Plant Nursery Tips

A plant nursery is a great place to find a wide variety of plants at low prices. But before you head home with your purchase, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your new additions will thrive in your garden.

First, look at each plant for signs of insect damage or disease. These pests can hide on the leaves and infect them with a host of problems.

Read the Plant Tags

A new plant nursery can be a fun place to shop, but it can also be confusing. Thankfully, the plant tags can help you choose the right plants for your garden.

Generally, plant tags include information on the plant’s size, bloom time, and care needs. These tips are important for gardeners to know, so be sure to read and remember them!

For example, the sun icon on the tag can tell you how much direct sunlight a plant needs. This is a good way to ensure your new plants will receive the amount of exposure they need in order to thrive.

The height and spread of a plant are also usually listed on the tag, which helps you space plants correctly. This can help prevent crowding and stunted roots. The plant’s habit is also often mentioned, which describes how the plant grows. Common habits include mounding, trailing or upright.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Plant Out of Its Pot

Plants are a great way to add life to any space. They brighten up the room, add color and make a space more inviting to guests.

But not all plants should be kept in their nursery pots. Some may develop tightly bound tangled roots, which can cause damage to the plant and eventually kill it.

To avoid this, check the roots of any plants that you’re considering buying at the nursery. They should be able to be easily removed with the help of a knife, said Maryah Greene, owner and stylist of plant-focused interior design firm Greene Piece.

For repotting, use the same size planter that the original plant was in. That’s one of the best ways to keep plant rot at bay and prevent overwatering.

Check the Roots

When buying a plant, it’s not enough to simply look at the leaves. You also need to examine the roots.

A plant’s root system is the organ that absorbs water and nutrients from soil. When a plant stays in a pot for too long, the roots can become confined and compacted.

If you’re unsure of the condition of your plant’s roots, you can take it out of its pot and inspect it.

Tip the pot on its side, and gently ease it out to see if you can see any roots poking out of the bottom.

If you can, cut through any circling roots to avoid them strangling the plant as it grows. You can use a pair of standard gardening shears to do this. Alternatively, you can shave or peel away the outer layer of the root ball. This will prevent circling roots and allow you to see the entire root ball. This will ensure that you have a healthy, loose network of roots when you repot the plant.

Ask Questions

When you’re planting a plant in a nursery, it’s important to ask questions to help you determine the best way to care for the plant. It will also help you avoid common mistakes that could hurt your plants, such as overwatering or not fertilizing regularly enough.

Many nurseries have a wide variety of plant species, so you can find answers to any questions that you might have about a specific species or group of plants. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about different plants and their uses in the natural world, while also developing your own personal interests.

If you’re a plant nursery worker, employers will want to know that you have experience working with plants and understand how to properly care for them. They also want to make sure that you enjoy working with plants and are interested in sharing your knowledge of plant cultivation with other gardeners. This is a great job for someone who loves working with the earth and helping others grow beautiful plants in their own gardens.