Former Garden Center Manager Reveals the Best Time to Buy Plants for the Biggest Deals at the Nursery

A trip to the garden center can quickly become an expensive day of shopping. Most high-quality plants aren’t cheap and buying enough to fill an entire landscape can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

That’s why I asked our Digital Community Manager and in-house plant shopping expert, Amy Draiss, about the best time to buy plants. She’s a former garden center manager with 20 years experience, so she knows when to buy plants and essential gardening tools if you’re looking for the best deals.

This is the latest installment in our series Garden Center Secrets, where we share insider tips only garden center employees know in order to help you shop smarter at the nursery. Here’s the best time to buy plants and garden tools, according to a former garden center manager.

Best Time to Buy Plants

Draiss reveals the secret behind sale times at the garden center. “The best time to shop for bargains is when we need to move older stock to clear space for what’s coming next.” You can even find sales on plants online from sources like High Country Gardens.

Gardening is a seasonal hobby, so of course nurseries function seasonally as well to meet gardeners’ needs. Draiss says, “Garden centers operate in seasons: inventory comes in waves, demand rises and falls, and eventually we need to make room for new merchandise, whether that’s bulbs, mums, or holiday plants.”

As you may have been able to guess, the end of the growing season is the best time to buy plants at a discount. Draiss says, “Usually the lowest price on plants comes after the peak selling season.”

But this can vary depending on the type of plant. “Shop for annuals after the initial spring rush, shop for perennials in late summer into fall.” She reveals other good times to buy popular types of plants, “Spring-flowering bulbs can usually be found on clearance very late in the fall or early winter, when there is still plenty of time to plant. Seeds can often be found on sale starting in August, depending on your area.”

If you’re looking for trees and shrubs, fall is a good time to head to the nursery. But Draiss warns not to wait too late. “Just be sure to plant early enough to give the roots time to establish before winter arrives.” Take a look at Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees) for great sales on trees, shrubs, and an assortment of perennials online.

Draiss also shares another surprising tip, “Even if a plant simply goes out of bloom, it may end up on the sale rack.” But don’t be scared off by the way these dormant plants may appear. Draiss says that even if a plant looks unimpressive when it’s marked down, if the root system is solid, it will bounce back the next spring.

But Draiss also warns gardeners not to wait all season in hopes that your favorite plant will go on sale. “If you’re looking for something particular or fulfilling a landscape design, buy as soon as you see it available. If there is a specific variety you need, don’t assume it will be sitting there when the clearance stickers come out.”

Best Time to Buy Garden Tools

As you might expect, Draiss shares that deals on garden equipment like hand tools, mowers, blowers, and hoses follows a more predictable sales cycle. She says these sales are usually aligned with major retail events, holidays, and Prime Day.

She recommends, “If you need a new lawn mower, trimmer, or pressure washer, shop during late fall and holiday sales when discounts are deeper and demand is lower.” So keep an eye out in the coming weeks and months as we enter the big shopping season for garden tools and equipment.

More Plant Shopping Tips

There are a few basic tips to follow when shopping that ensure you buy plants that will thrive. Draiss says, “While any time can be a good time to buy plants, your best move is to choose healthy specimens suited for your hardiness zone.

“Plants that have just finished blooming are often great steals, but pass on anything with diseased or broken branches. After all, if a bargain plant doesn't survive after you plant it, it isn't really a bargain.” So don’t waste your money on plants that won’t last a full season, no matter how much the price is marked down.

Draiss revealed one final tip that’s easy to forget: ask the employees. They are the ones who know exactly what’s going on at your specific local garden center. So Draiss tells gardeners, “Don’t be afraid to ask! While they might not reveal everything, garden center employees usually know which plants are about to go on sale and when fresh shipments are arriving.”

Gardening Deals Calendar

• Early Spring: This is the absolute best time for the best selection of many plants and gardening products including fertilizers and soil amendments. This isn’t the best time for pricing but if selection is more important, this is the time.
• Late Spring: Watch for sales of spring-blooming plants and annuals that may begin appearing at reduced prices.
• Summer: Watch for seeds, annuals, summer-flowering bulbs and other seasonal product markdowns.
• Late Summer: Start watching closely for clearance prices or buy more, save more deals.
• Fall: Fall is potentially the best time to find bargains along with seasonal equipment markdowns as the demand is now low.
• Late Fall: Watch for major retail events such as Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday.