Plants Alive! — Local services in Aspen Hill

I’m really bummed about Plants Alive. It has so much potential. But over the years I have become less impressed.

First, prices can be a little all over the place. Sometimes you get a bargain, many times things are quite overpriced for what they are and are not competitive.

Next, selection. The semi-serious plant collector may struggle to find something new here that isn’t on the rare table and priced very high. There’s tons of common plants and some expensive rare plants and not much in that middle ground. I find a lot more “hard to find” plants at other random nurseries.

Next, PESTS. SO many plants have pest damage and active infestations. I’ve seen large groups of plants with massive spider mite infestations that seem to not get cared for until the plants are in very bad condition. They really need to be a lot more diligent about pest control, and when plants are heavily damaged, put them on the clearance table before they are just one or two pathetic leaves left. They leave heavily damaged plants at full price among all the other plants for MONTHS before finally putting them on the clearance table, and by then they aren’t even worth the clearance price anymore.

Honestly, Plants Alive has had the absolute worst problems with pests of all the other local nurseries and big box stores, consistently, for a long time now. I truly don’t know how the employees are missing these issues as they are not hard to find at all. It sucks watching nice plants get worse and worse each week with no signs of being cared for.

Last, I was so excited for the Plant Fest, but only spent an hour there. It was a disappointment. They didn’t have much new or exciting, they still had their pest covered/damaged plants out, they only had a few small vendors, and the other greenhouse on the property was half closed off and STILL didn’t have labels and prices on all their plants, and no one available to ask. Ecuagenera plants were in terrible shape, I couldn’t find anything at all to buy that I could justify spending money on. The whole thing was way over hyped.

I hope Plants Alive steps it back up again soon. I am not even sure why I keep coming back, I’m extremely disappointed every time...

I first discovered them through their market event last year. I love the space and the selection. My plants from last year are thriving, but unfortunately I brought home a dragon scale that I hadn’t realized was infested with this bug I cannot identify. My plant was on the decline since bringing it home, thinking that maybe switching environments caused the problem. One leaf would grow while the other died so I was really confused on the cause. I found these white moving dots in my plants soil so I did a massive cleaning and repotting of my plants. I used neem oil and alcohol thinking that would fix it. Fast forward, I see those same bugs again and only on my dragon scale. Again, I didn’t identify it at first since despite the bugs, one new leaf was coming in and the other “matured” leaf would simultaneously die. I took out the corm and ripped off the leaves to dowse in water as a last ditch effort…and there were parasitic-like white “bugs” that scrambled to get out. I was so disappointed to see this and even more so because I couldn’t identify it sooner from the overall appearance. I still love the place, but as a forewarning, quarantine and spray your plants with insecticide. My “box store” plants have never had these problems, and the bugs have yet to be noticed in any of my others. Again, love the atmosphere and space, just prepare to spray your plants down to make sure. It is understood that with a new plant you’d want to take those extra precautions, but I also wouldn’t expect it at a nursery over Home Depot or Lowe’s. I would still shop here though for the overall atmosphere and...

Plants Alive in Silver Spring is truly an incredible establishment! From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is vibrant, welcoming, and full of life. It’s no surprise they draw such a massive and loyal crowd—the space is not only beautiful, but also filled with an energy that makes you want to stay and explore.

As a participant in their Maker’s Market, I’ve been amazed by how organized and supportive the staff are. Every event is run seamlessly, and their team goes above and beyond to make sure both vendors and guests have a wonderful experience.

I honestly cannot imagine growing my business without the support of this esteemed platform. The exposure, community, and encouragement I’ve received here have been invaluable. I’m so grateful to Plants Alive for giving small businesses like mine a place to shine.

Thank you, Plants Alive—you’ve created something truly special for...