Your first bulk plant order can be a daunting experience, especially if you’re use to buying from garden centres. With a bit of planning before the lorry arrives, it can be a much less stressful experience for you.
Work out exact quantities first
You need to accurately work out the quantity of plants that your job will require and then measure out the area of the job to ensure that there are not any gaps between plants and also to check that you have not ordered too many. A 2 litre shrub would require plant spacings of approximately 45cm and a tree would need to have spacings between the centre of the root-ball of individual plants.
Check minimum orders and timing
Before placing an order, ask for the minimum order quantity as well as the lead time. Bedding plants may need to be ordered several weeks in advance for specific planting dates. Trees and shrubs can often be reserved and delivered at a later date. The supplier’s availability is a conversation not a given.
Sort out access for delivery
Most trees and shrubs are delivered on pallets and therefore need space for a lorry to turn, to mount kerbs if necessary and for you to unload with a forklift or by hand. Remember that plants left on a wagon for any length of time in the sun or in cold weather will suffer, so make sure you have got the access sorted before confirming the delivery date.
Inspect everything before signing
As a buyer of Wholesale Plants, you can ask the supplier if they follow any plant health assurance standards for their nursery stock. On delivery, do a quick visual check for any obvious signs of pest damage etc. and check that all the plants ordered have the correct labels on the pots. The roots should be root-bound i.e. roots will be circling around the inside of the pot or even growing out of the drainage holes.
Give new stock a settling-in period
Wait a few days before planting the bulk whips in cold wet weather, first make sure to water them and give them a chance to recover from their long journey. Many trees and shrubs are lost in the first few months because they have been planted too quickly in less than ideal circumstances.
Budget for a realistic wastage margin
Allow 5% – 10% for losses, as even well grown batches of plants can contain weak specimens which will be damaged in transit or in the ground. As stated by the trade body for growers and wholesale suppliers of plants, this should be allowed for in a buyer’s budget.
It’s the buyer’s responsibility to acclimatize, water and plant wholesale plants after they have arrived on site. Getting the logistics right of your first bulk plant order is as important as getting the order right in the first place.
