Spring is on its way once more, which means longer days and (hopefully) more sunshine. This past winter has been one of the gloomiest ones I have ever gone through. Although it was one of the mildest winter seasons as far back as I can remember, the extreme lack of sunshine was more than any normal person can bear. Whenever I experience many consecutive days of cloudiness, it reminds me of the dismal deadness of winter, and I find myself racing off to the greenhouse in search of greenery, serenity and soul pacification. Getting a glimpse of Mother Nature during the coldest month of the year, when everything outdoors has died back, is crucial. A new plant now and then doesn’t hurt either.

Walking through greenhouses and houseplant sections of stores can be very pleasant. Or it can be very unpleasant. It all depends on where you go, how well-maintained the indoor plant section is and what period of the year you find yourself stopping by. With experience, some not so satisfying, I have discovered that not all the seasons of the year are a good time to go shopping for quality houseplants – at least not in big, all-purpose garden centers. And spring is one of those seasons when ‘the pickings’ aren’t that impressive.

But there is a monetary reason for that.

As soon as the weather warms up and all danger of frost is gone, it’s officially the beginning of the ‘outdoor’ gardening season. At that point, every place selling products related to gardening will give preferential treatment to promoting the sale of items such as fertilizers, seeds, weed controllers, planters, trellises, arbours, kneelers, axes, hatchets, bowsaws, cultivators, hoes, forks, picks, hand pruners, pruning saws, rakes, shears, scissors, spades, shovels, wheelbarrows, carts, greenhouses, insecticides, pesticides, pond kits, grass trimmers, hedge trimmers, hoses, sprinklers, watering cans and so on. And let’s not forget living green – annuals, biennials, perennials, shrubs, trees, creepers and climbers, bulbs, alpines, grasses, ground covers, lawns, wildflowers, water plants, herbs, vegetables and much, much more. Now add all the equipment and plants together with everything else that is heavily marketed for outdoor living such as BBQs, sheds, patio furniture, gazebos, awnings, bird feeders, garden decor, lighting, apparel, outdoor storage, deck boxes, benches, stepping stones, wind chimes, swings, hammocks and umbrellas, swimming pools, children’s outdoor toys and everything in between – and what have you got? Big business! Major profit!

And what does that mean for us humble houseplant growers during the spring season? Two things. 1) Stay away from greenhouses selling indoor plants until after the outdoor garden madness has come and gone. 2) Inspect a garden center thoroughly if you intend to pick up houseplants during that frenzied season

Okay, so you chose what’s behind door number two. Understandable. Your houseplant hobby may be something you enjoy far too much to sacrifice an entire season of possible new additions. But don’t throw caution to the wind and rush out to purchase new plants during that time of year – or any time for that matter - without being prepared to scrutinize the garden center. Unless you want to bring home some six-legged (or eight-legged), winged or wingless critters that will fly, hop, crawl, march or walk their way over to every other plant growing happily (pest-free) in your home, you should inspect, inspect, inspect where you buy your plants. If you don’t, there is a chance that you’ll spend several weeks (sometimes months) trying to eradicate the buzzing, whizzing, gliding, whirling or burrowing taking place in, on, over, under and around your plants. Infestations from unwanted stowaways are not what anyone ever bargains for.

Let me share my experience with you of a poorly-maintained indoor garden center that I had the misfortune to visit last spring.

(Warning: The following may contain depictions of foliage abuse that may be very disturbing to houseplant hobbyists. Reader discretion is advised.)


Greenhouse Or Outhouse?

I never thought I would be truly disgusted by a greenhouse. I've always expected that they'd be the most caring towards their houseplants. But last year, in the midst of the gardening frenzy, I learned otherwise when I took a trip to a popular garden center (I will refrain from naming it).

Most greenhouse trips are pleasant but that particular one was not. I have never seen neglect and lack of aesthetical value at such astronomical levels. The greenhouse was beyond a mess; it looked like a tornado had swept through. Almost every single plant - on the floor and hanging - was dead or dying of some ailment – mainly dehydration. Some plants were so dried up from lack of water that you couldn't identify them anymore. There were flies and creepy crawlers everywhere (the vultures always show up when plants are weak), dirt and garbage (on the floor, shelves, pots), plants hanging miserably over their containers and discarded leaves from dead and dying plants all over. It was a house of horrors for anything capable of photosynthesis.

