Garden Tips Newsletter
Plant Mail Orders
September 29, 2008
Most of gardeners today are savvy with online ordering of plants. Be a discerning shopper. First, know the plant is well suited to this climate. Usually plant hardiness zone information is provided. Check the heat hardiness of perennials to see if they are heat tolerant for the South. If you are not familiar with the heat zones, check out the heat zone map on the American Horticulture Society Web site. The Web address is http://www.ahs.org/pdfs/05_heat_map.pdf. In our climate the heat tolerance of plants can be a more limiting factor for plant survival than cold tolerance.
Don’t be bowled over by the flashy marketing and promises of some Web plant sources. Do some comparison shopping comparing size, cost, ship dates, mode of shipping, guarantees, etc. When you find a good online source stick with them. Don’t forget to check local garden centers and nurseries. They may be able to order the plant for you and get an even better deal and a bigger plant by combining your order with others.
If you will be getting plants this fall or winter, prepare the bed or planting area now, if possible. That way, you can get the plants directly into the ground without delay when they arrive. If you do want to plant in the fall or winter, place your orders as soon as possible to get the best selection and to have the plants on hand for planting at the best time.
Lelia Scott Kelly, Ph.D., writes Garden Tips weekly and is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.