Angry Gardener

For the first time - after visiting a garden centre I got really fizzing mad. I bought a hebe x 2 in a 7" diameter, 6" pot - they were in full flower - and I was planning to plant them later this autumn.

But when I took a closer look there were three hebes at least two years old in each of those 7 x 6 pots, and tipping it out, you could see the plants were in diffulties combined in such a small space - some with leaves beginning to stress at the base. Totally root bound (you could hardly see the compost for root), with little osmacote square in the centre. I reckon in another week or two, they would have turned up their toes - so those looking to have flowers on to November - forget it.

Needless to say they have been split (I had to use a bread knife!!) and potted up - but I got really angry about how, a lovely little shrub had been treated, let alone those buyers who would see their acquisition die before they had had much time to enjoy it. Gonna be going back to have a word with the garden centre.

[ 28. August 2005, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: Fran ]

 

There all up to it, the big ones that is.
Make it look good for a quick sale.
The problem is that there are so many people that just want a plant to look nice for a while and when it stops flowering they throw it away and buy another.
Disposable plants.

 

The wife was given an Orange tree in a large terracotta pot and despite following the care instructions to the letter it died.
When I took the stump out of the compost it was still in a bl**dy plastic pot
The garden centre tried to give her a credit note ...! as if we were going to buy any more of their crap :eek:

 

As I'm having a moan,I'd also like to know why there is nearly as much gravel in a bag of J.A.Bowers organic peat free compost I bought as is on my drive!!

 

The garden centre visit planned today has been postponed til Saturday due to Katrina - but believe me I will be having a few words then.

I got a good gardening friend in Gulf Breeze - who took a direct hit from the Ivan -the storm surge took out her ground floor and garden, recovering from that, Dennis took off her roof and power, and it has not been replaced in time for Katrina - let alone another storn surge from that ****. So bin plugged into CBC

 

Fran, its good we dont get anything like that over here, 60mph gale is bad enough for me. :(

[ 29. August 2005, 08:03 PM: Message edited by: pete2255 ]

 

Thats right Marley, they have done gardening no good whatsoever, but made a fortune for the garden centres.

[ 29. August 2005, 08:03 PM: Message edited by: pete2255 ]

 

Am I the only one who remembers buying plants from someone who actually knew something about plants? most are grown abroad and are just a shelf item. watered and if past 'shelf life' sold to some dear old man like me. mind you get a bargain sometimes.

 

Oh dear! i get all my plants and compost from garden centres thinging i am buying good stuff.(No green house, clay soil takes a long time to warm up, bulbs rot).Have to wait till end of may before i can do anything.