Shopping for Summer Annuals

Good Morning!  It's a beautiful day here in Chicago and it's finally time to go get the Summer Annuals you've been dreaming about all Spring. 

My advice to you is to take a little time before you run out and go shopping.  Pick up the early edition of your Sunday Paper and look at the fliers for the big box stores.  Home Depot, Lowes, Meijer, K-Mart, Walmart etc.   They have slashed their perennial, annual, veggies, herbs, trees & shrub prices trying to get people to come in and buy some of their inventory.  I have worked as a plant buyer and I can tell you that the big box stores are selling their plants at just a fraction over wholesale prices.  You just need to take your time when picking out plants and these stores.   The big box stores get nice plant material in but they are really awful about taking care of them once they've been delivered.  I have NEVER seen any of the big box store garden centers look how they are presented in their commercials.  I have also NEVER met a friendly, knowledgeable sales associates they claim to have.  Which is fine for me because I obviously know what I am doing, but can be frustrating for people looking for guidance.   When I shop at these places I look for overall plant health, not just what's blooming now.  I look for plants that are full and a lush green. you don't want a plant that's already getting leggy.  I also will pop the plant out of the pot and check to see that it is well rooted but not pot bound. So here's another tip.  Read the tags.  Seriously. The informational tag on a plant will tell you more than any of their sales associates ever will.   Keep this is mind when a plant tag says Sun/part shade.  It means it can take the morning Sun.  Only plants labeled as full Sun can handle the hot afternoon Sun.    

So consider yourselves armed and dangerous with shopping knowledge and go get yourselves some plants!

Good Luck & Happy Gardening!