All those little plants needed just a little water. Just a little water. How sad is that? How sinful to deprive them of something so basic to sustain their life. There was some bad karma created that day, I tell you. The lifeless plants, the pitiful display, the alarming grubbiness - the most pathetic sight you've ever seen in a retail store. The only regret I had was not bringing my digital camera along to capture the most badly-maintained indoor greenhouse I’d ever witnessed – and from a well-known garden center! It was a holy mess all around. But what absolutely astounded me more than anything that day was the abundance of yellow sticky strips/sticks/traps everywhere. Just about every potted plant had one inserted into its (bone-dry) soil and every single yellow trap was packed with flies. Not fruit flies, fungus gnats, whiteflies or aphids, mind you, but huge, filthy, disease-spreading houseflies! How’s that for a Kodak moment?

Do you want flies with that?


Now, it’s understandable that the indoor garden center was sacrificed (although it could have been clean and void of dead plants) in order to fully maintain the outdoor section (that I’ll admit was impeccable) and provide quality service to the ample consumers dropping in to shop for supplies needed to prepare their gardens. What’s not understandable is the advertising that I’d received the exact same week, just a few days prior to my visit, promoting the ‘great sale’ going on for the houseplants. Next to the persuasive text were photos of beautiful, healthy greenery - waiting just for you! Striking plants, incredible prices, while supplies last! They’re going fast, so don’t delay. Okay, I spiced it up a bit. But give me a break. Either the advertising is up to par with the stock or it's not. If it’s the latter, don't advertise it at all.

If you ever find yourself at a nursery or greenhouse in that deplorable a state, leave! If you’re not sure what state it’s in, below are a few tips to help you determine the overall quality of the store. Remember that inspecting the place you buy your plants from should be done all year round, not just during the spring garden madness, which I wrote about above. That’s just one example.


Inspect Before You Buy

Sometimes it’s difficult to find a local plant supplier that satisfies your needs, respects your budget, offers the quality you seek and sells plants that appeal to you. Most of the time plant buyers settle for price regardless of the condition of the retailer. And that’s understandable. I’ve done that myself many times and continue to do so. But in order to assure – or at least give you a better chance - that you don’t bring home problems together with your new greenery, it’s important to take a little time and inspect the seller. Buyer beware. Bargain plants can cost you more in the long run.

Although pricier, picking up plants from sources that specialize in plants will give you a better chance at healthier flora. Florists and independent nurseries, especially online retailers, depend on their plants and their products to keep their business going. They are not ‘jacks of all trades’ just masters of one – flora. A reputation built on quality and spread by word of mouth by satisfied customers is essential to their survival. But this isn’t always an option for everyone since not all budgets allow for extravagant purchases from boutique-style sellers. And if your houseplants are a hobby that is constantly being replenished, this option is never considered.

So what else is there?

Although many fellow houseplant lovers will state that they’d never – and you shouldn’t either - bring home plants from big box stores, home improvement centers, super markets or anywhere else that doesn’t specialize in plants, I will beg to differ. Sometimes these places are your only means to affordable purchases. Although I tend to pick up plants from just about anywhere, making sure to give any possible purchase a complete top to bottom examination, I will suggest that you stick with sizeable nurseries. It’s riskier to take something home from your supermarket that sells 20 plants near the cash than the greenhouses attached to larger businesses that sell hundreds.

Houseplants are mass produced and grown in commercial greenhouses. Once they’re ready for the market, they are shipped to various sellers – including your local big box stores and local hardware stores with garden centers attached to them. Newly-arrived plants are generally in great condition and virtually pest-free, having just left the ideal environment of the greenhouse where they were raised. It’s only after they arrive at their destination that their health begins to decline if their new home does not provide the proper care required to sustain them. And this is what you will check – if the growing conditions and overall appearance of the seller is satisfactory.


