newbie - best place for plants?

Hi all,
I'm a "newbie" gardener looking to put a perennial bed in my backyard. What's the best place to buy plants -- through mail-order or at a local nursery/home improvement store? Mailorder seems to have the most variety, but most ship bareroot plants. Obviously my local nursery has more established plants. I don't have a lot of money to spend so which would be better? Is there a difference in quality or difficulty growing?

Any advice appreciated!
Kim

Kim,
Check on the trades sites, explain you are a newbie and you just may find yourself with some gifts. I plant lots of seeds and go to plant swaps. Another great way to get plants is to let your neighbors know you are starting a garden and looking for plants.

You can find some nice plants via mail order, but make sure you check Daves Garden Watchdog first you will find out who to buy from and who not to buy from. Some local nurserys will have deals on their web sites. The hunt is half the fun.



Pauline

Kim,
First off, welcome to DG. We want you to join us here, http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/572877/ and you really need not have anything to trade. We will send you home with something.
Also check the Florida Forum and any specific plant's forum. I'm crazy for coleus and have put a big order in for those. Come to the Coleus Forum for further addictive plants.
Sidney

Kim,
Gardeners are such generous people and fun to be with. You found the right place. Sorry I can't send you any plants right now, too much snow.

Pauline

Kim, Welcome. I've had no problem with mail-order bare root plants. You just have to be ready to plant them on arrival. Prepare your spot ahead of time and you wont fail.
The advice above is very good also.
Andy P

Don't know how your local area is but out here, the big box stores compete heavily with one another as well as the independent nurseries, so my best buys come locally. Plus, I like helping our independents as much as possible!

I have bought mail order, but only for a few things that are difficult to obtain here. Once I bought a plant by mail order, only to find the same plant a year later in the garden center, twice as big and half the price!

One thing that limits local stores is that plant wholesalers have a schedule for shipping plants (what sells best, at what time of year), so don't expect everything to be in stock on the particular day you are looking around. Plant selling is just as seasonal as clothing sales. You won't find heavy overcoats for sale in June, and so you'll find spring bulbs showing up (in frost-free zones) in January not in July.

And the classic advice about soil vs plants still holds true -- if you have a dollar, spend ninety cents on soil and ten cents on plants or seeds!

Good luck!

Jkom51, I also like the saying "A $5 plant deserves a $10 hole."
Andy P

Kim,

I prefer to buy plants locally, where I can see the size and quality I am getting. Once I get a more established garden I may venture to the mail-order catalogs. I've had luck with Lowe's and Home Depot because they will give you a 1 year warrenty on any plants. Sam's Club has some great boxed sets this time of year, but beware, you don't want their root plants. I bought Columbines and Hollyhocks this way and only had a few of several each produce. But I have had great luck with their bulb kits and got some Asiatic and Oriental Lilies this way. I use the real nurseries in town for more specific things that garden centers won't have. Some tips I have learned from people at DG, if a garden center has a ton of something don't buy it...OR at least look it up on plantfiles first so you don't buy something you'll regret.


This message was edited Jun 2, 2006 4:25 PM

Kim
Have you lived in Florida long? The big stores really shouldn't sell plants that are meant for the North, but they do. They require much care and easily rot.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Sidney

I tried big box store plants twice and didn't have luck. I understand that if you are there the day they come in the plants are in good shape. Guess I was too late.