Should a Home Gardener Opt for Large-Scale or Miniature Greenery to Thrive?
Making a Choice: Small versus Large Plants for Your Garden
When stepping into a garden center or nursery, a variety of plant sizes, from small seedlings to large, mature plants, awaits you. Choosing the right size depends on the plant species, growth rate, and your specific objectives.
Expert Advice on Small Plants
Leslie Hunter, Horticulture Manager at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, recommends smaller plants for cost-effective gardening, especially for annual flowers, herbs, and vegetables. These plants grow quickly, making small plants an economical choice.
Smaller plants also tend to adapt more swiftly to new landscape conditions and establish faster in container gardens compared to larger, more established plants, observes Sandra Mao, an urban gardening personality on social media and author of the upcoming book, Vibrant Harvest.
Furthermore, small plants are less susceptible to transplant shock and are generally easier to manage for gardeners with mobility issues, according to Mao.
Advantages of Large Plants
For perennials and woody shrubs or trees, purchasing a larger plant can offer a headstart, as these plants take longer to establish themselves in your garden. This is particularly beneficial when seeking instant impact for an upcoming event or desiring privacy sooner.
Planting later in the season also calls for larger plants, as they can help you catch up and enjoy flowers and vegetables before fall sets in.
Consider Plant Types and Growth Rates
When deciding between small or large plants, growth rate is a crucial factor. Slower-growing perennial herb plants, like rosemary, thyme, and bay laurel, should ideally be bought as larger plants, according to Mao, enabling earlier harvest. In contrast, faster-growing annual herbs such as basil and dill may be started from smaller plants or even seeds and still produce a harvest rapidly.
Certain shrubs require larger sizes, as they take several years to fill out if started from small plants, states Mao. When it comes to climbing plants, larger sizes help establish faster growth and earlier coverage of trellises, fences, or walls.
Inspection Before Purchase
Before buying plants, whether small or large, it's essential to carefully inspect their health, not only the green parts but also the root system. Prolonged time in containers can lead to root-bound plants, which may impact their health after planting in the garden or a container.
If the roots show circumnavigation at the bottom of the container or are visible through holes in the bottom, gently loosen the roots before planting. If the plants are excessively root-bound, a larger plant in a bigger pot may be a better option.
Ultimately, it is crucial to understand that the decision between buying small or large plants depends on various factors, such as cost-effectiveness, growth rate, and the desired aesthetic and timeframe for your garden. Both sizes have their merits, and understanding their unique characteristics will enable you to make the best choice for your garden.
While smaller plants offer quick growth and adaptation to new landscape conditions, making them ideal for annual flowers, herbs, and vegetables (Hunter, Mao), larger plants can provide a headstart for perennials and woody shrubs or trees, offering instant impact and faster establishment (Mao).
Growth rate is a vital factor to consider when deciding between small or large plants. Slower-growing herbs should ideally be purchased as larger plants, while faster-growing annual herbs can still thrive from smaller plants or seeds (Mao).
Certain shrubs may require larger sizes due to their slow growth rate, and for climbing plants, larger sizes help establish faster growth and earlier coverage (Mao).
Before purchasing, carefully inspect both small and large plants for their overall health, paying attention to the root system, ensuring that root-bound plants do not hinder their growth after planting (Mao).
