Mail Order Plants

Host: Gary Bachman, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist

Transcription:

Mail order can get you ready for spring when the winter winds start blowing today on Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Many of us buy a wide variety of products via mail order or, more accurately, from categories online. So, why not include plants and seeds? It’s a way to locate hard-to-find varieties. Here are some tips for buying seeds and plants online:

Seeds are always a good place to start for many gardeners. It’s inspiring to read the descriptions on a cold and blustery day. You can purchase a packet of a few seeds to large bulk quantities. Many times, small seeds are pelleted which makes handling much easier.

Many perennials are sold in shipments as “bare root plants.” If you have ever bought plants in this manner, you might be concerned when opening the box or even the envelope. The plants will look dead. Bare root plants are shipped while dormant without any oil on the roots. Open the package and inspect the roots. Healthy roots are firm and plumb to the touch. If any are dried and shriveled, go ahead and prune until you get to healthy tissue.

Sometimes the roots can look a little moldy. White and grey molds are generally fine, but anything with a blue tinge must be discarded and never put in the compost pile. Always keep your packing slip just in case. Most reputable mail order companies have a generous replacement policy in the rare event that a shipment is damages or the plants just don’t perform as promised.

You may be hesitant to order via mail for the first time, but once you get used to the available selection of those hard to find plants, you will look forward to the winter season.

I am horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.