Choose a plant for an actual place
Before lifting a pot from the display, decide where it will live and compare that position with the plant's needs. Check its likely mature size, light requirements and suitability for your climate or indoor conditions. A small nursery specimen may become much wider than the space available. Read the complete label rather than relying on a display heading. If the plant name is missing, ask for it. An attractive flower is a poor substitute for the information needed to care for the plant after its current display ends.
Inspect the whole plant calmly
Look at the undersides of leaves, the points where leaves meet stems and the newest growth. Notice significant spotting, sticky deposits, webbing, damaged growing tips or signs of insects. A single old leaf is different from widespread deterioration, so assess the overall pattern. Compare several specimens of the same plant when possible. Do not let a large number of flowers distract you from weak stems or unhealthy foliage beneath them. If something looks suspicious, ask a member of staff rather than taking a problem home simply because the price is reduced.
Ask about the roots and growing medium
With the nursery's permission, check whether the plant is firmly rooted in its pot and whether roots are excessively circling the container. Do not pull a plant out by its stems. Root colour varies between plants, so avoid treating every brown root as diseased; firmness, condition and the overall root system are more useful clues. Notice a persistently saturated pot or an unpleasant smell and ask about it. Also check that a decorative outer container has not hidden standing water around the nursery pot.
Leave with enough information for the first week
Confirm the plant's identity and ask when it was last watered, whether it has been kept under cover, and whether it needs a gradual adjustment to the intended position. Plan the journey home before paying for a large or fragile specimen. Keep the label and receipt with a quick photograph of the plant as purchased. Once home, inspect it again in good light and give it an appropriate settling place. A deliberate purchase gives you a clearer starting point than an impulse rescue with several unanswered questions.
A little further reading
Match these general notes to your plant variety, climate and local conditions.
