How to choose flowers
Probably not everyone knows that store-bought plants are under double stress. The plant receives its first stress when it is delivered to the store. Indoor plants are grown for sale, usually in greenhouses, where high humidity, temperature and appropriate illumination are maintained. Now most stores offer flowers brought from Holland, Poland, as well as Thailand and other countries. Even if the company tried to carry out the delivery as correctly and carefully as possible, the plants still traveled in boxes by train or plane, were in the dark, without air circulation.
And now the plant got into the store, where certain conditions are created for it. It did not have time to get used to how it is bought. Even if you take care of proper transportation, at home you still have a different microclimate than before. If you choose a healthy, strong, young plant in the store, which was well looked after, then you may not even notice manifestations of stress, it will feel great. Therefore, the right choice of plant depends on how it will adapt to new conditions in your home.
Try not to buy a large adult plant already. Young plants tolerate stressful situations better, adapt more easily and faster to changing conditions. An adult plant, even falling into very caring hands, will adapt long and painfully, even if it is considered unpretentious.
Of course, large flowers are often bought for offices, transportation and acclimatization of them can create problems. In this case, ask if the store is delivering, and if it has guarantees, at least for the first time. Visit several stores before buying, choose the one where you will be given more professional advice on growing, offer packaging, delivery, and help in case of any failures.
When choosing a plant in the store, pay attention to the place where it stands. Do not purchase plants that were in the aisles, near open doors or close to the window glass. If the plant stood at the door, it could be hurt, dented, it probably suffered from drafts and sharp temperature drops. Plants placed close to the window glass could get sunburn, or be injured from contact with cold glass. All these situations may not leave a noticeable mark on the colors, but they will definitely affect in the future.
When choosing a plant, touch the ground in a pot - it should be slightly wet, but not dry or raw (unless the plant was watered a minute ago). There should be no water in the tray. There should be no voids between the walls of the pot and the ground. There should be no green or white coating on the walls of the pot and on the soil. There should be no dust or cobwebs on the leaves. Take a closer look not only at the plant you have chosen, but also at the neighboring ones. If the conditions of detention are violated, do not buy plants in this store - non-professionals work here, it is possible that plants are infected with diseases and pests.
Ask the sellers how often they spray the plants, wipe the leaves. Are leaf polish used? And most importantly, did the plants feed or not? You need to know this in order to decide on further care.
Carefully examine the plant, whether it has bugs, gray or white plaque on the leaves, flowers and stems, whether there are brown plaques on the leaves, and examine the back of the leaf. Of course, a large plant will not look at everything properly, but you need to do it at least partially. If you handle the plant carefully during inspection, the seller will not object to you.
The leaves of your chosen plant should not be lethargic, twisted or have dry tips. The plant itself should be covered with leaves evenly on all sides. If it is a flowering plant, then choose one that has more buds than blooming flowers.
Plant bought
The choice is made, you bought it. The plant must be packed, if winter or autumn, then there must also be protective packaging against low temperature and wind, for example, several layers of newspapers and a bag. Do not put flowers in the car in the trunk, the best place in the back seat. It's even better if you put it in a spacious box. Also, in the box you can deliver the plant in public transport. To keep your flower from falling, line a stability pot in a box with crumpled newspapers. When buying a large plant, arrange delivery with the store.
The plant you purchased must survive a certain period of acclimatization. Its duration depends on the whimsy of the plant and on the conditions in which it existed in the store. In any case, protect the plant from direct sunlight and drafts for the first two weeks at home. The temperature in the room should be moderate, and watering careful. Some, especially delicate flowers, drop flowers and leaves during acclimatization, in which case the plant must be placed in the most suitable place, and no longer rearrange it from place to place.
Shade from direct sunlight is necessary for most plants, with the exception of flowering potted plants that are sold in winter - azaleas, cyclamen, chrysanthemums. They need to be placed in a well-lit place on the window. If you, choosing a plant, did not know anything about it - this is your biggest omission. But try to find out more about him as soon as they brought him home.
Buying seeds
When buying seeds, first of all you need to pay attention to the shelf life and release date. The success of their germination depends on how fresh the seeds are. For example, the seeds of many palms, after a year of storage, reduce germination to 50% and the germination time increases from 2-3 weeks to 2-3 months. Pay attention to the timing of crops, they should be indicated on the packaging with seeds. If possible, purchase an indoor greenhouse for sowing seeds, in which the seeds will germinate much easier. Before buying seeds, ask how long they take to germinate, sometimes you have to wait a very long time and you need patience.
Buying bulbs
Try to choose bulbs that look healthy: scales are dry, even in color, without spots. Bulbs should be firm to the touch, free from dents or rot. Also ask the seller in what conditions and how long the bulbs were stored. If you buy bulbs in the spring, then they should be collected last fall, not earlier. And in the fall you buy only fresh bulbs - they still have to be stored in winter.