Choosing the best plants to make your garden a success
It won't be long before you find yourself at your favorite garden center to purchase the first plants of the season. Whether you are a list maker who has done her homework and know exactly what you are looking for or you are a carefree spirit who enjoys browsing the benches until something catches her eye, there are some general tips to ensure you take home the best plants for your landscape.
Begin by purchasing plants at a reputable garden center. It seems you can buy plants anywhere and everywhere now. Scan the garden center to get an overall impression of the business. The benches should be filled with robust, healthy plants. The staff should be knowledgeable and able to help you with your buying decisions. Practice caution when shopping by price alone - the lowest-priced plants may not be the best choices for your garden.
Make sure the plant is appropriate for your purpose. Do you want an annual - a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season? Or are you looking for a perennial that will return year after year?
Read plant labels. Labels offer a wealth of information, including the mature height and width of the plant, hardiness zone, and soil and sun requirements.
Be sure plants are also suitable for the amount of sunlight your landscape offers. Full sun refers to a site that is baked by sunshine at least 7 to 8 hours. Part sun situations receive direct sunlight at least half the day. Plants favoring part sun would prefer the hot afternoon sun. Partial shade means direct sunlight part of the day and at least 4 hours of shade. Plants that require partial shade thrive in the gentle morning sun but need protection from the hot afternoon sun. Deep shade is in the dark areas of the garden.
Once you've selected the types of plants, inspect them carefully.
Determine the overall health of the plant. Examine the top part of the plant first. It should be bushy and well-branched with strong stems. Avoid leggy plants. The foliage should be a bright, rich color. Put back specimens that are wilting or yellowing. Plants should fill the pot, unless they are perennials just waking up from dormancy in the spring. In that case, you should see lots of new growth popping through the soil.
Look for signs of insects or disease. Distorted leaves, discoloration, holes or spots on foliage, and speckling or webbing on the undersides of leaves are all reasons to leave plants on their benches.
Examine the roots. Foliage and flowers are enticing. They practically beg you to put them on your cart, but the roots are the most important part of the plant. First, check the bottom of the pot. A few roots poking through the drainage holes are fine; too many indicate a plant that is root-bound.
Don't be shy about removing the plant from its pot. The roots should be lightly-colored. The root mass should fill, or almost fill, the pot. Do not purchase a plant whose pot is so congested with roots there is little space left for soil.
Another season of gardening is about to begin. No matter what your budget is, purchasing vigorous, high-quality plants suited for your specific garden spaces is money well spent.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette, 28W571 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. Call (630) 293-1040, ext. 2, or visit planterspalette.com.