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Thread: Walmart plants

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    Contradiction in progress sweet sparrow's Avatar
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    I recently saw a rose bush that I've been wanting for my garden for some time now. Does anyone have experience with Walmart plants? Is buying a plant from a specialty garden store (not big box home improvement or grocery garden centres) worth the price? How do the home improvement or grocery garden centres compare?

    I've heard rumours that Walmart plants don't grow as well, aren't as strong, etc. compared to the same plant bought at a specialty store, but never tried it myself.
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    Mastermind Natalka's Avatar
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    We've had bad luck with WM plants - annuals and hanging baskets.

    For something like a bush which you are investing in, I think it's a better idea to get one at a greenhouse. I don't know where you are, but pretty much everywhere is having specials now.

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    Community Helper VeeVee's Avatar
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    About 1.5 years ago we bought a "money tree" from Walmart and we still have it - it has grown so big now and getting bigger each week. A plant is a plant in my opinion, if you take care of it etc then doesn't matter where you get it

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    Mastermind Natalka's Avatar
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    That's a nice one, Vee! I think WM's indoor plants are just fine, I still have some growing from there!

    However, for ANY store, it's going to vary by location, even within the city. Maybe it was just the one WM we had been to!

    We have a Zellers near us that always had amazing bedding plants - they got them from a local greenhouse. I'm sure going to miss them, because Target may not have the same deal with them....

    I've also bought bedding plants and hanging baskets at Canadian Tire - some good, some not! Last year, bought two hanging baskets the same - we had them in the same location, one died within a month, the other grew amazingly well all summer!

    Gardening is dependent upon SO many factors!

    I just know my mom was thrifty, and grew roses, and would only get those from a greenhouse - not only for the quality, but there was also a growing guarantee.

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    Community Helper VeeVee's Avatar
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    Oh maybe for roses and stuff, I usually buy my summer planting flowers at Home depot, Costco or Lowes so I don't know how well they are from Walmart. But I think the more sturdier plants should be ok.

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    Contradiction in progress sweet sparrow's Avatar
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    I do agree for bulbs and plants that have already developed, I don't think the price matters too much.

    I was wondering about plants like roses, which are sold with a few cut branches, and maybe a few green shoots, but fairly sparse otherwise. The greenhouse near us has no guarantee over winter. Speaking from experience, my ability to kill plants is independent of the price I paid.

    Was there a noticable difference in quality in your mom's roses, Natalka? I also wonder about the waxy coating on the roses at our local Walmart. I haven't seen this on the roses at the greenhouse and wondered if it was to preserve them over long distances or for some other reason.

    I must make a mental note to ask DH who was assistant manager at a specialty garden store in his younger days. He can't grow a thing, but can certainly tell me everything I need to get something to grow.

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    Looking into getting my garden going this weekend. I noticed Home Depot had a one year guarantee on plants, I'm not sure how intensive this is but with my BLUE thumb I will be looking into it more.

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    Last edited by lecale; Mon, Jan 19th, 2015 at 07:34 PM.

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    I will be a little more blunt , Walmart plants suck and the main reason is they are stressed out to the max because they are not properly taken care of. The employees at the Walmart near me fight over who has to water the plants because no one wants to. Plants go unwatered they get near death and then "maybe" they get watered and are briefly brought back to life but the damage is one.

    Stress from lack of water = death, stunted growth(if they grow at all)

    I stick to a nursery or my local Reno Depot who take great care of their plants I know the guy who has worked there for about 15 years cares. Big difference.
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    Mastermind Shwa Girl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by VeeVee View Post
    Oh maybe for roses and stuff, I usually buy my summer planting flowers at Home depot, Costco or Lowes so I don't know how well they are from Walmart. But I think the more sturdier plants should be ok.
    Good idea. Some of the big box stores also have a 1 year guarantee on perennial plants, like roses. Just make sure to keep the packaging and the receipt. If the receipt is that thermal paper, photocopy too in case the ink wears away.

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    One Awesome Domestic Diva MrsSunshine's Avatar
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    as someone who knows a local grower personally.. most stores are supplied by them..(in our area) and sometimes its just a bad seed.. for the most part.. plants are plants.. but you do need to care for them from the start. no matter where it is.. in store or in nursery or your home..
    i'd personally ask the store what their guarantee is in regards to their shrubs etc. if they have one.. go for it.. some nurseries will even 'fix' a plant if they can if it gets sick.. there may be a nominal fee. but if your in love with a plant. it may be worth it.
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    I would buy annuals from Walmart, and that's about it. The roses are a good deal, but they are often mislabeled, and as someone said earlier, are not appropriate for our zones. Canadian Tire and Peavey both sell the same brand and for at least $5 more, so I would get it from Walmart if that's the case. Nursery-grown plants are more expensive, but you get the one you want and there is often a one year guarantee. This applies to the bagged bareroot plants too, Walmart's are almost always mislabeled. If you are a novice gardener, you might want to go to the nursery and get some expert advice, most of the garden staff at the big box stores do not have any experience with plants. I shudder to think about all the plants that are drowned or fried to a crisp at Superstore!

    Whatever you do, avoid the hostas at Walmart. They often have HVX, a virus that is terminal and will spread to your healthy hostas. The tell-tale sign is the leaves get distorted and there is an ink-bleed effect on the leaves. I've seen this at Walmart, Canadian Tire, Home Depot and even some "real" nurseries. Do yourself a favor and look it up on the internet...knowing the signs will help you avoid expensive mistakes later.

    I wouldn't hesitate to buy from Costco though. I bought a couple of shrubs and some perennials two years ago and they came back wonderfully. I think their advantage is that the pot sizes are large, so there is a substantial root ball - this helps the plant get established. I also buy the big flats of annuals and the specialty annuals (million bells, bacopa, geraniums, etc) because they are in really good condition and the prices are fair. The only problem is that you need to get there when there's a fresh delivery because it gets picked over quickly.
    Last edited by marstec; Thu, May 3rd, 2012 at 05:24 PM.

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    Misanthrope GoJays's Avatar
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    I've had three boxwood shrubs in the original pots that have lived through two Ontario winters and they're still going strong. I still haven't found a place for them to live.. I bought them knowing what I wanted with them and then changed my mind so I left them. I figured if they died over the winter I was only out five bucks per plant.. lo and behold they're still alive. Go figure. I bet if I had purchased the ones from Terra for triple the price they would have croaked the first winter. I'll find a home for them yet.
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    Canadian Guru hollyquaiscer's Avatar
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    I have always bought my plants directly from the greenhouse. The bigger ones like munrovea sell to the stores anyway, so better to go to the source. The prices are usually pretty good, especially if you a buying lots. I always purchase smaller plants and fertilize them after I replant into my pots and in to time they are huge. Oh how I love spring and summer
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    Contradiction in progress sweet sparrow's Avatar
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    Super big thanks, everyone! I won't be buying any roses from WM. When DH came home, he basically agreed that your favourite plants are better purchased from a garden store. He did say he thought the plants at HD and WM were flown in from southern states and weren't as hardy as ones grown locally. I'll be buying my roses at the specialty places. They have to be hardy to survive me!

    Lecale, did you work in a garden centre?

    I'll have to replace my Peace rose that didn't survive the winter. Does anyone know how you can tell if a rose is never going to grow again? I think it's dead but I'm not exactly sure....

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