by Sammy Stein

Created on: December 17, 2009

This is a no-brainer really. Big box stores stock lots of the same variety, they buy from nurseries which produce plants by the thousand, pack them and ship them. They are kept at the store, given minimal care, kept under bright lights and cared for by staff who are unlikely to be trained in plant keeping. The plants will be distributed from a central source often far from the retail outlet and the climate or soil in your area might be different so the plants may not survive once you plant them out.

A small garden retailer will have selected varieties which they know will produce good colors, survive the local climate and so do well in your garden. They will be looked after once they arrive or even grown from seed in the small retailer by people who know about plants, are specialist and understand what you expect form the plants once you put them in your soil. They willoffer advice on the right varieties and rely on their knowledge rather than the attractiveness of the color in store or the box in which the plants come in.

The small garden retailer will want to grow varieties which do well locally because their reputation relies on their products being reliable. They are more likely to change them if they die once planted out and will usually offer advice if you need it. Because they rely on a smaller and more specific market, they will be anxious that you speak well of them and recommend them to other potential clients so the service you can expect is greater.

Big box stores rely on a variety of products as well as the plants and so are less likely to offer good service after you have bought the plants. You are also less likely to get good advice on their care and maintenance.

Small garden retailiers will be relying on your custom and annuals are bought yearly so giving good service and reliable plants will mean you are likely to come back each year for your annuals. Your individual custom is less appreciated by big box stores and so they put less effort into repeat business, concentrating istead on displaying their plants in colorful containers, offering special discounts and so on but if you think about it, the only way they can offer such low prices is to skimp on care and maintenance of the plants.

There is nothing wrong with being tempted by the big box store and buying a tray or several of plants whose colors and form is particularly appealing but you cannot expect them to perform as well in your garden as those grown from seed with care by the small garden retailer. Many plants in big box stores are actually sold when they are in flower because visual attraction is a reliable selling tool but if you transplant plants into your garden whilst in bloom the blooms may fade and wither and in a few weeks your plants are over.

A small garden retilaer often sells plants before they flower, relying on their expertise and advice rather than colors and attractive packaging. The plant, when planted in your garden at this stage, is less likely to feel shock and will usually come into flower and provide a long season of color.

Small retailers are also better at providing advice on what to plant with the annuals as companion plants and how to plan your annuals to get a long season of interest - as one flower fades another variety will be bloomig and so on. Big box sellers are less likely to offer this service.

Big box stores are fine if you want to create a quick colorful patch in your garden, perhaps to hide a bare area but small garden retailers will be better for all round service, good advice and care for the plants.

Learn more about this author, Sammy Stein.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.