Buying plants can be overwhelming when you aren’t sure what to look for. Lucky for you, we made a list! Here are our best practices for plant shopping.

 

Have a Plan

 

Having a plan is very important when you go into your local greenhouse to buy plants. No matter if it’s a couple of indoor plants or a full garden, knowing how much space you have to fill and the environment of that space is a good idea. This stops you from over or under buying plants, and sticking to plants that you know will thrive in your environments! Check the location of your potential plants, and take note of the number of plants you would like in those spaces, as well as the size of these plants. Having a shopping list never hurt anyone!

 

Read the Labels

 

All potted plants at you greenhouse should come with an information label. This is super helpful when planning your purchases. The information cards should let you know how much sunlight these plants enjoy, how much water they need, and any other information that might be good to know before bringing it home. Check back on your list and cross reference! Make sure the plants you are falling in love with fit the spaces you have in your home. If you don’t get a ton of natural light in your home, you might consider getting a grow light for a darker corner!

 

Know the Signs of Unhealthy Plants

 

You are never going to end up finding a perfect plant, but you can get close! Things you want to avoid when purchasing a new plant are yellow leaves, any pests that may be on the leaves or in the soil, and any root rot. These should be easy to see with a little glance, but you may have to lift a few leaves and feel the soil. Check out our youtube short for more information about unhealthy plants and how to spot them here!

 

A Few Other Tips and Tricks

 

When shopping for a new plant for your home, gravitate towards buds and not blooms. Buds will bloom eventually, and when they do they will be beautiful! Blooms unfortunately have already hit their peak, so there is the potential that as soon as you get your new plant situated in their space the blooms may have already fallen. Another tip is to try to purchase plants that are locally grown. This means those plants are used to, and love, you local climate! This is great news as usually this will make them less maintenance! Living in Canada, keeping tropical plants alive is significantly harder than keeping local Canadian plants alive.

 

We hope this helps you navigate the greenhouse a little better next time you go! If you have any other tips, or questions about ours, leave a comment!

 

Plant Vitamins Team