Overwatering Aggravation!

16 years ago

I've pretty much figured out that a certain big box store near me may get some nice plants in, but they really don't care at all about the plants they receive, based on the huge "I'm almost dead, please save me" rack. I went in to grab some things for the lawn mower and to get bird seed for a project to do with my kids, and of course, the newly houseplant addicted me had to stop and look at the plants, and what did I find but tons of drainless pots overflowing with water... on all the new baby plants! Are they trying to lose money on the plants? So my 2 and 4 year old and I stood there, dumping out all the extra water we could, so maybe these plants could live long enough to make it home with someone who would either save them or at least not kill them so quickly. Aggh, it's annoying! Sorry for the vent.

Chandres

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Comments (15)

greenelbows1
16 years ago
I think you're doing an excellent job of teaching your kids! I doubt that you will make much of a dent on the big box store--that seems to be the policy of most of them. Makes no sense to me, but maybe I'm missing something. I remember some time ago on one of these forums there was a long thread about the box stores and their uncaring or over-worked and under-trained staff. One guy said he'd been very happy to get a job in the plant department 'cause he really loved working with plants, and he did such a good job (I guess--don't think he said that) that they 'promoted' him to plumbing I think it was, and he knew nothing about plumbing and cared less. How can that be good business?
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
16 years ago
Hmmmm - hierarchiology at work, GE.

If you want an actual answer to the question you prolly posed as rhetorical, search "Peter Principle" and the reasons will be clear.

Al
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birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Chandres, did you buy any plants? Be careful, if you puchase succulents that are overwatered. Last year, Home Depot had a sale on Thai Crown of Thorns..Each were wrapped in silver aluminum foil..first mistake. Foil holds excess water, eventually killing roots. At 5.95 for Thais, I thought it a bargain and bought two. When I picked up the plant, water flew out of the top, all over me. I dumped water out of each plant. A lot of water. I should have passed them up, but both had unusual color flowers, one Fuschia. As soon as I got home, they were repotted, but I knew right then and there, the COT's were probably goners, each trunk soft nearest the base..week one, the Fuschia. The other COT made it, barely. When I went back to HD, every leftover COT was dead. 2 shelves filled. Is that a waste or what? If a manager was there I'd have spoken to him/her, but like usual no one was around.

Like Green said, you're doing a great job teaching your children. Maybe one day they too will love plants and know not to overwater. The stuff that sticks in a childs' mind is incredible. Toni
amccour
16 years ago
I guess "destroying your own merchandise" is the new "selling."

Big box retailers seem to vary a lot from location to location. I went to this one Lowe's in Ohio which was awesome. Great selection, plants looked well-kept, lots of interesting stuff.

Then the one in my hometown usually has a huge distressed rack, a rather poor selection anyway with really bizarre/redunant choices (Lots and lots of ivy! Buckets of horsetail reeds! Stuff that looks like they just sort of found it in the grassy field outback and potted it!)

Also apparently they tied red bows -- the kind you usually see on Norfolk Island Pines, upon which they look tacky enough as it is -- on their sago cycads. I have no idea why. I don't think they *shipped* that way at least as I've never seen them like that anywhere else. It's one of those, "Why are you doing that and what can I do to get you to stop?" things.
sahm2ae
Original Author
16 years ago
Toni, I didn't purchase anything. They actually don't have any succulents there, though I'm not sure if that's at all or just seasonal. Any succulents I've gotten have either been through the mail or at the nursery my MIL works for, but I'll keep an eye out on the firmness of any I do purchase in ANY store!

GE, I'm very excited that my kids have taken to plants. I was worried, especially with a 2 year old boy, that he'd constantly destroy the plants, or eat them, but both my son and daughter are very excited, especially when we see a plant in the store that we have at home, and my daughter is very interested in learning their names.

Amccour, what is it with the bows on everything? I always hate seeing the glitter on the Norfolk Island Pine, and I'm glad I didn't get mine at Christmas, but why red bows in April? Is it for Passover?

Chandres
birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Chandres, are succulents your favorite plants?
Last summer, I went on a succulent hunt. Walmart got several shipments, hundreds of succulents for 1.25 each. They were in excellent health, nice size, 3" pots. I ended up going to Walmart on 3 different occassions, buying 7-8 sux each time. LOL
I forgot to mention, we once went to GA and stopped at HD and K-Mart. Both stores took great care of their plants. K-Mart had a gorgeous Jasmine, either 6" or 8", for 3.00!!!! Because we flew, I couldn't buy it, sigh, but prices and plants were incredible, well-kept and reasonably priced.
We also went to TN. Twice. Both times we drove. We stopped at a HD, Lowes, and a little family owned gh. The second time we came home with a lot more than we left with. LOL. The owner sold me a Gardenia tree, (3') and a blood-red banana, (4') for 25.00. The plants he had were truly gorgeous. And inexpensive.
A 4" potted,green banana at HD in IL goes for 7-10.00, AND plants are limited. If you want a rare plant, there are two nurseries, both 20 miles drive opposite directions, and you PAY dearly. But they sell some beautiful plants.
Toni

Chandres, even though your son enjoys plants, please be careful with poisonous plants. My son, at 2 yrs, took a bite from Dieff (dumbcane) Thankfully, it wasn't a disaster, but I ended up calling poison control. Toni
amccour
16 years ago
"Amccour, what is it with the bows on everything? I always hate seeing the glitter on the Norfolk Island Pine, and I'm glad I didn't get mine at Christmas, but why red bows in April? Is it for Passover?"

"Why red bows on a cycad" is also another question. Red bows is very Christmasy, I guess. So given that Norfolk Island Pines do look like real christmas trees, more or less, it sort of makes sense that, despite being tropical, you'd sort of want to market them as Christmasy.

