Plants Purchase Rules

2023 Author: Gerld Thomson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 06:45

How to choose flowers

Probably not everyone knows that store-bought plants experience double stress. The plant receives its first stress when it is delivered to the store. Houseplants for sale are grown, as a rule, in greenhouses where high humidity, temperature and appropriate illumination are maintained. Most shops now offer flowers from Holland, Poland, Thailand and other countries. Even if the company tried to carry out the delivery as correctly and carefully as possible, the plants still traveled in boxes by train or plane, were in the dark, without air circulation.

And now the plant got into the store, where certain conditions are created for it. Before it had time to get used to it, they bought it. Even if you take care of proper transportation, you still have a different microclimate at home than it was before. If you pick a healthy, strong, young plant that has been well cared for in the store, then you may not even notice the manifestations of stress, it will feel great. Therefore, the correct choice of plant depends on how it will adapt to the new conditions in your home.

Try not to buy an already large adult plant. Young plants tolerate stressful situations better, adapt easier and faster to changing conditions. An adult plant, even if it gets into very caring hands, will take a long time and painfully to adapt, even if it is considered unpretentious.

Of course, large flowers are often bought for offices; their transportation and acclimatization can create problems. In this case, ask if the store makes delivery, and if it has a guarantee, at least for the first time. Visit several stores before buying, choose the one where they will give you more professional advice on growing, offer packaging, delivery, and help in case of any mishaps.

When choosing a plant in a store, pay attention to the place where it stands. Do not purchase plants that were in aisles, near open doors, or close to window pane. If the plant stood at the door, it could be touched, crushed, it probably suffered from drafts and sudden temperature changes. Plants placed close to the window pane could get sunburn or injured from contact with cold glass. All these situations may not leave a noticeable mark on the flowers, but they will certainly affect the future.

When choosing a plant, touch the soil in the pot - it should be slightly damp, but not dry or damp (unless the plant was watered a minute ago). There should be no water in the pan. There should be no voids between the walls of the pot and the ground. There should be no green or white bloom on the walls of the pot and on the soil. The leaves should be free of dust or cobwebs. Take a closer look not only at the plant you have chosen, but also at the neighboring ones. If the conditions of detention are violated, do not buy plants in this store - non-professionals work here, it is possible that the plants are infected with diseases and pests.

Ask the sellers how often they spray the plants, wipe the leaves. Do you use leaf polish? And most importantly, did you feed the plants or not? You need to know this in order to decide on further care.

Carefully examine the plant for bugs, gray or white bloom on the leaves, flowers and stems, whether there are brown plaques on the leaves, and inspect the back of the leaf. Of course, a large plant cannot be examined properly, but you need to do it at least partially. If you handle the plant carefully during inspection, the seller will not mind you.

The leaves of your chosen plant should not be lethargic, twisted or have dry tips. The plant itself should be covered with leaves evenly on all sides. If it is a flowering plant, then choose one that has more buds than flowers in full bloom.

Plant bought

The choice is made, you bought it. The plant must be packed, if it is winter or autumn, then there must also be protective packaging from low temperature and wind, for example, several layers of newspapers and a bag. Do not put flowers in the car in the trunk, the best place is in the back seat. It's even better if you fit it in a spacious box. Also, in a box, you can deliver a plant in public transport. To prevent your flower from falling, line the stability pot in the box with crumpled newspaper. When buying a large plant, arrange delivery with the store.

The plant you have purchased must survive a certain period of acclimatization. Its duration depends on the whimsy of the plant and on the conditions in which it existed in the store. In any case, keep the plant out of direct sunlight and drafts for the first two weeks at home. Indoor temperatures should be moderate and watering should be careful. Some, especially delicate flowers, shed flowers and leaves during acclimatization, in which case the plant must be placed in the most suitable place, and no longer rearranged from place to place.

Shading from direct sunlight is necessary for most plants, with the exception of flowering pot plants that are sold in winter - azaleas, cyclamen, chrysanthemums. They need to be placed in a well-lit place on the window. If, when choosing a plant, you did not know anything about it, this is your biggest omission. But try to find out more about him as soon as you brought him home.

Buying seeds

When buying seeds, first of all, you need to pay attention to the expiration date and release date. The success of their germination depends on how fresh the seeds are. For example, the seeds of many palms, after a year of storage, reduce germination to 50% and the germination time increases from 2-3 weeks to 2-3 months. Pay attention to the sowing dates, they should be indicated on the package with seeds. If possible, then purchase a room greenhouse for sowing seeds, the seeds will germinate in it much easier. Before buying seeds, ask how long they germinate, sometimes you have to wait a very long time and it takes patience.

Buying bulbs

Try to choose bulbs that look healthy: dry scales, uniform color, and no spots. The bulbs must be firm to the touch and free from dents or rot. Also ask the seller in what conditions and how long the bulbs were stored. If you buy bulbs in the spring, they should be harvested last fall, not earlier. And in the fall, buy only fresh bulbs - they have yet to be stored in the winter.