When spring arrives and you get the itch to go plant shopping, it’s tempting to buy way more than you have room for. There’s no exact formula for determining how many plants you need, and even experienced gardeners like me over-buy sometimes.

As an avid container gardener, I plant up more than 75 pots each year. My driveway transforms into a holding area as I gather plants from my local garden centers.

You’re bound to have a few extra or need to make at least one return trip to the store for more. If you’d like to be more strategic, I have some helpful tips to share with you.

Buy Within a Specific Color Palette

Select a palette of three colors for your container plants or landscape. Start there, and there’s a good chance you’ll find a place for whatever you bring home from the garden center. When you buy something that doesn’t fit your color theme, it can stick out awkwardly. Make a plan and follow it.

Understand Spread Versus Spacing

These two terms are commonly used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Spread defines how wide a plant is expected to grow. Spacing describes how far apart to plant them if you’re growing multiples of the same item. If you want your plants to grow together, you’ll need to buy more than the spacing requirements indicate.