I love spring! There’s that fresh fragrance in the air. The beautiful early flowers and the new bird songs added to our winter bird songs. But best of all are the plant sales! Nurseries, greenhouses, home stores, garden clubs, master gardeners, plant swaps, and even your neighbor down the street. So many enticing plants, so little time. It is hard to buy (or swap) just one! But how do you choose and handle a transplant for the best chance of success? Here are a few tips:
First up, what to look for when choosing a plant. Look for a healthy plant. Compact growth, firm stems, and healthy green color are important. This indicates a good root system. Then get in and look closely at the plant, the soil, and the pot. Are there tiny flies you scare away? Do you see signs of scale or other pests on the stems? Are roots forcing their way out of the bottom of the pot? All these suggest that you should move on and pick another pot. If you are buying flowers or fruits/vegetables, too many flowers or set fruits can slow growth when you get the plant in the ground. Your transplants first job is to grow many more strong healthy roots. When a plant is trying to make flowers or fruit, it’s not concentrating energy where it needs to be when planted.
Which leads me to one last tip. Look for the smallest size healthy plant you can find. This is particularly true for perennials, shrubs, and trees. It’s natural to want a new transplant to fill up maximum space, but keep in mind the end goal. We want a perennial that will be big, beautiful, and healthy for years to come. If we choose that two-gallon pot over the quart, we will see more of the plant the first year, but it may not look as great the second year. It’s the roots again. They need to establish in new ground and grow enough to support healthy maximum growth of the plant…