10 Ways To Determine Whether To Buy Or Flee:

1. When you arrive at the greenhouse, stand at the entrance, take a broad look around and let your eyes soak in as much of the store as possible in one viewing. Does it look inviting or off-putting?

   A well-maintained greenhouse is very welcoming with its aesthetical and visually-pleasing presentation. If you feel reluctant to walk in, don’t. An unappealing greenhouse is usually not maintained properly, which in turn invites problems to the health of the greenery it houses. Pay attention to your senses.

2. Scan all the plants roughly across the store before you stroll in. Do they look healthy or tired?

   Even before you venture deeper inside, you’ll get an overall feeling of the plants being sold. Tired plants look unhealthy even from a distance. And tired plants are not what you want to take home with you. These are signs of neglect.

3. Head inside and take a leisurely walk up and down the aisles? Is the ground dirt-free and tidy? Is there debris, leaves, plants, dead insects, broken pots, soil or litter lying about?

   Cleanliness is very important. An untidy greenhouse is an invitation to pests and disease. If the staff/owner/management doesn’t care about the cleanliness of something as immediately obvious to the customers as the path they walk on, why would they place any effort on tasks that aren’t always as obvious?

4. Check shelves, benches, racks, stools – anywhere where plants sit. Are they clean and organized? Are they dirty, rotted, wet or unkempt?

   Even if the floors are swept free of grime, a greenhouse won’t pass the white-glove test if the spots occupied by plants are filthy. The immediate surroundings of plants, especially surfaces that they come into contact with, should be just as sanitary and free of invitations to problems – fallen leaves and spent blooms.

5. Do the plants in general look very healthy when you get up close and personal?

   Even if a specific plant that appeals to you looks fit, take a good look around at all the vegetation in that particular section. If the bulk of the neighboring plants are substandard, it’s a clear indication of neglect. The vast majority of plants in a properly managed greenhouse should be healthy. Any ailing specimens should be isolated and nursed back to health or discarded if they’re beyond saving. Weak plants are magnets for insects and disease and should never be left amid healthy specimens.

6. Is there an ample selection of assorted plants or a sparse one of common choices?

   A greenhouse nurturing a wide variety of plants with diverse and sometimes challenging needs requires more experienced staff as well as essential equipment to keep the living green in tip top shape. Any place willing to put that type of investment and effort into proper maintenance is serious about selling healthy plants and building a solid reputation.

7. Are there ceiling fans running? Is there any air circulation?

   In greenhouses, fans or some type of ventilation should be in operation continuously to keep the air from becoming stagnant. Dead air is a popular breeding ground for insects as well as certain diseases. Fresh air is a constant requisite in keeping both evils at bay.

8. Take a whiff of the surrounding air. Is it pleasant or offensive?

   A clean greenhouse full of well-managed plants that are in peak condition should exude that rich, earthy scent, especially if the plants were recently watered. The rich fragrance of healthy soil should be permeating the air, not offensive odors that belong to filthiness, rot, mold, disease or treatments for pest control.

9. Head over to the plants on sale to check their condition. Are they healthy or ready for the trash bin?

   Plants on sale are one thing. Dying plants on sale are another. Garden centers frequently offer substantially lower prices on certain specimens to liquidate them. These plants are typically discounted to make room for new stock, but they should be in good shape. A professional garden center concentrates on upholding their first-rate reputation by offering only quality plants, not abused ones for a quick profit. A discount rack is good business. A death row rack isn’t.

10. Are there bugs flying, floating, buzzing, walking, crawling or whirling around the plants? Have you noticed any yellow sticky strips or other insect traps inside pots or around the plants?

    It’s next to impossible to permanently eliminate insects when it comes to houseplants. Even when houseplants are grown in favorable settings, pests can be lurking in small, unnoticeable numbers for long periods, biding their time until ideal conditions arise to cause a population explosion. Although you are always at risk of taking home pests along with a new plant, a good garden center will do whatever is necessary to give you better odds at a pest-free plant. If you can clearly see insects that are usually prone to hiding, you are in a greenhouse with a massive infestation that is severely out of control due to negligence. Head for the hills or you will get flies with that new plant! Guaranteed.

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