Buying Plants Without Getting Burned: A Practical Guide to Choosing and Caring for Beginners

Buying plants refers to the process of choosing and purchasing potted greenery, flowers, succulents and the like for the home, office or yard. There are plenty of places to buy today: local flower markets and nurseries let you inspect the plants in person, while online shops offer a wider selection. Either way, doing your homework before buying matters more than just looking at the price.

When choosing, first look at the plant's overall condition: leaves that are plump and glossy, with no obvious yellowing or disease spots, a firm stem, and no odd smell from the potting soil. You can gently poke the soil surface or check the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot; if the roots are heavily coiled and exposed, the plant probably has not been repotted in a long time. Before taking it home, also check the undersides of the leaves and the leaf axils for signs of pests such as scale insects and spider mites.

More importantly, choose plants according to your environment. A sunny south-facing balcony suits light-loving roses (Rosa) and succulents, a living room with good indirect light can host Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) and pothos (Epipremnum aureum), while in an office under artificial light you should pick species that tolerate shade and drought. Many people find that the plants they bring home never bloom and get worse the longer they grow, and most of the time it is because they did not consider the light conditions before buying.

When a new plant arrives home, do not repot it or move it into full sun right away. First place it in a ventilated spot with soft light for a few days to acclimatise, and water according to the rule of watering when dry and letting it dry out between waterings. Mail-order plants have been through long-distance shipping, so their roots, branches and leaves are bound to be damaged and need even more time to recover. Giving a plant a period of adjustment is safer than stirring everything up the moment you get it home.