It's true what they say about the box stores

10 years ago

I've read quit a few post about staying away from the box store fruit trees. Most of my fruit trees come from our local nursery. I bought one peach tree from lowes (Florida king), a low chill variety because I live in zone 9a. Well I had to exchange it because it died so I picked out another FK. Well right after I checked out I was over looking the tree as I was putting it in the truck and it had two florida king tags on the top of the tree and another orange tag at the bottom that said Loring. I googled Loring real quick and come to find out it needs 750 to 850 chill hours which we never even come close to, our coldest winter will get between 400 to 600 hrs. Needless to say I got my money back real quick.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

quackmaster
Original Author
10 years ago
This is the other tag, I'm guessing this is the correct tag but I wasn't taking any chances.
Kevin Reilly
10 years ago
Yes, always check for the wholesalers tag on the tree. That is usually good. The problem is when the big box stores put their own tags on it.

Actually I was going to plant a tree for someone yesterday and she bought a red delicious, which needs a pollenizer but that is not listed anywhere on the store sticker.
Related Discussions
Garden Centers - Greenhouses - Big Box Stores - Specialty Stores
Q
Comments (7)
Brocks! We're heading down there and to Dearborn Farms tomorrow. To be honest, I shop all over. We bought 12 boxed roses at Dearborn Farms last spring, but I got some really nice potted roses in Lowe's (Woodbridge, Jersey City, and Old Bridge) and Wal-Mart (Secaucus, Cinnamonson, and Old Bridge) -- all of them did really well, and have leafed out like crazy this spring. Like you, I've been buying Superthrive at Wal-mart (it's not out yet, and I don't have all that much left right now -- and not every store had it, either) as well as fish emulsion. We got some great annuals there to fill in the gaps in the plants we bought in Van Wingerden's and Gro-Rite up in Lincoln Park. I get potting soil for my containers and garden soil to beef up the beds in Lowe's, and I get mulch there, too. I get pots and little plastic garden fencing in Wal-Mart. Home Depot was disappointing last year, especially since we'd gotten some wonderful roses there in the past (in Clifton and Woodbridge). But Clifton's garden center has gone -way- downhill, and Woodbridge isn't what is used to be. But none of them compare to Hoverman's, now sadly closed.
...See More
It's True What They Say About House Wrens
Q
Comments (7)
Put up a wren guard after the first egg is laid in your chickadee/bluebird/whatever nest. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just enough to obscure the view of the nest box entrance from the wrens. I make mine out of cardboard and duct tape. Take it down when the chicks are 7-10 days old. In 5 years of having chicakdees and/or bluebirds nest in my yard, with plenty of wrens around, never a problem.
...See More
everything they say about exercise is true
Q
Comments (36)
Hi everyone! I see that I posted to this thread a year ago, and I'm a veteran of all the Mojo threads, too. I'm very glad to see that Gibby, AWM, and others have had continued success! Last year, I started daily walks in my neighborhood and lost about 12 pounds between March and June. Then I was hospitalized for a foot infection, and by the time my foot had recovered, it was too hot for walking. I should have resumed in the fall, but I didn't, and, sadly, I've backslid on my dieting, too. So it's back to Square One for me! :-( I was SO enthusiastic last year, so completely committed to the new eating pattern and exercising lifestyle. What happened? I feel so discouraged now. Maybe one factor is that I drifted away from Kitchens and moved over to the Cooking Forum. I try to avoid the baked goods, but there are so many tempting recipes posted there... but I don't blame the CF, I blame myself. Besides, the CF is not responsible for my occasional binges. I know the cure for them is not to have "just a taste" of something sweet in the first place. There were other factors, too: I started working again (freelance), and I have other interests that take up most of my free time. I don't have space for exercise equipment at home and can't afford a gym membership right now. Also, my back injury limits the kinds of exercise I can do. Walking is great for me, as long as the terrain is level, but, as clg said, it's too cold for walking now. However, I'm determined to start again when the weather gets warmer. Does anyone have ideas on how to reclaim my Mojo? Did the Mojo threads really help most of you, or would/could you have done it on your own, without encouragement from the group? Sue
...See More
What am I missing? Buying from big box stores
Q
Comments (9)
I have no personal opinion on this, but I have heard of people who have had their orders completely messed up by the HD/Lowes people, and it takes weeks to straighten out. That's probably one of the things you get with a window professional. Also, when I did my windows, both reps (from window stores) could immediately tell me when a window needed to be tempered glass, and when it had to be a fire escape compliant window. My architectural designer missed one of those...the window guy basically had to change that window to be compliant. My friend's architect missed one or two of the tempered windows. It's just like anything else...if you know what you're doing, and are OCD about double checking everything, then you're probably fine. If you're like me, and burnt out after trying to save money with an architectural designer, and want your actual build to be smoother, then you work with professionals, and hold them accountable when the order isn't right. In our area, prices are marked up quite a bit. By getting quotes from people 40-60 minutes away, the prices were much more comparable with the big boxes...good luck!
...See More
daemon2525
10 years ago
I've got one for ya.... Our local Walmart isn't even trying anymore. Their trees were labeled "APPLE - RED" and
"PLUM" . that's it!
insteng
10 years ago
I buy trees from lowe's when the clear them out for the summer or fall. I can get them for $6 and they get them from a local Texas nursery so I don't worry too much about them. I just check the nursery tag. I have an advantage of having 56 acres to play with so I am not limited on what I can plant. If I get the wrong tree it is not as big a deal as it would be for someone with limited space.
Ernie
10 years ago
I've got one for ya.... Our local Walmart isn't even trying anymore. Their trees were labeled "APPLE - RED" and
"PLUM" . that's it!

I've noticed the same trend for berries at both Lowes and Home Depot. I've seen blueberries labelled as "Rabbiteye" with no cultivar named, as well as raspberries identified merely as "black" or "red."
JoppaRich
10 years ago
"I've noticed the same trend for berries at both Lowes and Home Depot. I've seen blueberries labelled as "Rabbiteye" with no cultivar named, as well as raspberries identified merely as "black" or "red."

Wierd, in MD and VA, all the home depot/lowes I've looked at (and I'm a plant browser in the spring, visit a lot of places), they've all been labled as to the variant.
itheweatherman
10 years ago
Seven years ago, my neighbor bought two plums that were labeled "Santa Rosa plums" at the big box stores. One tree turned out to be a green skinned plum--very delicious and juicy-- and the other one produced red skin plums--I don't think that it's a Santa Rosa plum because my Santa Rosa plum is way different than my neighbor's.
campv 8b AZ
10 years ago
I live in a area that can get down to 16 in the winter. HD was selling orange trees and I accually saw a person buy one. Thats crazy it will die the first winter. Never never believe what a sales person tells you from one of those stores. The sales staff has no knowledge what so ever. Their last job was working @ FoodMart.
JoppaRich
10 years ago
I have an orange tree from Lowes. Its doing fantastic, and I get fruit from it.

It just comes in over the winter.
lsoh
10 years ago
The blueberries at our our local Walmart are labeled simply "southern high bush". Hmmm. Blueberries need 2 different varieties to fruit. How would one know what they bought? Oh, did I mention we live in northern Ohio. *Southern* High Bush?????

It's true what they say about the box stores

Comments (10)

quackmaster
Original Author

Kevin Reilly

Related Discussions

daemon2525

insteng

Ernie

JoppaRich

itheweatherman

campv 8b AZ

JoppaRich

lsoh

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

It's true what they say about the box stores

Comments (10)

quackmasterOriginal Author

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

quackmaster
Original Author