Don't Waste Your Money on Plants That Won't Thrive in Your Garden

These tips will change the way you plant shop forever—and by that, I mean you're going to stop wasting money on plants that just end up dying.

Here at Gardenary, we're on a mission to make gardening ordinary for everyone, including people who don't have $100s to spend at the plant store.

So keep these tips in mind the next time you go plant shopping so you make the most of every penny you spend.

Know Your Growing Seasons

If you've read my book Kitchen Garden Revival, then you're familiar with our four-season plan. Here's a quick overview of the growing seasons.

• The cold season is when it's freezing cold. You're probably not going plant shopping right now because it's below freezing every day. There's always a chance of frost, no chance of plants. 
• The cool season is when your high temps range from 35°F to 64°F. There's still a chance of frost.
• The warm season is when your high temps range from 65°F to 84°F, and there's no longer a chance of frost.
• And the hot season is when your high temps are 85°F and above. You wish there was frost, but there's not. It's just really, really hot outside.

Before you go plant shopping, you need to know what season you're in and how many weeks you've got left in this current season before you head into the next one. The way you do that is by charting out your high temps for each and every month. Then, you'll assign each month to a season.

Why do you need to know your seasons? Because plants have seasons they like to grow in.

Let's say it's September and you have four weeks left in your current season. If you were to go to the plant shop now, chances are they're selling plants for this current season because they want to get rid of their inventory. But you don't want to buy these plants because they won't be able to stay in your garden long enough to produce anything for you. You likely won't get your money's worth from them before the temps change.

So do your homework before you head to the plant shop. Figure out if it's worth buying plants for this current season or if you should plan ahead and buy plants for your upcoming season.

If you're still not sure what season you're in, download our free Garden Calendar. All you have to do is put in two dates, and we'll tell you every other date you need to know for the entire planting season. That way, you'll know what plants you're looking for when you head to the plant shop this weekend.

Measure Your Garden Space

Before you head to the plant store, do a little measuring and figure out how much square footage you have available for planting as the season switches over. I also like to take pictures of my containers and raised beds so I know where I've got empty spaces to fill. Once you're at the store, you'll have a much better idea of the plants you've got room for so you won't overspend.

I like to switch over the annual plants growing in my raised beds every single season. That means pulling out large fruiting plants and leafy greens that are finished growing and replacing them with plants that will grow best in the upcoming season.

This is why taking pictures is useful. You can remind yourself which plants can stay in the garden a little longer (like kale, for example) and which plants need to be removed over the next month or two.

Pick Your Plant Priorities

Make a list of the things you definitely want to buy before you get to the store. Then, stick to your list.

Here are the plants I prioritize buying each season:

Flowers

I always buy flowers that take several months to mature and bloom. Those are definitely worth my money because I'd otherwise have to devote a lot of time and space to starting them by seed indoors ahead of the season.

In the cool season, I often buy pansies, snapdragons, and violas. In the warm season, I buy things like angelonia, gomphrena, and petunias.

Perennial Herbs

Herbs like rosemary, chives, oregano, thyme, and sage will last for years in your garden and produce tons of leaves for you to use in your kitchen. They'll give you a fantastic ROI in just a couple of months.

If you haven't already planted seeds in your garden for annual herbs, I recommend buying them, as well. In the cool season, I would buy cilantro, parsley, and dill so that I could harvest as many leaves as possible if I got a late start growing them from seed. In the warm season, you could buy basil. Again, you'll be able to harvest enough to make these absolutely worth your money.

Fruiting Plants

Fruiting plants like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, and tomatillos take a long time to grow in the garden—they need a couple weeks, maybe even months, to get started in advance of your warm season. Instead of producing at 60 days, they produce at 90 to 120 days. These plants are 100 percent worth a couple bucks each to get that head start on their growth.

There are a couple of exceptions in this category. Beans and peas, for example are fruiting plants, but they grow really quickly from seed. Squash, cucumbers, and zucchini also grow best from seed. I would buy seeds for all these plants.

Large Brassicas

Cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and romanesco also take a really long time to produce during cool weather. That's because most of these aren't just producing leaves; they're also producing a little flower head, and that takes time. It's worth your hard-earned dollars to buy little plant starts for these large plants if you didn't start your own indoors in preparation for the cool season.

What Not to Buy at the Store

I wouldn't buy any kind of root crop at the plant shop. You might see little potted carrot or beet seedlings for sale, but these plants do much better if they're never moved. Definitely not worth buying.

Also not worth buying are things like potatoes, garlic, and onions—things you start from bulb or sprouted plant parts. Start these by clove or seeds at home, unless you can find a pot with lots of onion sets for a great price.

Lastly, I wouldn't buy starts for small leafy greens like spinach, arugula, or lettuce. These grow so quickly and easily from seed. You'll overall get the healthiest, most productive plants if you direct sow them in the garden. They'll even be slower to bolt as the weather warms up.

Note that kale and Swiss chard are large leafy greens. They're also biennials, so they could last for up to two years. These two are totally worth your cash because you can enjoy them for so long, unlike that soft lettuce plant that will last for 45, maybe 65, days max. You might be drawn to that little $4 lettuce plant, but tell yourself it's a waste of money.

Check the Base of the Plant

When you're at the plant store, keep these next three tips in mind to make sure you're buying the healthiest plants possible. The very first thing you want to check is the base of the plant. Ideally, there should only be one sturdy main stem.

Growers often over-plant these little pots with plants like basil or marigolds so that they look fuller from above. In actuality, there are too many plants packed tightly in there, and they're all struggling for nutrients and water and space. You might bring these plants home thinking you're getting two for the price of one, but you might end up with two dead plants instead of one healthy plant.

That's why I generally pick plants that have already been thinned out so that I'm transplanting just one healthy plant into the garden.

Check the Roots

Next, gently pull the plant out of the pot and check the roots. Avoid buying plants that are root bound, where the roots are wound tightly inside the pot. Root-bound plants have been in their pots way too long, and their growth possibilities are stunted. You want to buy plants with roots that are still white and nice and loose.

Check for Pests

Finally, inspect the underside of the leaves, the stems, and soil for signs of pests. Assess the overall health of the plant, as well. You want the plants you're buying to be as healthy as possible so you get as much bang for your buck.

Tips to Bring Plants Home from the Store

Once you get these plants home, don't hesitate. Plant them in your garden as soon as possible. 

The transplant process itself can be a little traumatic because plants like to stay planted. So once you get them into the garden, water regularly for the next two weeks. That helps your plants calm down after their big transition because they know they're in a safe place where their needs will be met. After two weeks, you can ease up on the watering and just let these plants do their thing and start to take over this garden you've prepared for them.

That's the Way to Save Money at the Plant Store

Make a plan before you get there based on your current growing conditions and the garden space you have available. Know the types of plants that are absolutely worth the money, and then skip past those plants that are not. Don't let that gallon-size pot of bush beans for $20 fool you!

This is how you'll save $100s at the plant store in the seasons to come.

Thanks for being here and making the garden part of your everyday life. We're changing the world with every plant we grow together!