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B&Q dead plants

Jim MacdJim Macd Posts: 750

 

Hi all,

popped into B&Q yesterday to buy sand. While in there thought I'd look to see what plants they had. I have a policy normally. DON'T BUY PLANTS FROM B&Q! So why did I buy plants? Well they looked like they were fresh in and you got six ‘plants’ for £5.00.

I bought two boxes of Echinops, some Irises and Echinaceae. When I opened the Echinops, they were dry as sticks, in fact that's all they were, dead sticks in some dry peat. I'm sure I'll get my money back but what a waste of petrol!!! If you do buy any plants from them and they're in boxes, open the boxes before you leave the car park and check them over. The Echinaceae were just okay but I wouldn’t have wanted to buy them if they’d still been there next week. I remember laughing at the Ginger they were selling a couple of months ago. They were so dry the ginger was just a thin shell, and they were still selling them!

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  • M FentM Fent Posts: 166

    Good advice Jim. That's the problem with B&Q, Homebase etc., they don't seem to really care about the plants, especially watering them!! They often reduce plants that look tired and wilting but all they need is a water. But hey, at least we get some bargains image

  • FleurisaFleurisa Posts: 779

    These are bare root plants aren't they? Always a bit of a risk from B&Q

  • Am guessing bare roots. Have you tried soaking them for an hour then placing in soil with bottom heat? They may look dead but may, may, be OK. It is prefereable if bare roots are kept with some moisture.

  • ClaringtonClarington Posts: 4,949

    Most of my cheap (for I am tight fisted and mean with what little money I have) plants have come from the sales bin at Homebase as the sales assistants here have a tendency to over enthusiastically water everything and once it looks a little uncomfortable to over water it some more. I'm not above haggling with them over the prices either (as I did with my miniature orange tree which had been reduced from £15 down to £5 and I ended up paying 50p which was the value of the pot and three Swiss Chard plants that were about 20p rather than the couple of pound they had wanted to sell them for).

    As with even good garden centres unfortunately it is a case of buyer beware! I hope you get your money back and find some better plants soon! image

  • Jim MacdJim Macd Posts: 750

    Yes, these are essentially bare root but they do come in what should be moist compost to ensure they don't desiccate completely, but these are dry and shrivelled, it would take a miracle to revive these. You could feel the moisture on the Echinacea and see they were still okay. The compost on the Echinops was like dust. I have been in Horticulture for over 30 years, trust me, the Echinops are dead. I'm just anoyed with myself for not checking them before I drove away, I know what B&Q are like. I wouldn't advise anyone who doesn't know about plants to buy from them.

  • I was in my local homebase last yesr and picked up a Fatsia Japonica reduced from £12 to 50p, only because the pot was broken looked like it had been dropped,  plants doing great. What a bargain

  • I only buy plants from B&Q and Homebase when the plants are on 'Deathrow'

    I got an ornamental sage for a £1 last summer. It only needed deadheading and re-potting. I looked at it the other day and tiny shoots are coming through the crown now.

    last spring I got eight pelargonium's for 50p! Again with a bit of TLC they bloomed lovely last summer. I even managed to take cuttings! All are overwintering well, and I'm looking forward to seeing them bloom again this year. 

  • I had a look at some plants yesterday i found a nice looking hellebore, when i picked it up i found it to be half ded and water logged. It was in the half price sale but i thought it was to much of a risk to buy it.

  • BoaterBoater Posts: 241

    Most of my plants come from Homebase, but I am quite picky about which of the reduced offerings I go for image

    I don't think I'd buy anything hidden in a box from there (or B&Q), but it's a good tip just in case I am in danger of doing it on a whim. I have picked up some of the boxes and read the labels - the planting dates were well past or way in the future so I left them...

    Strangest thing I have come across is carrots - even if they will survive planting out surely there is an increased risk of attractng carrot root fly?

    Daft really when there are some good garden centres not far away, but you go in for a packet of screws (because its saturday afternoon and the discount tool shop has closed already) and come out with plants too....

  • I love buying plants from these large stores when they are reduced and look neglected. Often these plants will fill a garden space. I have picked up a phalaenopsis £1.99, a winter jasmine.99p and pansies .50p for tray of 6-12. You just need to use your gardener's knowledge to see if plants will survive. This happens in garden centres as well. There seems to be a lack of appreciation for the plants. I have seen trays of phalaenopsis, still in their cellophane wrapping, left outside in wind and rain looking beyond safing-and they were- still for sale! I hate cellophane wrapping, just can't get water to any part of the plant. Please beware in garden centres who sell pre-packed plants and bulbs. The best time to buy is when these first come up for sale.

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