When you buy a plant from a Flower Power Garden Centre, in most cases you'll also receive a plant label. You'll find it either attached to the pot, printed on the pot itself, or secured to the plant with a twist tie. For seeds, the packet performs the same function. It may be tempting to throw this away, but before you do, think twice. You could be throwing out the key to the plant's success!

 

Plant labels: The secret to gardening success.

 

What can the plant label tell me?

Think of the plant label as the owner's manual for your new plant. It will tell you everything you need to know about the conditions your plant likes, and how best to care for it. Here are a few things you might find on your plant label.

  • Height and width. This gives you an indication of the growth potential of your plant at maturity.
  • Appropriate spacing. This is as important for advanced hedging plants as it is for tiny seedlings, to ensure that they can grow to their full potential - and sometimes the space needed for a seedling can be unexpectedly large. It's vital that you consider how much space is available before you load up your trolley.
  • Planting instructions. If the plant has specific needs such as a particular size of planting hole or the use of supports, your label will include this information.
  • Lighting needs. It's vital to know whether your plant requires full sun, part shade or full shade, so you can find the most appropriate spot in your garden.
  • Soil or potting mix type. Your plant may have particular needs when it comes to soil - it might like a sandy soil, or it may need a mix with a specific pH. You'll also find out here what kind of drainage your plant needs - a vital bit of info!
  • Watering needs. This will help you avoid drowning your plant or allowing it to dry out too much.
  • Fertiliser requirements. Some plants are hungrier than others, and some have specific food requirements which are often detailed on the label.
  • Pruning and maintenance. If your plant has specific pruning needs, you'll find them on the label.
  • Time to harvest. Usually only seen on productive plants, this tells you how long you can expect to wait from planting to harvest. This is really helpful if you're considering staggered planting to spread your harvest over a longer period.
  • Plant type or recommended use. Where a plant falls into a specific category, such as an Australian native or a groundcover, the label will often provide this information. Additionally, the labels generally include information on how you can use the plant in your garden - for example, if the plant is suitable for pots or for hedging.

 

Some plants, instead of coming with a label, have their vital details printed on their nursery pot.

 

How can I use plant labels to choose plants?

Our best advice? Get to know your garden before you start selecting plants. Carefully observe its characteristics over time and ask yourself a few questions - does the sun hit it all day, or is it shaded by trees or buildings? Does water seem to drain well? Is it often disturbed by wind, or is it sheltered? This gives you a great starting point to work out what types of plants might be most appropriate in each area of your garden. Then, when you pop in-store, read the plant label to ensure the plant you've chosen is appropriate for the space you have available. When you get the plant home and into the ground, keep the label in a safe spot - perhaps in a drawer in your garden shed - so you can refer back to it for ongoing care and maintenance. You could also consider taking a photo of it to keep on your phone, tablet or computer - this is particularly helpful in the case of printed pots.

 

Always check the label when choosing a plant!

 

What if I'm buying a plant online?

If you're buying a plant online, you won't have a physical plant label to check before you make your purchase. We do, however, include all the relevant information on each plant listed on our website. Simply search for the plant you're interested in, and you'll see all the info you'd normally find on the plant label, to help you make the right choice.