Master Gardener: What to Look for When Buying Spring Plants
Posted by Unknown in Gardening, Selecting Plants, Spring on Monday 13 May 2013
By Jan Beglinger
Genesee Master Gardener
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It will soon
be planting time in the garden and that means buying plants! Part of
the fun of gardening is adding new plants to the garden or trying new
varieties of annuals and vegetables.
It is always
tempting to rush out and buy plants once the weather starts to warm up.
Once you have found the perfect plant(s), take some time to make sure
that you are taking a healthy specimen home. When selecting quality
plant material there are several things to consider. Here are a few
tips to help you do that.
Look for plants
with strong, healthy growth, plenty of flower buds and a thriving root
system. Look at the shape and the size of the plants. They should be
uniform, not lopsided. The plant should fill the pot or cell pack.
Choose plants that are more compact rather than tall and spindly.
Plants should have leaves with a bright, rich color. Avoid those that
are wilting or yellowing. Stressed plants may or may not recover. Look
for plants that have a well-branched structure typical of the species.
Plants should also have lots of healthy shoots and buds.
Plants that you
purchase in containers should not have weeds growing in the pots.
Weeds compete with garden plants for nutrients and water. You also do
not want to take the chance of introducing a new weed into your garden.
Where there are weeds there may also be weed seeds.
While we all
want instant gratification and lots of blooms, look for plants whose
flowers are just starting to bud out, with perhaps one or two blossoms
(so you can be sure of the color). Plants suffer less transplant shock
and develop roots faster without flowers. If you have a choice of two
plants, one with tight buds and one in flower, pick the plant in bud.
If the only healthy plants are in flower, consider cutting off some of
the blooms when you get home. New buds will appear in about two weeks.
You will also be rewarded with fuller, bushier plants later.
Carefully check
the roots. If an established plant does not have a good root system,
do not take it home. To check the roots, gently tap the plant out of
its container and look at the roots. Check with a garden center staff
person if you are not comfortable doing this. What you should find is a
well-formed network of whitish roots binding the soil together. If the
roots are brown, soft or rotten reject the plant. Avoid plants that
are “root bound.’’
These plants
have restricted root growth and you cannot see any soil. The roots may
also grow out of the drainage holes. If you take a root bound plant
home, you will need to trim away larger roots circling the pot and tease
out roots before planting. Root-bound annuals start putting their
energy into producing flowers. Tomato and pepper plants will do the
same thing, flowering and even fruiting on the store shelf.
The other
extreme is plants that lift out easily, with soil that falls away and
few roots. This plant may have been recently repotted. These are
plants that have not yet reached their prime. If you take this plant
home, let it grow in the container for a few more weeks before
transplanting.
Always check
plants for insects and diseases. When buying from a reputable garden
center, it is unlikely that you will encounter problems. Hold the plant
up to the light; check the stem and both sides of the leaves,
particularly the new growth. Black deposits on the leaves can be an
indication of sooty mold, so check the plant for aphids or scale.
Discolored leaves may be an indication of a nutrient deficiency, insect
damage or disease. Other signs can include things like brown spots,
mushiness and holes from chewing insects or even slugs. Webbing is a
sign of spider mites. Many insects feed on the bottom of young, tender
leaves and may go unnoticed.
Bedding plants
(usually annuals) packed too close into flats may have increased insect
and disease problems. Avoid cell-packs containing tall spindly plants
with flowers. They have been in the packs too long.
Before you
leave the garden center make sure that your plants are labeled. Beside
the name, plant tags have a lot of helpful information on them including
growing conditions, spacing recommendations and how big you can expect
the mature plant to be.
Employing these
simple tips when you are out plant shopping will save you time and
money in the long run. They will help you bring home healthy plants and
avoid introducing new problems into your garden.
Resources for this article: “Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials,’’ Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Kansas State Research & Extension and Alabama Cooperative Extension.The Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County Master Gardeners may be reached by calling 585-343-3040, ext. 127, Monday - Friday from 10 am to noon; or stop in at our office at 420 East Main St., Batavia or e-mail us at: geneseemg@hotmail.com. Visit our CCE web site at http://genesee.shutterfly.com/. “Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County provides equal program and employment opportunities.”
