Houseplants from garden centres?
I'm no expert green thumb, but over the years I've picked up on the idea that plants from garden centres are generally considered to be of lower quality than plants from proper greenhouses. I haven't ever really worried about that when buying houseplants, because I normally buy the small ones that are cheap, so if they die it's no biggie. Lately, though, I've been thinking of buying a tree. In particular, I was looking at some money trees in the hardware store over the weekend - they were asking $35 for a 4' tree. Seems like a good price to me, and the plants *appeared* health at a glance. But I don't want to go through the expense (okay, small expense) and hassle of hauling home a tree just to have it die on me. Does this price/source seem like a bad idea to anyone? Or is it a good deal? Anything in particular I should look out for?
After showing my utter disgust in the dusty old fake trees and plants we had in our office I was put in charge of buying and caring for live plants. Over the years I've purchased plants that cost about $80 each from a reputable greenhouse and comparable $30 plants from a big box home improvement store. You honestly couldn't tell the difference. I can say that my boss is much happier with spending $30/plant 
I rescued a poor spindly ficus that was on clearance at a grocery store. The tree has moved in and out of dorm rooms with me, to an apartment, and finally settled into our house. With a little love and proper care they usually spring back.
Your best bet is just to look for healthy looking plants!
I rescued a poor spindly ficus that was on clearance at a grocery store. The tree has moved in and out of dorm rooms with me, to an apartment, and finally settled into our house. With a little love and proper care they usually spring back.
Your best bet is just to look for healthy looking plants!
>>look for healthy looking plants!
that's it in a nutshell.
the big box stores and grocery stores may well get their plants from the same wholesale growers as "your local friendly greenhouser"
the difference is the grocery store clerk only takes care of them as a collateral duty, and the 18 yr old at the big box store hasn't actually yet learned which end of the hose to hold onto. no that's not a joke - I was in a home store - starts with "L" - heard shrieking - discovered the all dolled up teenybopper being trained on how to water the roses in pots - she was shrieking because "it's all wet!!!" makes her mascara run, I suppose....
I don't hesitate to buy plants at my grocery store - but only if I stumble on them with a day max two of when they arrive. after that their TLC is so suspect you're quite apt to get burned.
that's it in a nutshell.
the big box stores and grocery stores may well get their plants from the same wholesale growers as "your local friendly greenhouser"
the difference is the grocery store clerk only takes care of them as a collateral duty, and the 18 yr old at the big box store hasn't actually yet learned which end of the hose to hold onto. no that's not a joke - I was in a home store - starts with "L" - heard shrieking - discovered the all dolled up teenybopper being trained on how to water the roses in pots - she was shrieking because "it's all wet!!!" makes her mascara run, I suppose....
I don't hesitate to buy plants at my grocery store - but only if I stumble on them with a day max two of when they arrive. after that their TLC is so suspect you're quite apt to get burned.
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ElizabethB
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2105
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:53 am
- Location: Lafayette, LA
I worked for Lowe's as a Nursery Specialist for 1 1/2 years. The biggest problem is proper care. There are never enough hours in the day or enough hel to keep plants properly watered. The help that is available does not know how to water and even when taught how to do so they just don't care. Check out the plant. Does it look healthy? Gently pull it out of the pot to make sure it is not root bound. If you are good with rescuing poor plants then look at the sale racks. What drove me crazy and eventually caused me to leave the nursery was that growers were contracted by buyers sitting in an office who had no horticultural knowledge what so ever.
If you are concerned keep your receipt. IDK about HD but Lowe's has a 1 year plant warranty. Even if you kill it from neglect they will take the plant back and refund your $$.
If you are concerned keep your receipt. IDK about HD but Lowe's has a 1 year plant warranty. Even if you kill it from neglect they will take the plant back and refund your $$.
