How to Save by Buying Distressed Plants

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By jamaclassics
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (6 Ratings)

I cost $1

Distressed plants that once flourished in the grower' s climate controlled greenhouses, often don't get enough water, are displayed in hot areas, or are root bound after a summer's stay at a retailer' s. Commercial growers fertilize heavily, which increases a plant' s need for water dramatically, just when it's hot and dry in the garden center where its waiting for a home. Most Retailers cull these distressed plants to a sale table or cart where they languish a while, hoping they'll sell at a reduced price before they have to toss them out. They may sport yellowed leaves, dried out soil and brown spots. They aren't dead, though. These plants can be revived, and are a bargain for the cash strapped consumer with skill. Many are marked down to fifty cents. Give them some TLC and nurse them back to beautiful health. That green thumb of yours may save you another kind of green-- dough.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

To know where the on sale plants are kept
A little moolah
A little time to invest
Knowledge of the plant or the ability to research it
good location for plant

Step 1

You can usually locate the distressed plants in the back, on some obscure table that isn't prominently displayed. Some will be on the shelves of wheeled carts or below eye level on skids. Almost every garden center has an area with culls, so if you don't see it, ask a sales person.
Step 2

Investigate: If the care tags are missing and you aren't familiar with a plant, do some research on its proper care or pick one you know how to nurture. The tag on the pot is your best bet for proper care, since that worked where they grew it. Pick a plant that still has some green growth or buds. Once you get it home, the process of returning the plant to the conditions it liked begins.
Step 3

Move the plant to shade. Rehydrate immediately by watering the soil and letting the plant sit in a saucer of water. Trim dead leaves, spent flowers and inspect plants for small, hard to see bugs like spider mites and aphids. If it's a plant that won't be killed by a severe pruning, lop off infected foliage. Plants get lazy once they've produced seed, and they kick back. If you prune or snip off their seed pods or spent flowers, you trick the plant into thinking it must hurry up and produce more leaves or flowers. This stimulates the new growth.
Step 4

Transplant into a bigger pot with good soil, or plant in the ground if it's a perennial, but be sure to provide the right amount of sun. If it's very hot, use a market umbrella to shade your baby for a couple of days. Try to lessen transplant shock by taking advantage of cloudy days.
Use your (green) thumbs to loosen the roots and break them out of their bound condition, or use a clean knife to make several cuts around the bottom and spread the cut sections. Water the holes first, mound some moist soil in the center, and then spread the roots before covering.
Step 5

If you purchased a bargain planter with several distressed plants in it, divide them.
Give each one it's own pot with room for roots to expand, to support the resulting new growth, or space them in your garden so there is room to spread out between the plants. Like people, plants like elbow room...or technically branch room since they don't have elbows.
Step 6

Water frequently while your cheap babies are recovering from neglect. Once new growth begins, use a good time release fertilizer sparingly. If you are uncertain how much to water, underwater plants with no leaves. There is less need for water when no photosynthesis is going on. The soil should just be moist to the touch, not soggy. Spray with a good Mite killer or Fungicide as needed, and next year when your three dollar Hydrangea is covered in fluffy flower heads, you can smile about the fourteen dollars you saved on it, by buying it distressed.

Comments

mweise said

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on 8/15/2009 What a great idea! Excellent article, lots of detail. 5*

Quickstar said

on 8/2/2009 Just saw some of these the other day, but I couldn't take them home at that time. Maybe I will go back and nurture those distressed plants, the poor things.

rockymtngrma said

on 7/30/2009 I enjoy purchasing distressed plants: first you save money, second you get the pleasure of nursing it back to health. Thanks for the article.

joanhaines said

on 7/30/2009 You have likely saved several lives with this article. Their wilted little bodies are just waiting outside my door. I bought distressed plants, and wanted to help them, but didn't quite know how. Thanks!