9cm pots

peteS

Whilst scouring the internet for plants to buy, I've noticed a lot of the suppliers are selling plants in 9cm pots now. I've always bought more established plants in much bigger pots from garden centres in the past, so I'm wondering how old these plants are and would I get any sort of display from them this summer. Many thanks.

Posy

These are quite young plants, although they will be well established if they come from a good nursery. If they are perennials, s ome will flower, depending on the variety but many won't do a lot until next year. Annuals should be ok.

Fairygirl

Just be aware that at this time of year, some of those will only just have been potted on, so they may not be as far on as others. Check the root system to see if the roots are filling the pot. If not, leave them until they are before planting.
Many of those could be planted out in a couple of months, but it will largely depend on what they are as to whether they flower. Perennials will grow quicker than shrubs for example. A shrub in a tiny pot is just a cutting, and would need potting on for another year at least. Annuals would grow on more quickly, and most should flower this year.

Nollie

I agree it does depend on the nursery, the good ones propagate the year before and come with good established roots, so are better equipped to be planted outside. I’ve always found Brittany Perennials excellent. I still to pot them on into 2L pots and grow them on first, but that is because I buy around February when they are still dormant. I would be planting them out about now. All have flowered well in their first year. The only exception is echinaceas, which need growing on for a year and any flowers pinched out to allow the roots to develop, and even then, established plants are better.

josusa47

I wish plant growers would stick to one set of measurements.  Small pots are described as "9cm", with no indication what they are measuring: height? diameter at the top? diameter at the bottom?  When describing bigger pots, they switch from length to volume: 1 or 2 litres.  And please could they standardise the ratios of depth to diameter, and maximum to minimum diameter, so that we could stack them more easily for storage?

Fairygirl

9 cm is usually the top diameter. 
I can never visualise it when they use volume as the measurement. I find it much easier to use cm or inches. 

B3

They roots might well be trussed up in a teabag too. Look out for this abomination and release them before planting out or repotting.