What To Know Before Buying Costco Plants Online

Costco's website is one of those places that carries a plethora of products —  even live plants that can be shipped directly to your home. For the sake of convenience, that's a major plus, since you won't even have to leave home to purchase plants. The car also won't get dirty (or potentially damage the plants) since you don't have to pick them up yourself, either. 

As with purchasing anything online, however, there are some things worth checking out before you hit that "buy" button. For one, you'll have to read the fine print with whatever plants you're considering to determine when they'll ship. As an example, Costco sells a 2-pack of 3-gallon potted hydrangea shrubs, but as of publication time, these won't ship until April; that could vary depending upon where you live.  

It's also worth reading all the details about the plant's size, and to do a little homework first to determine whether it's even suited to your local climate. Finally, check with local growers as well to ensure you're getting a fair price with the Costco version. It could be cheaper to buy locally, and you may have the chance to support a small local business that way. 

When you find a plant you like on Costco's website, make sure it'll thrive in your area if you intend to plant it outdoors. You'll need to find out what plant hardiness zone you live in and once you have that information, the product details show the ideal growing zones for the plant. Also make sure Costco ships to your area. For instance, Costco doesn't ship the aforementioned hydrangeas to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. This isn't that surprising given those areas aren't in the continental United States, but they also won't ship them to California or Arizona. 

It's worth reading reviews before buying any Costco plants online. For instance, the 5-gallon Fuyu Persimmon Tree listing says "standard" for the size, which isn't very helpful, while reviewers say they receive a tree that's anywhere from 3 to more than 5 feet tall.  Some say their tree arrived healthy and at a great price compared to what local growers offer, while others had trees that appeared damaged in shipping, so it's a mixed bag.

If it's growing season for your chosen plant, check local garden centers to see if they carry it. Even if you choose not to buy locally, you'll at least know the going price. It's worth noting that what you see in pictures online doesn't necessarily mean the plant you order will look the same, or even be the same size. Some reviewers of Costco's hydrangeas noted that the plants seemed too small for the 3-gallon pot they shipped in, or that the plant needed to be nursed back to health, while others had no issues at all. In the event you do order a plant, it could be worthwhile to consider Costco's best garden hoses, to help water them.