Plant Inspection

Plant Inspection

Learn how to choose healthy plants before purchasing them.

When you are purchasing plants, trees & shrubs you should follow this guideline to ensure you are buying a healthy plant.

A Healthy Plant Should:

  • have no broken branches
  • have no stem damage
  • no insects
  • no wilting
  • soil moisture (make sure it has enough)
  • not root bound

Check leaves:

  • number
  • size
  • color
  • check for rips
  • and overall appearance

Deciduous Tree Inspection

Make sure leader is intact. The leaders are extremely important to the tree, it is responsible for producing a growth hormone (GAA) that controls how fast the plant grows, where it grows.

* There are exceptions; Locust doesn’t have a central leader.

Check for:

  • Straight stem
  • Crown (check the crown to make sure it isnt cracked)
  • Make sure branches are on a 45 degree angle to ensure proper balance, it must support the weight of leaves and fruit.
  • No crossing limbs
  • Branches are well spread out (balanced)
  • Size and color of leaf

Evergreen Inspection

Check for:

  • Straight stem
  • Sound Leader
  • Crown (for cracks)
  • Growth buds (make sure it isnt damaged)
  • Needles (run hands along the branch, make sure it doesn’t have excessive needle drop.)
  • Broken branches
  • Wilting
  • Insects

Deciduous Shrubs

Check for:

  • Leaves
  • Roots ( not all dried out)
  • Diseases
  • Insects

Evergreen Shrubs

Check for:

  • Excessive needle drop (tap shrub on the ground)
  • Growth tips (make sure they are succulent)
  • Diseases
  • Insects

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