Tips for Buying Shrubs

A visit to your local garden center or retail nursery can   

be an exciting experience.  You will see many kinds of      

ornamental plants packaged in several ways. 

- In plastic containers of various sizes. 

- Others may have their roots and a ball of soil 

  "balled-and-burlapped" or "B-and-B" plants. 

- Still, others may be packaged with their roots in boxes, or bags with moist peat moss packed around the roots

Regardless of how the plants are displayed and packaged,    

you should always look for good quality plants.  What       

should you look for when buying plants?  First, you         

should consider choosing species that are not problem       

prone. ColorChoice plants can help you with this because they have been selected for ease of growth. You don't need to worry about babying these varieties, or spraying them pest control products.

Look for good foliage color and strong branches. Don't buy a plant just because it's in bloom. This will only last a few days, but a plants structure lasts a life time. Look for good branching and plant shape.     

Container grown plants

Avoid plants that are overly root-bound in containers.   

Root-bound plants have roots that have become too large     

for that container. If the top of the soil is a hard mass of roots this may indicate it's been in a pot too long. This tends to be more of a problem with trees, but is less of a worry with shrubs and perennials.

Many plants that have been grown in a container will benefit from loosening the soil ball before planting. 

B-and-B plants (balled and burlapped)

Larger shrubs and trees are often sold as B &B. These plants are grown in the field, and dug with an intact root ball, and wrapped and tied in burlap.

Check to make sure that the soil ball of B-and-B plants is firm, rounded and intact when handled.  Fairly new burlap cloth should 

hold the root ball.  Avoid plants with root balls that are  

too soft, saggy, pancake shaped or too small. Remember to remove the rope and plastic from around the trunk of the plant once you have it in the hole. If the plant has plastic or synthetic burlap, remove as much of this a possible!

Packaged Bare Root Plants

Packaged plants are actually bare root plants (plants that have had all the soil removed from the roots). The roots are packaged in a bag or a box with peat moss materials around the roots. This can be an economical way to buy shrubs but survival can be more risky. Often only cheap varieties of shrubs are sold this way, but not always. Roses are commonly sold this way in the spring.

Be sure that boxed or bagged (bare root) deciduous plants have been adequately protected from moisture loss and bud  break has not yet occurred. In many states it is illegal to sell these plants once they break bud and leaf out. Dishonest retailers will often strip off the leaves to get around these laws, leaving you with a plant that will never grow. Be careful, and make sure the plant is dormant and has viable buds.