Working as a horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension, you’d think visiting a garden center would be fun and relaxing. You may be surprised, but for me, and I assume many horticulturists, it can be stressful. Where every other shopper sees roses, I see rose rosette disease. Where my wife sees a deal on a tree, I see a tree too deep in the pot and a plague of circling roots. Despite my continual denials, my wife’s term for this behavior is “plant snob.”

A significant portion of my job involves diagnosing problems in the garden and landscape. From the weather to pests and even humans (and the myriad combinations), many things can and do go wrong with plants.

The best way to avoid problems is not to bring problem plants home in the first place. Inspect plant material closely before purchase at the garden center. The following are some items to be mindful of when plant shopping:

• Look for dead, discolored, or wilted branches and leaves. This may indicate a bigger problem, such as a disease.
• Check the health of the roots. Gently lift the plant out of the pot to inspect the roots. (Ask for help with larger plants.) Healthy roots are white. Unhealthy roots are darker, may be mushy, and could have a foul smell.
• A healthy root structure should hold the soil together without being overly dense or tightly circling.
• Exercise caution with plants that have excessive circling roots (aka root-bound plants). Circling roots can be especially troublesome with trees and shrubs. They often continue growing in that pattern unless corrected at planting, meaning the plant will struggle to establish.
• Check the top and underside of leaves for evidence of insect feeding. Some insects attach themselves to branches and trunks, such as the white, fuzzy mealybug, or form oval to round-shaped bumps known as scale. Give the plant a gentle shake. If you see tiny white insects take flight, they are whiteflies and are considered pests, especially for indoor plants.
• Select trees that have a single central leader and shorter side branches. Avoid trees that look “bushy” or have multiple leaders growing upward.

Buying from a reputable nursery or garden center won’t eliminate the risk, but it does lower the potential for bringing home problems.

It is not all doom and gloom being a horticulture educator. I still get a thrill when bringing home new plants, watching them grow, and trying new and unique specimens. Hmm, a point of concession, perhaps my experiences in horticulture have led to a rise in my own plant snobbery. Don’t tell my wife.

Good Growing Tip of the Week: Circling roots are not a total dealbreaker. When installing a root-bound plant, pull apart the root ball. For trees and shrubs, make four vertical slits in the root ball at planting to help correct circling roots and encourage roots to venture into the soil. However, the only certain way to correct a circling root is to prune it off.

By Chris Enroth, University of Illinois Extension