Most people like to start off their container garden with small seedling plants instead of waiting for seeds to sprout. Plants aren’t always cheap so it is important to take home healthy plants, not plants that hardly make the trip home from the store. So let’s continue reading to discover some great container gardening ideas.
You can have all the container garden resources at your fingertips, but if you don’t know the proper method for selecting plants, it could be hard for you to produce a good crop of vegetables.
When you walk into a nursery you can tell right away if most of their plants are healthy. If you see too many plants that look like they are dying, you should walk out and try a different nursery.
Foliage
Is the foliage a nice shiny green? Are they shiny and healthy looking? If they don’t look right, they are probably already stressed and won’t produce well. Good foliage is the first thing you should check before purchasing
Damaged Leaves and Bugs
You may not see insects crawling on the leaves, but check the for spots that could be the indication of bugs. Be sure and check the backside of the leaves as well for stickiness or holes.
Buds/Flowered Plants
Many times you will find plants, especially tomato plants, that already have blooms on them. Transplanting plants with buds may survive a little better than plants with blooms, but that is not always the case.
Damage To The Stems
Weak or soft stems could be the sign of an unhealthy plant.
Inspection of Roots
Some of the plants can be taken out of the plastic or paper container, so if this is possible do so. You want to make sure the plant is not root bound.
A good nursery will keep the pots weeded and if you see weeds mixed in with the plants this means the weeds are taking part of the nutrients that were meant for the plant.
If you are new to gardening be sure and notice where the plants are located at the store. This location was selected for a good reason by the nursery care givers. It is good to double check your facts concerning plant placement, but the nursery will give you some great hints.
You can also ask nursery workers information about planting and care questions, so don’t be shy. Explain how and what you want to do with your container garden and use all the resources they can give you.
Before purchasing your plants find out if the store has any kind of warranty on them. Many of these guarantees are for a good long while. Plants are an investment of money and time, so knowing what is covered could save you some money on replacement plants. Knowing as much as possible about plant selection will insure you have a great container or organic garden this coming season.
Small Organic Gardens helps people like you discover the joys of growing your own container garden. Simple, informative and easy to follow videos and tutorials will show you how to pick healthy plants for your container garden. Please visit Small Organic Gardens at http://www.smallorganicgardens.com NOW.
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