Frequently Asked Questions

What is your Return Policy on plants?

There isn’t one as unfortunately, we do not accept any plants back at Green Thumb, once they have left our premises. Please choose your plants carefully – and if in doubt, please ask our staff or do your research before your purchase. Returns on dried goods eg trellises, pots etc are accepted within 2 weeks of your purchase – as long as you bring your receipt with you.

How do I plant my new plants?

  • Dig a hole approximately 1 ½ times the width of the pot and slightly deeper than the height of the pot.
  • Amend the soil, if needed, with compost, garden soil or peat moss. Mix any of these adds throughout the planting hole – no layering! Sometimes just ensuring the same soil that was in the hole goes back into the hole makes sense – please remove any rocks etc.
  • Add bone meal or another transplanting fertilizer to feed the roots and help the plant establish itself. These fertilizers should be pretty close to the bottom of the root ball of your plant.
  • If the roots are pot-bound, use your fingers or a garden tool to loosen the roots gently – no ripping and tearing!
  • The plant should be at the same level in the soil as it was in the pot, neither raised higher nor sunk deeper.
  • Firmly pat down the soil around the plant and water it thoroughly, leaving no air pockets.
  • A topping of mulch can help to reduce weeds and to retain moisture.
  • Do not fertilize your new plant (or any transplant) with anything else in the first year. You want the roots on the plant to develop in year one; the following years are for further leaf and bloom growth

How do I water my new plants/transplants?

Water, water, water!

What are your plant guarantees?

Any perennial, shrub, rose, evergreen etc that we carry as a matter of course is hardy for Ottawa plantings. We offer a one year guarantee on most woody perennials, as long as they are planted in the ground. Our herbaceous perennials are not guaranteed. (If we plant your garden for you, all plants are guaranteed.)

Your guarantee will be on the back of your sales slip – please keep it in a safe place. If we don’t think the plant you are choosing will survive, we will not offer you a guarantee (eg. putting an evergreen in a container to dress up a doorway – looks great, but not happy on a long term basis for the evergreen!)

If you think there is a problem with one of your plants, please call the store or email us. At this stage, we will jointly figure out how to deal with your plant. If we ask you to bring the plant back, we will set up a mutually convenient time for that to happen. You’ll need to bring in your guarantee as well!