Buying plants Gardening

Get Thee to a Garden Center!

20170225AAA.jpg
I caught my local garden center installing its summer bulb display this week.

Is the unseasonably warm weather in many areas this year making you think of spring? Well, don’t just think about it, do something about it!

Garden centers are in full spring mode right now (late February, early March). Their seed displays are up and most have their displays of summer bulb (also called tender bulbs) are installed and ready… or they’re putting them up as you read this. Dahlias, cannas, callas, gladiolus, tuberous begonias: they’re all available right now.

20170225C.jpg
There are seed packets galore in most garden centers.

By buying early, you’ll get the widest choice. Plus the bulbs, especially, will be in top shape just after they arrive in the store. (They tend to degrade over time under the hot, humid conditions of the average garden center.) So bring them home while they’re still ship-shape and store them temporarily in a cool basement until its time to pot them up (mid-March to early April in most areas).

While you’re there, close your eyes for a few seconds and soak up a bit of tropical heat and humidity in the garden center’s greenhouse. It’s like a (short) trip to the Bahamas!

Garden writer and blogger, author of 65 gardening books, lecturer and communicator, the Laidback Gardener, Larry Hodgson, passed away in October 2022. Known for his great generosity, his thoroughness and his sense of humor, he reached several generations of amateur and professional gardeners over his 40-year career. Thanks to his son, Mathieu Hodgson, and a team of contributors, laidbackgardener.blog will continue its mission of demystifying gardening and making it more accessible to all.

2 comments on “Get Thee to a Garden Center!

  1. Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.

Leave a Reply

Sign up for the Laidback Gardener blog and receive articles in your inbox every morning!