Spring is on its way, and many of us will be heading out to a local nursery to buy some plants. A few pointers for you to consider when selecting plants:
1. Watch out for seedlings and shrubs that are root-bound. You may be getting a bargain, but remember that in some instances, root-bound plants take longer to grow vigorously. Also, when planting a rootbound plant, ensure that you gently pry the roots open a little before placing the soil back into the hole.
2. Careful of variegated plants that are not true to type. In most instances, variegated plants are not as “strong and vigorously growing” as the same plant that is non-variegated. Often a variegated plant will produce non-variegated shoots or stems that, over time, will overrun the variegated plant. As a result, when selecting plants, check that the whole plant is variegated and true to type. Use this same thinking for any variegated plant that you have in your garden and prune off any flat green shoots (non-variegated) that start growing on your shrub.
3. What about diseases? The aim of the nursery is to sell you a healthy plant; however, so often diseases are all around and any plant can become infected. Watch out for potential disease and pests on any plant you choose. It is possible that a bargain plant that you find at the back of the nursery may actually have scale along the stem, which you may not necessarily see straight off. Just be observant.
4. One of the concerns we have is that some potting media contain many weeds. These are spread within the nursery, and then we end up taking them home! For me, the worst is onion weed (Nothoscordum × borbonicum), which is a small onion-type plant with numerous (I mean numerous) small bulblets that easily break off when you try to remove the plant. They spread throughout the garden and are almost impossible to eradicate. Whatever you do, never buy a plant that has onion weed in it.
5. Healthy plants make a good start to any planting adventure. Check for the health of the plant, that it is strong, has good growth, has good colour (suited to the plant type you are choosing), and may even have signs of new flower buds showing.
6. Good shape is important for plants, especially if you require them for specific purposes. Taking the last plant in the nursery with poor shape just because you really need that plant or the price is good really won’t be beneficial in the long run.
The above pointers must be taken as just that: guidance and pointers to help you make the most suitable choice for your needs. Whatever choice you make when buying a plant, I trust that it will be an enjoyable experience and that you find just the right plant(s) for that special position in your garden.

Finally, the SA Weather Service has provided a warning that the next 3 to 4 months will on average be hotter than normal, the minimum temperatures will be higher than normal, and the rainfall will also on average be less than normal. This doesn’t bode well for our gardens and vegetable plots. Be prepared by mulching your beds, watering only in early morning or late afternoon, hydrozoning your garden, and improving your soil by adding as much compost as possible. Wishing you a wonderful August in the garden (if only the frost will stay away).