Everyone knows that there are plants at big box stores (we won’t name them but…you know…) and that many plants are “cheaper” at big box stores. But the reality is that many times the prices are quite competitive, sometimes even more affordable, at your local garden center and florist. Besides the price, there are many more benefits to buying your plants and flowers from local nurseries. This is because your local nursery will source their plants from local growers and farmers. Sourcing plants from local growers positively impacts the environment, the quality of the plants, and the price of the products. TPG is proud to source the majority of our plants and flowers from local growers in Belle Chase, Kenner, the Northshore, Plaquemine, and other local Louisiana locations. Additionally, we use growers in East Texas, nearby Mississippi, and nearby Alabama that share the same native plants, climate, and growing conditions as New Orleans. Read below to learn about the 6 reasons to buy your plants and flowers from local businesses.
1. Plants are healthier from local nurseries
When plants come from local growers, they have to travel much less of a distance from the grower to the nursery store. This means less time in a stifling hot, crowded truck or in a refrigerated truck. Either way, going from one temperature extreme to another temperature extreme can cause the plants to go into shock. Being enclosed in a hot truck is not good for people or pets, so it is no surprise that it is not great for living plants either. When plants have much less time in the truck (hours or minutes) then they don’t go into shock and are already used to the temperatures, amount of light, and climate of the local environment. All of these reasons set them up for success and good plant health!
2. Flowers are usually less expensive
When you buy locally sourced flowers from your florist, the cost of trucking and shipping is less. Thus, when the cost of the flowers is less for the florist, the cost of flowers is less expensive for the customers. Not only that, but you are getting better flowers for that price!
3. Knowledgeable Associates
Buying your plants from local stores mean that the store associates and florists will be more knowledgeable about the product. They will be more informed on how that specific plant does in our local environment and more familiar with the plant because it is a regular plant in our landscape. At big box stores, they tend to staff less experts and use plants that are not local so store associates are not usually as familiar with the plant product.
4. Plants are grown with care by locals and will usually last longer
Plants grown by local growers mean that the plants were cared for by skilled gardeners that are experienced in growing that particular plant. Local growers are committed to their business and buying their plants means that you are contributing to strengthening the local economy, too.
5. Buying local plants is more eco-friendly
Yes! Buying local means that you are helping the environment. Not only are you planting local plants, but you know that they do not have foreign insects or disease attached to them that might be accidentally introduced to our local environment. If you are buying native plants, less pesticides and fertilizers are needed for their growing success and so you prevent these products from being used. In addition, buying local means that less trucking, travel, and shipping is happening. This cuts down on carbon emissions, resources, and is a far more eco-friendly way to purchase your plants.
6. The Plant will act correctly in season
Last of all, you know that your plant is flowering at the right time. Local plants will behave exactly how they behave year after year in your garden. Buying a local plant gives you as a buyer a better idea of exactly how your plant will look like when it is flowering, losing its leaves or any other changes that happen seasonally to it.
We hope this article helps to give you more information about the benefits of thoughtfully buying your plants. More importantly, thoughtfully buying your plants from local stores that buy from local growers. TPG sources the majority of our plants and flowers from local growers with our biggest exception being that we source our tropical greenhouse plants from Florida because those plants are intended to be indoor plants and are healthiest when grown in Florida. Besides our tropical plants, we are proud to support local businesses in our immediate surrounding area.
Thank you for reading! You can visit us at our store at 9401 Airline Highway, New Orleans, LA 70118 or call us at (504) 488-8887.
