| Buying Plants Online |
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| Written by Lettie |
| Monday, 14 February 2011 02:23 |
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Buying plants online is as much about the process of receiving plant material and caring for them before you plant as it is how the plants are cared for before being shipped to you. This is not a blog about buying plants online per say because the experience of on-line buying is personal. There will be as many good as bad accounts of the process, some will be the fault of the seller and some the buyer and some no ones actual fault. Buying on line is about buying the right plants for your project or someone else’s project, as a gift. My expertise in buying plants online comes from selling and shipping bare-root plants for twenty-six years. Trees and shrubs in their dormant state, not actively growing, is the best way in which to buy plants on-line. Shipping bare-root, as opposed to potted, is a very inexpensive way to receive large plant material. Large is of course a relative term meaning large for a seedling, usually one to three years old, or transplant, usually three to five years old, tree or shrub.
Buying plants online should begin with research into the company and their website. While visiting these websites look for information, the more information provided about plants, the more informed the company is going to be. If the company actually is a nursery, grower of plant material, there can be extra assurance that your plants will be received fresh from the ground. It is important to know about the condition of your plant material in the pre-ship state, for instance, was it stored at the proper temperature and did it receive adequate water to the roots. How you are to receive your plant material is important information for a site to convey. FAQ’s, or frequently asked questions, should contain answers to questions such as; Is the root packing material supplying adequate moisture during shipment , will your order come with proper care instructions upon its arrival, and what method of shipment will be used. A company that ships across the United States should be able to provide your plant material at the correct planting time for your climate. It is important to remember that plants grow best in their “zone”, for more information on plant zones please refer to my earlier blog on Plant Hardiness Zones. A good on-line nursery will provide zone listings for the plant material they sell as wall as planting instructions and information on plant selection. It is important to keep in mind that bare-root plant material is received in its dormant, think sleeping, state and will more likely resemble “bed head” than the beautiful picture on the website. That’s were you the buyer/gardener’s responsibility begins. Care upon arrival and proper planting and care throughout the first two growing seasons will bring your bare-root plant material closer to resembling the website pictures and its potential to be photographed for its beauty. |
