A flurry of home and garden supplements has run with the regional, state and local newspapers lately, signaling a collective turning of thoughts toward the outdoors and the work that awaits us there. The first greenhouses have opened for the season, flinging wide their doors and inviting us in with their long-awaited fragrance and color.

Temptation! Temptation! Temptation! Bring it on!

What should a home gardener look for when choosing annual greenhouse seedlings for the home garden? The most important general rule for successful gardening is perhaps the most difficult to follow. It is this: Choose plants that are suited to the environment of your garden. Generally speaking, it is better to analyze the setting of your garden and purchase plants that are suited to the ecological qualities there, than it is to try to manipulate the soil, light and moisture to the needs of plants or to force plants to grow in a situation that is disagreeable to them.

With boundless temptation offered at garden centers and greenhouses this time of year, it’s very easy to make purchases based on initial appearance of plant material. However, instead of buying on an impulsive response to color or the appearance of a particular plant, it is probably more wise to enter the shopping scene armed with a notion of the environmental conditions in your garden spot. Is your garden in shade, full sun, or somewhere in between? Is the soil moist but well drained or is it generally bone-dry? Is the site windy or is it protected by a fence or trees that act as a wind break?

Chances are there are colorful and bodacious plants that are perfectly suited to your garden; you just might have to do a bit of detective work before settling on the proper plant. Selecting the correct plant material may well translate directly to increased reward and satisfaction reaped from your gardening endeavors.

Be sure to select pest-free plants. Carefully examine the leaves of the seedlings to be sure there are no signs of pest damage. Avoid purchasing plants with visible evidence of insects or leaf spotting or leaf lesions. Closely examine the stem of each seedling to be sure it is free of off-color – namely grayish or brownish – tissue that may be somewhat rotted in appearance. Examine with particular care the region where the stem meets the soil line. If you view off-color tissue, this may be a sign of disease. Avoid purchasing plants with diseased tissue. If there are minimal signs of disease that seem tolerable, be sure to eliminate the affected plant tissues or any offending pests and be sure to properly nourish the plant to help maximize its performance.

Examine the roots. While it’s probably not prudent to go through the entire greenhouse or retail display tipping plants out of their packs yourself, if you’re curious, don’t be afraid to ask a greenhouse staff if it’s permissible to view the seedlings’ root system. It is possible for the leafy part of the plant to appear perfectly well, while the root system languishes. Be sure that the roots are as healthy as the leaves. If possible, show preference toward seedlings that have a well developed but not thoroughly pot-bound rooting system.

Select hardy annuals if possible, and make note of any marginally or half-hardy annuals. Tender annuals should be set out into the garden only once all danger of frost has passed. Inquire with your local University of Maine Cooperative Extension office as to the frost-free date for your area. Be sure that the plants you select are hardy annuals, otherwise set them out into the garden only after the frost-free date is well behind you.

Consider service after the sale. Not all establishments that sell plant material are created equal when it comes to delivering service. Sound horticultural advice is perhaps the most valuable component of any plant sale. Point-of-purchase materials and advice over the phone, through the Internet and in person are all important ways of obtaining information after the sale. Will you be able to call or e-mail your plant dealer and ask questions tomorrow, a week from the date of purchase or next year to receive good advice?

We are fortunate in Maine to live within communities with greenhouses that a broad range of plant material. We may enjoy everything from state-of-the-art greenhouses with classy showrooms and the most modern flowering varieties to small greenhouses that offer an exclusive collection of organic vegetables. Each one is its own fine treasure, indeed.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, 512 North Ridge Road, Montville 04941 or e-mail dianagc@midcoast.com. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.