When starting a garden, you can choose to get your starter vegetables by buying seedlings or buying cultivated plants. Each path has its pros and cons depending on what you choose.
Growing plants from seedlings can be extremely challenging, especially if it’s your first time. The tiny seedlings are fragile, prone to being crushed or killed by the slightest provocation, especially if you haven’t prepared the soil properly. However, it can be very rewarding to grow something out of nothing.
The problem with buying plants that have had some time to grow is that you don’t know what the seller has been doing with those plants up to that point. They could have neglected it, leaving it green but actually unhealthy. You have to be able to spot plants that are not healthy.
You can check the health of a plant just by taking a look at it. Generally, if it looks good, it’s probably a good plant. Holes in the sheets are a no-no. If you see bugs crawling everywhere, it’s probably not healthy either.
Flowering plants are actually a bad idea, as you’ll have to repot them. The act of replanting them could traumatize and weaken them enough to kill them, so it’s best to stick to plants that are only budding. However, if you have your heart set on it, simply cut back the blooms before moving it to keep it in the best possible condition.
Check the roots of your potential plant before you commit to buying it. Make sure the roots are strong and have enough soil to grow. Make sure there are plenty of roots too; some plants barely have them. You will want to avoid those.
Naturally, occasional aberrations arise: the plants themselves are still healthy but may have some kind of quirk that can be explained. Ask the daycare employees; they may have the answer you are looking for.
Make sure that whatever you get is healthy. Doing that can ensure the success of your garden.