Walmart has the same policy of 1 year. I've bought plants from Walmart and they did pretty well. Although I did by raspberry plants and they didn't do so well, but I did buy them at the end of summer and they didn't look all that great. Thought I might be able to bring them back to life but not.ElizabethB wrote:I worked for Lowe's as a Nursery Specialist for 1 1/2 years. The biggest problem is proper care. There are never enough hours in the day or enough hel to keep plants properly watered. The help that is available does not know how to water and even when taught how to do so they just don't care. Check out the plant. Does it look healthy? Gently pull it out of the pot to make sure it is not root bound. If you are good with rescuing poor plants then look at the sale racks. What drove me crazy and eventually caused me to leave the nursery was that growers were contracted by buyers sitting in an office who had no horticultural knowledge what so ever.
If you are concerned keep your receipt. IDK about HD but Lowe's has a 1 year plant warranty. Even if you kill it from neglect they will take the plant back and refund your $$.
I ask at Walmart when they get their deliveries. I try to go there around those days when the plants are freshest.
Some stores take better care of their plants than others. A lot of it has to do with the managers. They place plants to sell, not because it is the best place for them to be.
The Walmart near me waters their plants in the morning, but by afternoon from being in full sun and in the wind, many pots are drying and wilting.
The other 2 Walmarts that are about 7 miles away in opposite directions have much better looking plants even though they are in hotter areas. One store keeps the 4 inch starts inside the covered nursery. The other one keeps the plants on low benches instead of a vertical rack and the area is protected from the wind.
They don't cull their sick plants soon enough. It is always a good idea to check plants for aphids, white flies and other bugs especially when they are stressed. I have seen Walmart and Home Depot selling basil starts that have downy mildew. It is not easy for the lay person to identify so it is an easy mistake to make.
Sadly, many of the best full service nurseries have gone out of business. One was attached to a grocery store but had a large plant nursery with a good manager who knew his plants. The other two were family businesses and and the owner was either getting to old or did not have family members who were interested or trained to carry on the business.
One was attached to a locally owned hardware store. They propagated and sold unusual plants and fruit trees.
Some stores take better care of their plants than others. A lot of it has to do with the managers. They place plants to sell, not because it is the best place for them to be.
The Walmart near me waters their plants in the morning, but by afternoon from being in full sun and in the wind, many pots are drying and wilting.
The other 2 Walmarts that are about 7 miles away in opposite directions have much better looking plants even though they are in hotter areas. One store keeps the 4 inch starts inside the covered nursery. The other one keeps the plants on low benches instead of a vertical rack and the area is protected from the wind.
They don't cull their sick plants soon enough. It is always a good idea to check plants for aphids, white flies and other bugs especially when they are stressed. I have seen Walmart and Home Depot selling basil starts that have downy mildew. It is not easy for the lay person to identify so it is an easy mistake to make.
Sadly, many of the best full service nurseries have gone out of business. One was attached to a grocery store but had a large plant nursery with a good manager who knew his plants. The other two were family businesses and and the owner was either getting to old or did not have family members who were interested or trained to carry on the business.
One was attached to a locally owned hardware store. They propagated and sold unusual plants and fruit trees.
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UrbanGardenDiva
- Full Member
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:47 am
- Location: Cleveland, OH
Hello! I would just like to share that I have bought many plants over the years from places like Lowe's and Home Depot. I have had great success with them. My general buying rule is to look for new growth somewhere on the plant. Don't be shy, grab those suckers and look under their leaves, check their root system...most often times they just need some TLC and they should perk back up. Although I would recommend checking them for files and other pests before introducing them with other plants. Good luck 
I agree with everyone else! It makes little difference with indoor plants! I buy the crummy looking clearance plants all the time. They usually only need up-potting, more water and a little compost tea to make them flourish. The only problem I've had is with soil gnats, which not a huge problem, as the flies seem to all die out after the plant has been on an ACT regimen.
Go for it!
Go for it!
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Cola82
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 381
- Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 1:05 pm
- Location: McMinnville, Oregon, Zone 8b
I always want to look over all the plants whenever we go to Lowe's and they're making a really big push right now. TONS of plants to fondle and fawn over. I kept encountering bugs, though. Especially white flies and gnats. Their rosemary was drowning, partly because everything was outside--except the fuchsias and lilies--and this is the Willamette Valley, but it didn't look great.
Honestly I wasn't impressed with their herbs and vegetables at all.
Honestly I wasn't impressed with their herbs and vegetables at all.