How to Shop from a Garden Catalog
Check Nursery Catalog for Prices Plant Information & Gardening Tips
Buying plants and garden supplies by mail order from a catalog or web site is handy and can be educational but read flower plant and nursery catalogs carefully!
Gardening catalogs by mail are sales tools to tempt gardeners to order and purchase plants, tools, and garden accessories. Each nursery catalog or web site presents its wares using enticing photographs and glowing descriptions sure to make you drool with desire. The better catalogs offer horticultural information as well as useful gardening tips. But the worst catalogs can lure the unwary. Follow these tips on how to interpret and learn from a nursery plant or gardening catalog.
Plant Names
The catalog should identify plants by precise, complete botanical name. It may include common names, but the botanical name is the important one.
What Size Plant is Shipped
The catalog should clearly describe the size of plant being sent, including pot size or root development. In general, immature seedlings should cost less than well developed plants.
Catalog Photographs vs. Plants in the Garden
Glossy color enhanced glamour shots of flowers are lovely, but how will it grow? Research potential purchases: check mature size and overall shape of the plant; is it pest and disease resistant?
Buyer Beware
Be cautious if a description mentions “spreads nicely” or “naturalizes quickly” or “multiplies rapidly” or “rampant grower” or “aggressive spreader.” Do your research: will it become invasive and difficult to control?
"New!" might mean it’s a new cultivar just introduced on the market. Or, perhaps it was available elsewhere but this catalog has just added it. Or, it might be an old plant listed under a jazzed up new name. Again, research it by botanical name.
Plant Hardiness
Is the plant hardy in my zone? Know your USDA winter hardiness zone. If you live in an area with hot summers, know your summer heat zone rating, too. (Western gardeners find the Sunset zones are most accurate.)
Cultural Tips and Growing Help
Most reputable catalogs indicate the plant’s preference for sun or shade and include cultural suggestions: “not for hot humid summers” or “requires good drainage” or “needs acidic soil.”
Shipping Schedules and Weather
A nearby grower should be in synch with your weather and ship at a time that is truly suitable for planting. However, a northern shipper may wait until what is very late spring in a southern garden. Southern suppliers may ship prematurely for a northern garden still buried in snow. Verify when orders are likely to ship.
Shipping and Handling Charges
Shipping costs rise every year. Many catalogs add handling fees. These costs add significantly to the total pricing. Remember these when comparing prices or watching your budget.
Early Order Discounts, Quantity Pricing, Free Offers, Bonus Plants
Some catalogs offer incentives to order early or to buy in bulk. Sometimes these can reduce your bill significantly, but sometimes they are not useful. Sometimes it pays to combine orders.
Quality, Warranty, Guarantee and Customer Service
Nurseries selling quality plants proudly explain their strict quality criteria and careful packing methods, tout their true to name accuracy and ship healthy plants. Read the fine print. Tell them immediately if there is a problem with your order.
Track Your Orders
Keep a record of your orders: the company, the items, prices, fees, when you ordered and how you paid for it, special instructions and any bonus, if applicable. Use a spreadsheet or jot them on your calendar or keep it in your garden journal.
Read, Learn and Compare Prices
Mail order plant catalogs (and on line web sites) offer a wealth of information, eye candy photographs, and enticing offers. They can teach you about plants and can be a convenient way to purchase plants, too. Catalogs are especially mesmerizing in mid winter when gardeners are starved for green growing things, fresh fruit and vegetables, and colorful flowers. Keep these guidelines in mind when placing orders … check out the best plant and garden catalogs in mail order gardening by mail ... and be sure to comparison shop before you buy.
Happy Garden and Plant Catalog Shopping!
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