Heres a guide to buying the best.
It needs a fairly high level of warmth and humidity, one that many homes cant provide.
Without it its beautiful foliage will blacken and shrivel up.
Its also important to find out what kind of care a plant needs.
Many houseplants are poisonous.
Pick up the plant and get a good look at the stems and under the leaves.
These are where most insects hide.
Also check for mushy stems, brown spots, stickiness and other signs of rot and disease.
Dont be afraid to tip the plant out of its pot and inspect the roots or sniff the soil.
Once its done so it can then move to its new home.
Let it acclimatize for 4-6 weeks before repotting or fertilizing.
Now all you have to do is surf the web!There are many places online to buy houseplants.
Online florists such as1800Flowersare another place to find plants, and of course theres EBay.
Lets take a look at the pros and cons of each.
Nursery Websites
These are a great place to find unusual houseplants.
Most large nurseries offer a decent selection of houseplants along with their annuals and perennials.
Beware of sites that only accept checks or money orders as payment.
Add shipping to that, and youll find its not worth it at all.
eBay
eBayis a great place to find houseplants.
A recent search turned up over 1700 listings for houseplants of all kinds!
you’ve got the option to even get houseplant seeds there.
But before hitting that Bid or Buy Now button, double-check you read the listing over very carefully.
Its important to be sure of exactly what youre buying.
Check the shipping charges and return policy.
Finally, ensure you read the sellers feedback, both what hes received and what hes given to others.
This will give a clear view of any problems and how the seller handles them.
No matter where you buy plants online, there are a few things to be aware of.
First, avoid buying plants online during the winter months if you live in a cold climate.
Houseplants and frigid air do not mix.
confirm you have your order shipped to a location where it wont be left on the porch all day.
The same is true when ordering in the warmer months.
When you get your plants, confirm to open them right away.
Many sellers, especially on eBay, ship plants bare root to save on shipping costs.
Theres nothing wrong with this, as long as they are packaged up correctly.
Finally, solate your new plants for a week or two, to double-check there are no insect surprises.
The Internet is full of rare and unusual houseplants for sale, as well as some real plant bargains.
Proceed with caution and remember the helpful tips above, and youre sure to come out a winner!
However, ordering by mail or online does come with certain risks.
Visit the Better Business Bureaus site and pull up their report on the nursery in question.
Avoid any business with an unsatisfactory rating!
If the purchase being considered will be made from Ebay, be sure to read the sellers feedback carefully.
Take note of the responses, if any, the seller has made to the feedback received.
Its also important to carefully read the sellers refund and shipping policies.
Payment
The payment methods an online or mail order nursery will accept say a lot about them.
Be wary of any that insist on cash or money orders only.
These methods are insecure, untraceable, and the chances of getting a refund if necessary are low.
Credit cards are the best way to pay due to their built in protections.
Presence
Finally, check and see if the nursery has a brick and mortar presence.
By following these tips and doing a little housework, the bad seeds can be avoided.
These simple rules should help insure smart, successful plant purchases that will enhance any houseplant collection!
