A terrible waste

I've just got back from my local Wilko where, as usual at this time of year, I witnessed the corpse-strewn stand where the plug plants are exhibited. These plants are supplied in plastic containers which sit in a bed of gel, but, as no staff ever seem to water the plants on show, they soon dry out and the little plants die through lack of water. It really is very wasteful and quite sad. I've bought 4 fuschia plugs which are on their last legs for 30p and have tried to rescue them with a drop of H2o - two of them seemed to have raised their tiny heads a little but I think it's a case of R.I.P. for the other two. :(

 

This was brought up last year about now when the plants started coming in. Wilko must be the worst offender for plant neglect, seeing quality shrubs/plants and plugs on the shelf just out of the box and then a week later a sick shade of brown due to excessive heat and lack of water, do they care? not really. Multiply that by all the stores nationwide and it is an incredible waste of thousands of plants!
I grow plants for the Parks and not for sale but even though the growers for Wilko etc are paid I bet they would be sick seeing all the effort they put in growing them was completely wasted.

 

My goodness, i'm so pleased we no longer live near a Wilko, B&Q, or any other useful store. It really is sad to see little seedlings suffering. The only store we have nearby is FOCUS Euch. But they don't let their seedlings or plants die off. They just charge well over the odds. They did once have a phyllostachys nitida / niger ? That had come in, in a very sorry state. it was in a 10ltr pot and priced at �£75. It was in a corner left to be disposed of later. I offered to buy it cheap but was offered �£5 off. I wasn't willing to take the chance of wasting �£70.Meanies. Anyway it was eventually chucked out.

 

One of our local supermarkets (a big chain by the way) regularly does NOT water the plants. So when the new plants come in the next week the poor shrivelled ones are reduced to half, sometimes more. I, like everyone else, enjoy getting a bargain but it is a great waste and shame. I think it is a case of bad organizing, the shops having agreed to take so many plants each week, and probably at a low price. So it makes no difference to them if they sell fresh plants or wilted ones - they come out ahead in both cases.

 

I get free ones sometimes - quite possibly from the same chain, K-G :rolleyes: They're put out on the packing counter for people to help themselves. I've got a couple of house plants, a miniature rose, a pot chrysanthemum, and a small azalea so far....

 

It's typical of supermarkets high volume quick turnover and pay the suppliers a pitance even when they sell these dehydrated plants at half price they still make a profit, as long as people patronise these establishments the practice will carry on, bring back the small garden centers and small shops down with commercialism

 

I refuse to buy any plants/seeds from supermarkets, DIY stores and garden centres favouring local nurseries and a chap in our village who grows stuff in his garden and sells it on at a fraction of the price found in commercial places.
Not sure if I'm allowed to mention individual nurseries, if I am I'll happily recommend the one I use. They're kind, incredibly knowledgeable and their plants are always of the highest quality. Not one I've bought from there has performed badly.
I hate those places that sell fudge amongst the weedkillers and the bulbs!

 

There's a section here to give feedback, good or bad, Lynne....

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=26

 

ooo thanks!
Recommendation posted!