| When you get to the nursery or garden center where you will buy your plants,
pick out the healthiest, most robust plants that have no evidence of disease
or insect damage. The potting medium should be moist, but not wet, and the
roots should well dispersed in the medium. Plants that have roots growing
from the drainage holes or circling the top of the pot are less desirable.
Many people choose to buy plants from a mail order company, which is perfectly
acceptable. However, realize that most woody plants purchased from mail
order catalogs will be shipped dormant and bare root, that is, without any
soil attached to the root system. Such plants may be smaller in size because
of the expense of shipping. It is important to plant such material immediately
upon arrival. Generally it is best to purchase one-year-old material from
mail order companies since this material is more vigorous and will transplant
better. The larger material that is offered is often composed of the less
vigorous plants held over from previous years. |