All the Dirt on Gardening

Kerry Meyer of Proven Winners has some tips for selecting plants in garden centers. You probably have thought about these criteria, but it's a good set of reminders as we all go to the garden centers. Select plants for the amount of sun available where you plan to plant. Consider whether you want shrubs, perennials or annuals Decide how many plants you will need to fill the space Look at the underside of the leaves Plants that have dry, discolored or spotted leaves are not ideal Curling or crispy leaves means stress, disease or insect damage Discolored leaves mean poor nutrition White fuzzy fungus or rust spots are signs of disease Look for bugs and webs on the stems and leaves Check the roots by slipping the plant out of the pot - they should be white and healthy looking Select a plant with the most branches and buds but the fewest blooms Cut off the flowers when you get the plant home If you get a plant home and it turns out to be undesirable, return it to the place you bought it...