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simple Questions
Hi I want to learn a little about plants but the amount of knowledge is hard to take in. I work in a garden center and i want to be able to answer questions customers ask about plants. What things should i take note of? Things i want to be able to answer are, When does it flower and does it like to be in full sun? What else please? i don't want to get complicated.
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The simplest answer it to make a list of the plants on sale and then look them up online if the labels aren't informative.
Google "plant name+cultivation" and you should get answers on colour, height, flowering times, need for sun or shade etc..
Well done for wanting to know what you're selling and be able to give helpful advice.
Some things I want to know are
1. whether a plant is an annual or a biennial or perennial ... that is, will it come back again next year?
2. does the plant need ericaceous or alkaline soil or isn't it fussy?
3. does the plant do best in sun, semi shade or deep shade?
4. is the plant attractive to slugs and snails or do they usually leave it alone?
5. is it an easy plant to grow and suitable for beginners or does it need someone with more experience?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dear Ashley,
I think you are getting to be over worried about this now, you've opened 9 threads all asking the same questions.
If you turn this job into a worry and a headache you start to not enjoy it alt all, you've gone from very scientific to not very complicated.
I would suggest just writing down the names of the best selling plants then come come and look on the net or come back here with a specific plant to obtain knowledge.
That's very good advice Lyn
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I was told at the garden centre today to go around looking at plants there which I do, learn the name of the plant and what time of year it flowers. That's all I need to know my colleague told me. What do you think? I looked at Bellis today.
There's not a lot of point in studying up on plants they don't sell is there ?
so Hydrangea Paniculata, it's a shrub, has pyramid shaped yellow flowers, flowers spring to autumn.
Bellis - it's an Annual, daisy like flower heads, flowers spring to summer.
are these the type of questions i need to know, do i need to add anything else i dont want to memorize too much.
Hi Ashley
I haven't 'spoken' to you before but I have read some of your other threads.
As I understand it you want to try to learn a little more about plants so you can give some advice to the customers who visit your Garden Centre but you find it difficult to absorb new information.
I think one of the original suggestions made by your boss to try to write things down in a table was a very good one and he could probably suggest some good column headings.
My own suggestion would be simple things like Perennial, Evergreen, Sun, Semi-Shade, Deep Shade, Damp Soil, Well Drained Soil, Suitable for Container, etc and then you can just write "yes" or "no" as appropriate for each plant you list down the side.
But I do think you need to be a little kind to yourself and just concentrate on a very small group of plants to start with.
I don't know what your GC stocks but perhaps you could concentrate on just learning about (for example) herbs for now. Try to identify all the herbs you stock and then learn the best way to grow each one. Then the best way to propagate each one. Then the nicest way to plant and combine them for a pretty display.
Become your Garden Centre herb expert!
If you don't stock herbs then try another small group such as fruit bushes or cacti - again ask your boss for a suggestion.
We all need to start learning stuff slowly and in small bites. I bet nobody knows everything about all the plants in the Garden Centre!
I'm looking into herbs as my boss is putting me in charge of ordering herbs next year. She told me to look these up, Name? Annual? Herbaceous perennial? Shrub? Evergreen? Height & Spread? Medicinal use? Culinary use? Can you recommend a website that has this information please
Are you the same person who constantly asked about herbs a few months ago Ashley?
Or am I the only person here getting deja vu?
Perhaps I'm overly suspicious in my old age, but I'm finding this all very odd....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...