Just had to let off steam for a minute! - bought a horseradish plant yesterday from a local nursery. Having read some postings on various forums here, I knew that it could perhaps be invasive, so, I sought the advice of staff. First person could only take payment, knew nothing; second person sighed and said " I only know about flowers", try ****, he's the boss. 'Boss' scratched his head and said, "I'm sure it can't be invasive it only has one long root". He then looked it up in the plant guide and decided that it could perhaps be invasive but wasn't particularly sure how to overcome the problem. "Should I plant it in a container?" I said, "Hmm, yes you could try that" he replied.
Now I know no-one has all the answers but I just feel that even I could have provided the information gleaned on this visit. I'll go elsewhere in future. Perhaps there's an opening to name and shame nurseries giving bad advice!
Why are some nursery staff so ill informed?
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oldherbaceous
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poppyseed, your quite right about alot of staff in nurseries or garden centres not being very helpful or having much knowledge of plants. Probaly the main reason being that they only work part time, and are not interested in gardening in the first place.
I think there is a real shortage of people with horticultural experience in the trade.
Saying all this there was no excuse for the owner not to have known, especially since he was stocking the item.
I'm not sure about naming and shaming, it might be better just to have a word with the owner or manager and that might be enough to buck their ideas up.
Or that might be me just being a bit to kind hearted.
Kind regards Old Herbaceous.
We will always get some sort of weather.
I think there is a real shortage of people with horticultural experience in the trade.
Saying all this there was no excuse for the owner not to have known, especially since he was stocking the item.
I'm not sure about naming and shaming, it might be better just to have a word with the owner or manager and that might be enough to buck their ideas up.
Or that might be me just being a bit to kind hearted.
Kind regards Old Herbaceous.
We will always get some sort of weather.
A lot of people in garden centres are basically checkout staff as found in any supermarket,one locally advertises for 16-18 year olds for it's busy time as it doesn't want to pay to much obviously!and is quite happy to take 6th formers who have no interest in Horticulture.You don't get many knowledgable staff because it's a very poorly paid profession and not many young people will put up with that and I don't blame them.There's a trendy tendancy for people to think that a job that's good for your soul is all you need but it don't pay the bills! People who drop out of the rat race and then say how wonderful it is to be connected to the land generally have a big wodge of dosh from being something in the city,you read it again and again in magazine articles.
Soapbox moment over.....can you guess where I spent most of my working life?
Soapbox moment over.....can you guess where I spent most of my working life?
Thanks for your replies - good points made. I guess the boom in interest in gardening is leading to a 'supermarket' culture in garden centres (as well as the low wage trap). Have to say that I visited another nursery today for a browse. I put a few queries to a member of staff and got a wealth of info back - the good places are out there! (Toddington Garden Centre, near Winchcombe - they deserve a plug!! - hope that's allowed!)
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sally wright
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Dear Poppyseed,
the well informed youngsters in horticulture are usually college graduates and try not to be employed by the kind of emporium that places more emphasis on barbecues and Christmas decs than they do on plants.
Regards Sally Wright. HND hort.
the well informed youngsters in horticulture are usually college graduates and try not to be employed by the kind of emporium that places more emphasis on barbecues and Christmas decs than they do on plants.
Regards Sally Wright. HND hort.
Hi Poppyseed and Sally,Yes try and support the smaller independant plant nurseries thats where you will find the people who are in the trade because they love it (believe me they're not in it for the money!).I can understand why the bigger chains have become 'shopping experiences' apart from being up against the really big multiples they have to try and even out their retail turnover. A small plant nursery will take about 3/4 of their annual turnover in March/April/May,a poor spring and you're really in trouble.
Please can we also de-bunk the idea that horticulture is where the academically challenged work,OH is a landscape gardener who has won a national award for Garden design and construction(not bad for a one man band)but was once asked by a prospective client if he knew what a semi-circle was!
Please can we also de-bunk the idea that horticulture is where the academically challenged work,OH is a landscape gardener who has won a national award for Garden design and construction(not bad for a one man band)but was once asked by a prospective client if he knew what a semi-circle was!