Its that time of year, when we are all searching plant catalogs, online order companies, trying to find that special plant or plants that will fit into our gardens. Here at Snowbelt Farm we have been adding around 3000.00 a year worth the plants and trees over the past 5 years or so.

Here are some tips, Be careful of companies, and sellers that hype their plants up with digital enhanced images. We have all seen that plant that look to good to be true, bought it anyway and when it bloomed it looked nothing like the photo. Personally I think there should be laws against this, and yes I am talking to you Daylily world! I mention the daylily world because there is a ton of this going on with these plants. Shame on you if you are doing this. I have over 600 daylilies, believe me I know. Don't Get Your heart broke! Select carefully.

Also pay strick attention to plant size IE. Plug or pot, how many inches are the pots, are they shipping bare root or in soil. Make sure you don't get a big surprise when you pay 20.00 for a plant that comes in the spring and is a 2" plug. Its not the companies fault if they have it posted on their site that it is a plug, and you missed it.

If you have so many varieties of plants, you are running out of choices, consider a plant that is a zone higher, and put it in a part of your garden that it has some protection to give it a chance until established. I Feel that the zones on plants are on the SAFE side of degrees and zones, its a liability issue. I have had great success growing zone 5 plants in zone 4 on the farm, I just think about placement very carefully. If you do this I feel you should also buy a quality plant as large as you can afford, Plant has better root system and has a better starting chance. Just remember you may loose some, but I think its worth the gamble....................Steve