How to Pick the Best Plants in the Clearance Section – and Which Ones You Should Always Leave Behind

Whether you prefer to shop for plants at the big box store or your small local nursery or garden center, clearance items can save you money. The clearance section for plants is a great way to find good deals, but you do need to know how to separate the duds from the hidden gems.

Even if it seems like a good deal to buy all discounted plants from the clearance rack, it may end up costing you more if you buy plants that are doomed to fail. Luckily, there are few telltale signs that will help you know whether a plant in the sale section is worth buying or not.

By knowing how to buy plants on sale or clearance, you can find annuals, perennials, and even shrubs or trees to add to your garden for less – and you won't waste money on dead or dying plants. Here are some tips on what to look for when buying plants in the clearance section, and some signs that you’re better off leaving certain plants behind.

Good Signs to Buy

First, let’s talk about what you should look for in a plant to buy from the sale table. Just because it’s been put in clearance doesn’t mean a plant isn’t healthy or doesn’t have some good life left in it. There could be a lot of reasons it’s there. For example, maybe the store bought too many or they just didn’t sell as well as expected. Or maybe there's just a pre-spring clearance sale like the one going on right now at Fast Growing Trees.

A clearance plant may not always look pretty to most buyers, but there are a few signs that signal it can be rejuvenated with a little care at home. Here are some things to look for as you decide whether a plant on clearance is worth purchasing:

1. Healthy Stems & Crowns

A lot of clearance plants look unhealthy because leaves have dropped or are discolored. This doesn’t mean they can’t be salvaged. Instead, look at the structure of the plant. If the stems are firm, a healthy color, and free of disease, you can likely save it.

Also, check out the crown of the plant where the stem or trunk meets the roots. It should be firm and solid without any mushiness or signs of crown rot or disease. A healthy crown is often bulbous. It should be peeking out above the surface of the soil.

2. New Growth

Another good sign that an otherwise sorry-looking plant could be saved is if it shows new growth. Look for little buds at the nodes on the stems, where new branches and leaves form.

Small, green leaves are also a good sign of new growth and that the plant has plenty of life left in it.

3. Healthy Roots

The root system is the best way to determine if a plant is healthy. Even if some of the above-soil growth has been damaged or discolored, healthy roots indicate that the plant can bounce back.

Roots aren’t necessarily easy to inspect, though. If you can, gently slide the plant out of its pot. Look for roots that are white or a light color, fleshy, and firm with no signs of mushiness or root rot.

4. Dormancy

A lack of foliage on a shrub or tree can look bad, but it just might mean you’re looking at a deciduous species that is currently dormant. If you can be patient, it should come back to life in the next growing season.

One way to tell if a plant is dormant rather than dying is to gently scratch away a small section of bark on a branch. If it’s green underneath, as opposed to brown, it’s probably just dormant.

Dormant trees and shrubs should also have firm buds at their nodes and the smaller branches and twigs should be flexible when you bend them.

Bad Signs to Avoid

Smart shopping in the clearance section can help you find plants worth keeping and also identify ones that are not worth even the sale price. These are some signs you should avoid buying a plant, even if the price is very low:

1. Root Rot

Always check the roots of a plant before buying, if you can. Healthy roots are a great sign that a plant can recover. Bad roots are not worth your time or money.

Look for roots that are dark brown or black, mushy and soft, or have visible fungus or mold on them. If most of the roots look healthy, you might be able to snip off the bad roots and save the plant, but you also risk bringing disease into your garden.

2. Diseased Leaves

Some discoloration of leaves if the plant looks otherwise healthy is not a big deal. However, you should avoid plants that show signs of disease on their leaves. This includes powdery mildew or mold and lots of dark spots on leaves.

3. Brittle Stems & Branches

A plant might have lost some leaves or have some leaf discoloration, but still has healthy stems or new growth that indicates it’s worth a gamble. On the other hand, plants with stems that feel dried out and branches that are brittle probably indicate they’re too far gone to save. Brittleness is a good indicator to help you tell whether or not a plant is dead.

4. Pests

Always check new plants, but especially clearance plants, for signs of common garden pests. Not only will infested plants be hard to save, but they might also transfer the infestation to your existing plants.

Obvious signs of pests are the pests themselves. But even if you can’t identify them, any pests on a plant is a bad sign. Other signs include webs, a sticky residue on leaves, white and fuzzy spots, and small black dots on leaves.

While you can potentially get a good deal on any type of plant in the clearance section, your best savings will come with longer-lasting plants.

It’s not necessarily worth your time or money to buy annuals late in the season that need to be revived. Instead, focus on perennials, shrubs, and trees. By putting time and effort into these plants you can enjoy them for years to come.