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How To Be A Savvy Gardening Catalog/Website Shopper

© Marilyn Burns

Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy shop! So many choices, where do I begin? This is the time of the year when every gardener starts getting cabin fever and the garden catalogs start rolling in. This can be a dangerous situation for your pocket book, your garden, and your back.

If you are like me, the glowing descriptions, glossy pictures, and fantasies of what could be often results in overspending and overextending oneself when it comes time to plant all those goodies. And although many of my purchases have been satisfying and successful, sometimes the plants do not perform as desired and more importantly, just belly-up and die. But there are a few things I have learned, so before you take out that charge card or write that check:

1. Always buy from reputable sources: Be a bit wary and cynical while browsing those catalogs. There are more honest vendors out there than not, but all it takes is one disappointing experience to turn someone into a shy buyer.

2. Read the fine print: Read the guarantees. Many vendors will not guarantee beyond the first year. Also, you must use reasonable care when choosing and planting your nursery stock. If you leave a bareroot rose in its packaging box in a warm place for a week after receiving it, don't cry to the nurseryman that it failed. Many guarantees are in effect only if the customer has exercised reasonable and expected cultural practices in planting the materials. Translation: Follow the planting instructions to the "T". Another thing to remember: If you live, for example, in Northern Indiana, you cannot grow a Camellia japonica in the open ground year 'round and expect it to thrive or survive. Resist the "grass is greener on the other side syndrome". Know your zone, and order within it. Again, many vendors will sell you anything, but if you are growing it outside the recommended zones, all bets are off.

3. Comparison shop: Before committing to a purchase, look at your different catalogs. If you find the same plant listed, look at sizes, and how the plant will be shipped. Is it potted? Bareroot? Is there a quantity discount? If catalog "A" lists a certain plant for more money than catalog "B", look to see if the stock is sent potted and growing or dormant and bareroot. This can affect price and performance. It will also prevent you from going into shock when seeing the condition the plant is in when you receive it. (Dormant, bareroot plants can look pretty sad, but often perform quite well and are, in fact, often preferred over potted plants). Also check for minimum orders, if applicable, and shipping costs.