The first thing most people notice when they walk into a plant nursery is that plants are available in 3 forms. This consists of burlap wrapped which is usually bigger trees and shrubs, bare root which includes hedge plants and roses, and in containers for smaller shrubs, trees, and flowers.
Plant nurseries grow different plants in different ways for many reasons. Trees and shrubs are usually grown in fields as they can not fully grow in a container. They are dug up in winter and early spring when they are wrapped in burlap then shipped to wherever they need to go. The trees and shrubs can easily lose most of their root system, but this is the only known way of selling large plants.
Bare root plants are dug out from the fields while they are dormant – this is always around late fall to early spring. They are then placed in cold storage where the root system can stay intact. They are easy to transport and cost less than the container plants or burlap wrapped plants. Container plants start in the container and as they get larger the grower needs to upgrade to bigger containers. Depending on the plant, this can take a very long time and a lot of money which is why many container plants are expensive.
Good plant nurseries should be able to back the quality of their plants. If you make a purchase and your plant dies, but you have done everything right, call the nursery. They should be able to refund your money or replace your plant, you may need to bring the dead plant back as evidence.
So how do you know how to select a plant from the nursery? First look at how many trunks you want and find the trees that match. Next look at the leaves – if they look a bit pale, move on as they might be nitrogen starved; look for bigger roots rather than smaller, and if there are any distressed or dried out roots move on once again until you find the perfect tree. A great rule of thumb to stick by when deciding if a tree is too tall or short for you house, is by picking a tree that is no taller than 1/3 or ¼ taller than the roof. If you are planning to buy plants from a nursery you should only pick plants you can plant that day. If you can’t then store them in a cool shady area and water them until you are able to plant them.
Once you have selected your plants the next step, of course, is transporting them. If you have decided on really large plants, then you should let the nursery deliver them (this will usually cost you extra). Most plant nurseries offer a deal if you have spent a lot of money buying their plants or sometimes before winter they will have sales to get rid of most of their plants and this may also include delivery. One thing that most people do not know is that the wind can easily kill or damage your plants, so if you are planning to bring them home yourself, make sure you drive at a slow pace and cover them with tarp and rope!
Choosing the best plants at a nursery is easy once you know what to look for, how they are packaged, and how to bring them home. Hopefully, once you read this article, a few of these tips and tricks has made choosing plants from a nursery a little bit easier for you.
