Cait's Garden

I have had quite a few experiences over the years with mail-order plants. Some of them started out rough. Shipping can take its toll on tiny seedlings. A few plants have arrived looking sad and broken and died shortly after arrival. On the plus side, all the companies I’ve ordered from have sent me replacement plants if needed (sometimes those died, too, but I appreciate the effort). I try not to order often through mail-order because so many varieties of plants can now be found in local stores. However, I do usually indulge in one small box per year when I see unusual plants. My favorite vendor is Bluestone Perennials because they get better at packing every year. They’ve gone from biodegradable peanuts in the box to this truly innovative system of using cardboard restraints to keep the plants in place while letting them breathe. As you can see from the photo, these pots aren’t going anywhere. Plus this year, the plants ship in biodegradable pots made from coconut husk fibers (coir) . This not only allows the little seedling to “breathe” better, but you plant the whole pot! This reduces stress to the roots of the plant and gives it some compost, too. Excellent plan. I’m excited to see how it works.