Kitchen Garden Forum

Our local Range superstore is selling, veg plants, runner beans, tomatoes etc. all far too advanced for this time of the year for planting out and with no warning on them to keep them frost free. Several of our newbies are buying and planting and with the trest of frost this week-end a complete waste of money. No doubt other supermakerts garden centres etc are doing the same. Makes me cross.

Beryl.

Dear Beryl, it is the same down this way, not sure if it is the folk selling or the folk buying who are at fault, probably a combination of both.

I've always seen this time of year as the plant sellers' bonus period: sell plants when frost is likely, then resell to replace the lost plants! Fair play to garden centres; they usually warn about frost if they are responsible. As for supermarkets and superstores, what do they know (or care) about plants? Witness the range of superforced or dried out plants in most heated stores. It's good learning experience for the novice gardener

Think I agree with you Alan but it does add to the problem of the turnover of ever increasing numbers of disenchanted new plotholders.
Why does everyone want instant gardening? think we have the TV to thank for that don't you.

Beryl.

I saw a whole batch of sweetcorn, tomato and runner bean seedlings condemned in Homebase last week, all frosted to oblivion. To insult customers, they were reduced to clear. I can't see how anyone comes out of this well. I can only suppose the markup on plants is so excessive that they can always stand for these sorts of losses. When I see plants dried out in superstores, I always bring it to the relevant staffs' attention. While it doesn't win me any friends, I can't stand to see waste. And if profit is all that drives such enterprise, then they could make more money by actually keeping their stock alive and in a saleable condition. Plants seem to get treated as a commodity in the same category as food, which for sure is perishable and a proportion of waste is inevitable, but plants should not perish if they are properly looked after. Indeed, with the right care they could be made to increase in value.

Well 2 weeks ago some of my friends already had their runner beans and other stuff in. Seem convinced it wasn't too early! And yes, it is so nice if you get away with it, but usually the later sown/planted crops catch up and even overtake earlier ones. Have a weeks holiday at the end of April so won't be sowing the tender stuff until I am back, otherwise the neighbours will have too much to do!

FelixLeiter wrote:I saw a whole batch of sweetcorn, tomato and runner bean seedlings condemned in Homebase last week, all frosted to oblivion. To insult customers, they were reduced to clear. I can't see how anyone comes out of this well. I can only suppose the markup on plants is so excessive that they can always stand for these sorts of losses. When I see plants dried out in superstores, I always bring it to the relevant staffs' attention. While it doesn't win me any friends, I can't stand to see waste. And if profit is all that drives such enterprise, then they could make more money by actually keeping their stock alive and in a saleable condition. Plants seem to get treated as a commodity in the same category as food, which for sure is perishable and a proportion of waste is inevitable, but plants should not perish if they are properly looked after. Indeed, with the right care they could be made to increase in value.

Grrr!! I get very hot under the collar when I see plants in LIDL not watered. I have in the past emailed Head Office and complained re waste.. Recently accosted a sales head in a store here who said they are not given time to water and that they will just throw them out.. Nothing to do with him, he shrugged, clipboard in hand.

makes me so mad I dare not look at the plant stands now.

Local garden place where we have the market has trays and trays shrivelled by the wind too.. The pansies etc are OK but the lettuce,, grieves my very soul.

Only some broad beans and a few peas out here, which I cover at night, NO FROST TONIGHT! Just deluges and gales..