Tips For Buying Garden Plants Online

From the cars we drive to the clothes we wear, it's easy to buy anything online. Live plants are not the same.

Some people live where there is no park center within 100 miles. Others may find time to buy plants in the evening after everyone is asleep.

Buying plants online is very easy and you can find many varieties that are not available in most stores.

However, before you get started, there are a few things you should know. Here are 10 tips to ensure your online plant buying experience is a successful one:

Order at the right time

Vegetables are in season. Not all are available at the same time of year, so you need to know which type to look for at the right time.

In general, the earlier you order, the more likely you are to have the stock you want. Once the item runs out, you'll have to wait until next year to try to buy it again.

For fall planting, order spring bulbs from early summer through fall.
Order summer flowering bulbs from early fall through winter, fall and spring plantings.
Sow seeds from January to early spring, for late winter and spring.
Order annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs in winter for spring delivery or in summer for fall delivery.

Please check the delivery date of your order to ensure your plants arrive in the correct growing season. Most online installation companies deliver on time. But some ship almost everything you order right away, which can leave you stranded with plants you can't use.

Buy special plants from specialized producers

Regular-flowering annual flats can be purchased at any garden center in the spring, so don't bother ordering online. Instead, look for specialty growers who specialize in certain varieties that you can't find locally.

MrMaple.com sells hundreds of varieties of Japanese maples by mail order only. B&D Lilies offers bulbs from award-winning breeders. Daffodil varieties dating back to the 1800s are sold online at Old House Gardens Heirloom Bulbs. Unique organic vegetable, herb and flower seeds can be delivered to your door from Seeds.

Get to know your surroundings

Unlike local garden centers that only stock plants suitable for your climate, online retailers cater to the entire country. Not everything on their website will grow where you live. That's why it's important to know the USDA plant hardiness zone where you live so you can find materials that grow specifically in your climate.

Experienced gardeners sometimes deliberately buy plants from online sellers knowing that their hardiness zone is not appreciated. They may have a special place to rotate them or they may endanger the survival of the plant. We call it "tricking your neighborhood" by trying to beat Mother Earth at her own game. Not surprisingly, he usually wins.

Read the reviews

Most online sellers post customer reviews, so be sure to read them if you're ordering for the first time. Also look for reviews on independent sites like Google and Yelp. Other plant collectors may be willing to share their experiences of purchasing their plants online.

Keep in mind that you are looking at live plants, so user error may explain some of the negative experiences.

After reading reviews and warranties, ask yourself if the seller can be trusted. Is it someone selling a plant that grows in their backyard, or is it a greenhouse designed to meet USDA regulations?

Check the seller's location

When you search for plants online, sellers from all over the world appear in the results. If you live in the United States, always buy from an American company because USDA regulations prohibit people from transporting live plants across United States borders.

Farmers must complete thorough inspections and paperwork to export outside the United States. These government guidelines protect our country from foreign parasites and diseases.

The "more about" page on the seller's website should clearly indicate where you are. Another way to prove they live in the US is to make sure their prices are in US dollars and that they accept payments in that way.

Check the correctness of plant diversity

If you find a plant you want to buy but haven't seen before, do a quick Google Image search. You can find out if all the photos are the same as the seller's photos.

This is an easy way to identify doctored photos as long as they are fake. Avoid the disappointment of ordering what you think are bright pink lilies and are actually pale pink flowers.

Determine the number of vegetables you will receive

Usually, when you buy plants online, you will get a smaller plant than those available at your local garden center. People unaccustomed to buying plants online are often disappointed when they open their boxes after waiting months for their plants to arrive, only to discover that their new tree is not a full-grown six-foot specimen, but a . - high whip.

Before you put your first item in your online shopping cart, search the site to find the size of the plants they sell. If the price is high for a small plant, it may not be worth it.

Check the seller's warranty

The warranty on live plants varies greatly depending on the supplier. Large greenhouses bear more losses due to advertised manufacturers and may have cheaper warranties than those offered by smaller vendors.

Often when sellers realize they don't have enough stock to replace a crop, they ask you to plant what they received and monitor their growth. Usually, when a plant is damaged in transit, it will heal over time. You may be happier with this outcome than a loan, which gives you money but no output.

The plant seller will not ask you to return any plants. Once the plant leaves the vendor's greenhouse, it cannot be returned due to pest and disease control protocols. Instead, they'll ask you to send them some photos to check for damage, so make sure you get some before you throw the plant away.

Expect high shipping costs

Amazon and other big retailers have taught many of us to expect free shipping on anything, whether it's a new couch or paper towels. Don't expect free shipping on live plants. Be prepared to pay up to 50 percent of the total order for delivery.

High shipping costs cause many plant buyers to shop at their local garden center instead of online. If you can buy plants locally, do so. But if there's something you can't live without and it can only be found online, be prepared to pay a fortune.

Why the high cost? Live plants are often transported in expensive, temperature-controlled cars on an expedited schedule. They require special packaging to minimize damage and weight. All of these factors contribute to the price, but it's important to make sure your plant arrives in good condition.

Take the trial

Before placing a large factory order with a company you've never done business with, do a trial run. Buy an item or two to check the condition and quality when it arrives.

If there is a problem with your order, does the seller respond when you contact them? Can the problem be solved? If you feel the value isn't there, switch to another online retailer.