Dear Reader,
I, the author of these lines, love my garden. But as an amateur, as I have no horticultural training, as most of you probably do. Now, thanks to Saterplant® as my local nursery, I am lucky to be surrounded by absolute experts when it comes to hedge plants. And after a few conversations I realized that many useful tips for buying hedge plants and warnings about dangerous pitfalls, especially when buying on the internet, were not only completely unknown to me, but were rarely found in gardening guides and gardening blogs.
That’s why I have taken it upon myself to record and explain these topics from my personal point of view in a generally understandable way, but with the help of the combined expertise of the Saterplant® master gardeners. In this overview, I will show you what to look out for when buying hedge plants and I offer you a link to a detailed article for each important point.
Why am I doing this? Because I was astonished and even horrified at what can go wrong with something as ostensibly simple as “just click yourself a hedge“. And because Saterplant®, as Europe’s largest producer of pot-grown hedging plants with the highest standards for its own products, has the greatest interest in fully informing you, the hedge-interested reader, and making you well-informed for a safe purchase decision that will give you pleasure for a long time.
So now, let’s get started on our hedge project!
What hedge varieties are there, what do I already have in the garden and when is planting time?
If you are thinking of planting a new hedge, extending an existing hedge or replacing damaged hedge plants, you, as a savvy consumer, embark on the following path: You first orient yourself as to which hedge plant variety is right for you or determine the type or variety of your existing hedge. Once that’s done, make sure it’s the planting season for your hedge plants.
The thing with growth sizes and plant heights.
Then, in all likelihood, you take a look on the internet and find that your plant of choice is available in an immense range of different growth sizes – with significant price differences. Define which plant height is the right one for your hedge. By the way, this is where the first nasty pitfall lurks.Did you know that the indication of plant height, especially on the internet, should be treated with a great deal of caution?
Essential Detail:
The Pot/Container Size
Now that you have gathered such a wide range of information, however, the next puzzle is lurking: in addition to variety and height information, the purchase offers you find specify different pot sizes (from 2L volume, professionals speak of containers instead of pots). The role of the pot size is almost as decisive as the growth height when buying plants. Unfortunately, only a few planting enthusiasts know that. Please read up on this particularly carefully!
Last but not least, the heart of the matter:
The Quality of your Hedge Plants.
As with most products, there’s a huge range of qualities available for hedging plants. But as there are no commercial classes for hedging plants, nor a nice scale like the energy efficiency class labels for electrical appliances, it is very difficult for us laymen (especially from a distance when researching online) to judge the quality of a plant. In addition, every plant dealer on the internet will only show you the best of their plants – whether the goods delivered correspond to this is another matter.
And unfortunately, hedge plants can also be “doped” in order to leave a good visual impression on sale without really being full of life and robust. But how do you make the right purchase decision?
Three tips for making the right purchase decision:
- The quality levels of pot-grown versus pot-pressed plants differ fundamentally. Read here what this means and rely exclusively on pot-grown goods when buying.
- Go for native plants. Find out where the plants you’re offered come from. For example, whether you choose a genuine Saterplant® product or a product from South-Eastern Europe, makes a world of difference qualitatively, ecologically and socially.
- Producers and dealers who produce and offer first-class goods vouch for this and also demonstrate that. For example, when you buy Saterplant® plants, you receive the four-week Saterplant® growth guarantee for your full security. Take advantage of warranty-proven goods!
You're fit!
With the above and linked information at hand, you’ll be able to make an informed and confident purchase decision.
Thank you for your attention and I hope you really enjoy your new hedge.
The author and the Saterplant® team
PS: If you have any questions, the Saterplant® team will be happy to help you personally – whether before or after the purchase: by email at info@saterplant.de and Monday to Friday from 8.00 a.m. until 5 p.m. on +49 (0) 4492 913799-0.
