By the time spring rolls around, you’ll be eager to plant A garden full of colorful blooms That you would run to a big box store and load up a cart. But for many reasons, the plants you get from stores like Home Depot aren’t necessarily the healthiest, nor are they automatically compatible with your environment.
One on Reddit draw Dedicated to this topic, one commenter claiming to be a former Home Depot plant salesman suggested that pests can be a big problem in these types of stores. “I will and will occasionally buy plants from HD. They are always treated and isolated,” they wrote, “These plants receive a very low level of care and it is possible for an infection to go unnoticed for weeks.” In addition, people providing plant care do not necessarily have any knowledge of the plants in question, meaning they may be overwatered, underwatered, or kept somewhere with too little or too much sunlight. This can lead to conditions such as stressed plants and root rot.
What’s more, just because your local Home Depot is selling a plant, doesn’t mean it’s good for or compatible with your environment. In fact, you may inadvertently plant invasive species in your garden, which will compete with native species for resources and threaten to drive them out. If you intend to Design an original gardenYour local plant nursery will be more knowledgeable about this.
How to care for big box store bought plants
If you find a deal on a plant at Home Depot that you can’t resist, be prepared to take some safety precautions before introducing it to the rest of your greenery. First and foremost, you’ll want to quarantine the plant for about a month, or until you’re sure it’s not a risk of infecting your other plants. If you notice pests like aphids, mealybugs, or spider mites on your plants, find a method. Manage plant pests It works for you. Neem oil is an excellent organic alternative that kills and repels common plant pests.
It’s also important to keep in mind that, because plants can become completely stressed from a lack of specialized care, you may find yourself in a position where you’re rehabilitating a sick plant—even if you just bought it. If this is the case, it is important to cut off the dead foliage, inspect it for insects and root rot, and treat if necessary. From there, repot it in some Homemade potting soil And make sure to provide the right conditions for that particular plant going forward.
If you can’t save your new plant friend, Home Depot actually has a pretty good return policy when it comes to plants. Dead or alive, most plants can be returned as long as they are within the 90-day time frame. For perennials, trees, roses and shrubs, you have up to a year to return it if it doesn’t work.
