When spring fever hits, home gardeners literally feel like a kid
in a candy store when they visit a garden center. But then, it’s no
fun when everybody gets spring fever at once and you’re met with
crowds and long lines. But there are a few secrets to making your
shopping trip enjoyable, as well as a few tips on how to get the
most blooms for your buck.
When spring fever hits, home gardeners literally feel like a kid in a candy store when they visit a garden center. But then, it’s no fun when everybody gets spring fever at once and you’re met with crowds and long lines. But there are a few secrets to making your shopping trip enjoyable, as well as a few tips on how to get the most blooms for your buck.
For one thing, time your trip so you avoid the weekend. Now that Costco has a store in Gilroy, you don’t go there at noon on the weekend do you? Nah, you go at 5 p.m. on a weekday or right after work. You want to be able to shop for plants without crowds, not to mention waiting in long lines to pay. Also, during non-peak hours, staff has time to actually provide advice or answer your questions. My favorite time to go is weeknights during the dinner hour.
Besides saving time and your mental health by not having to battle crowds, there’s another advantage. Often times, you’ll have a better selection of plants on weekdays. Although many larger nurseries are seemingly able to update their stock on the hour, most simply can not keep up with the demand on spring weekends. And many plants, particularly bedding plants or already-started vegetable transplants, don’t hold up well to the constant picking and prodding of fussy customers.
Speaking of bedding plants – those annuals that usually are sold already budded or blooming in six-packs, four-packs, 4-inch pots or gallon cans – make sure you can weed out the losers while shopping. Specifically, avoid packs that have fully developed flowers. Plants already in bloom expend more energy producing flowers than roots. Instead, buy plants with buds and a strong root system, and you’ll be rewarded with more blooms later.
Besides overdeveloped flowers, look for healthy plants that don’t have yellow leaves, weak stems, fungal diseases, lanky shapes and unhealthy roots. Don’t be afraid to push the root system out of a cell pack or pot to check the roots. If you find roots spiraling around themselves and the rootball in the pot, the plant is rootbound. Rootbound plants may take longer to establish themselves in your ground at home. Dark, matted roots indicate a rotting root system. If most of the soil falls away revealing roots, the plant as an immature root system and needs more time to grow.
To save money, you might try collaborating with friends to buy plants together. A flat or even a quarter flat of bedding plants is going to be cheaper than buying a six-pack here and a four-pack there.
Be somewhat informed. There’s nothing worse than not knowing if that cauliflower plant needs full sun or partial sun. (Note: for the most part, all vegetables need the hottest area of your garden to thrive). Try to ask yourself questions such as these: Approximately how many hours of sun does your garden receive? What direction does that new flower bed face? On which side of the house will the shrub be placed? How much wind does that area get?
Finally, use common sense. For example, don’t try to cram a 15-gallon tree into a two-seater sports car. If you know you need to buy a large specimen, use a truck. Borrow a friend’s pickup if need be. He’ll usually be more than willing (especially if you fill it with gas before returning it).
Also, leave the high heels and suits at home. Try to wear something comfortable when shopping for your garden needs.
