Your Month-to-Month Guide to Shopping Deals

September: The Best Time to Buy Plants

Why: Garden centers need to clear their inventory of summer plants, trees, and shrubs to create space for fall and holiday plants, so they slash prices. And in September “the cooler weather allows plants to expand their roots,” says Charlie Nardozzi, a senior horticulturist with the National Gardening Association, “so it’s a great time to plant peonies and low-maintenance perennials, such as hostas, daylilies, and daisies.” If you prefer to plant in the spring, shop in February or March, when nurseries typically offer 10 to 20 percent off on preorders.

Your savings: From 30 to 50 percent. Independent nurseries tend to have bigger markdowns and a wider selection than big-box stores, says Nardozzi.