growth, they will focus more on root development. Smaller plants may also cost less.

Look for signs of aging plants

Weeds growing in a pot, roots coming out the bottom of a pot, and dead leaves inside the pot can all be warning signs of a plant that has been setting in the nursery for a long time. Rootbound plants may have a less than favorable outcome when planted in the ground or a new container, as the roots are so entwined. It also helps to shop at a popular nursery that has a high selling rate.

Check for disease

Not only can diseases affect new plants, but they can also destroy your existing plants. Be diligent when looking for signs of plant fungus or other diseases. Some signs to look for are brown or yellow spots on leaves, leaves that appear chewed, or an offensive odor coming from the soil.

Walking into your local plant nursery can feel a little overwhelming when you are suddenly faced with hundreds of plants to choose from for your landscaping project. However, following a few tips will give you plenty of nursery knowledge to help you navigate your way through the plants and choose the best ones for your project. Visit a nursery near you like Red Mill Landscaping & Nursery.