Cycads are associated with palms and tropical things. They're not really palms, of course, but still quite tropical, and tropical looking, and you generally don't associate tropical foliage with Christmas in this part of the country, so it'd be like tying little bows on a palm tree.

Then again, I put some plush, light-weight christmas ornaments on my snake plant, which makes even less sense (although snake plants don't really care if you hang stuff on them, whereas NIPS have flimsy brnaches, and I can't imagine that any plant enjoys having glue and sparkles sprayed on it.

I'm also pretty sure nobody sprays their own christmas tree with glitter either, in any case. At least my NIP only had a little glitter and a single bow on of it. Some of the stuff they do to those poor things is just awful).

hopeful, what makes dieff's so poisonous? I know that most/all aroids have calcium oxalate crystals, but as for as alocasias, colocasias, phils, pothoses, and anthuriums go, I've heard that they just cause mild mouth irritation if bitten, stomach irritation if eaten, are only dangerous if you eat a *lot,* and that kidney damage was a potential damage if ingested frequently over a long enough period of time. Wikipedia article on dieffs make them sound scary, though.

I've also heard calla lilies are pretty bad. Is it just that dieffs and callas have more of these crystals?
birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Amccour, maybe you should start a separate thread about bows on NFIP's sold in April..I've never seen glitter on a plant..They decorate NIP's with bows and little ornaments in December, jack up price 3 times higher than those w/o. You can buy a NFP w/o decoartions, purchase baby ornaments and bows at the dollar store, then decorate for half the price.
I used to decorate a Ficus benji tree during Christmas. It looked so cozy, but I'd never spray glitter on a live plant.

Amccour, Dieff's contain a white-sap (calcium oxalate crystals)and when chewed, causes temporary spleechlessness and pain, pain, depending how much is injested.
I've read, Kings ordered messengers to chew on Dieffs so they couldn't relay a message to THE enemy..They were given just enough so it wouldn't kill them, and were able to deliver the message to whom they were meant to give to.
When my son bit, actualy two bites, I was in the next room, when I heard a piercing scream. It was then I noticed he's bitten two pieces of Dieff trunk. I immediately called Poison Control at St. Joseph's Hosp..they told me to keep an eye on him, if he got a fever or his throat swelled, to take him to the ER.
Thank God he was okay, and never ever taken a bite of any plant, but I tossed the Dieff that very day. Only after he was in his teens did I buy another. LOl. One of my plant books details history of plants, (where they'd originally came from, who founded and brought to America, England etc.)
Oleanders, Daturas and Brugsmansias are more dangerous than Dieffs, but I wouldn't want to try any. LOL. In fact, I rid two Oleanders after discovering toxicity. (because of birds,) but many plants contain a certain amount of toxins. Euphorbia sap and Primose obconica cause skin irritation.
Many bulbs are poisonous, including Daffs, Glory Lily, Amazoica Lily. I haven't heard about Calla, but thanks. Toni
sahm2ae
Original Author
16 years ago
Toni, I don't know that I'd say succulents are my favorite type of plants, but there are so many varieties, textures, colors, shapes, etc., that I'd say as a whole they're the most interesting. You'd think dracaenas are my favorite, since I brought six varieties home within a month. I do enjoy succulents, though, including the varieties I have planted outside as ground cover.

I love dieffs, but don't have one, just in case. I do have a couple of philos, but they're up and out of reach. I am a little concerned with the BOP and my miniature doxie, but so far, so good (I read that dogs are VERY attracted to BOPs, though the seeds are the main concern?).

Thus far, everyone seems to respect that mommy enjoys the plants, and if we're nice to the plants, they'll grow really big and happy, and even though I have seen the occasional train run along the edge of some pots, they've never actually derailed into the plants. I don't keep much around that they can't get into, so when I do have to say no, they get it. Of course, I'll still keep my eyes peeled for bite marks!

Amccour, I always wonder how claustrophobic the NIPs feel after they've been covered in glitter, and remember hubby telling me about the actress who died from having her entire body painted for a James Bond movie. Sure, we work a bit differently, but I still feel bad for them.

I remember as a little kid peeling a piece of bark off a tree at my sitter's house, and she came over and asked me if I'd like for my skin to be peeled off and to leave the tree alone. Never did it again.

Chandres
amccour
16 years ago
Okay, new Really Stupid Thing People Do To Plants. I've seen this at several big box retailers.

Real cactuses with fake flowers on them.

Fake flowers that look fake.
Fake-looking fake flowers that are *glued* to the cactus.

Maybe they'll start glueing articifial cactuses to actual flowering plants soon.
ravenwv
16 years ago
Yesterday, I was a little stressed so I went to local place to wander. I wanted look and smell and not think about anything about plants.

While I was there I saw this Lepismium cruciforme

{{gwi:83843}}

I walked over to where it was and picked it up..when I did, a zillion gallons of water poured all over me...I could not BELIEVE how much water was in this plant....plus, it has the water holding plate thing on the bottom of it..it looked like soup in there...

I went and found a worker and asked her about it...she said that all the plants get the same amount of water..I tried to explain to her what was going to happen and how this plant shouldn't be treated like other foilage plants ..she just stared at me with a blank look and walked off...

Now I'm a little stressed again, so I walk out to look at some other things and came across a Winter Jasmine bush that is labeled Carolina Jasmine VINE .. I had nothing better to do so I got someone else and was explaining that this was a bush that blooms in late winter/early spring and stays green during the winter...The Carolina Jasmine is a vine that blooms in late spring to mid summer...

As the conversation wore on, I was telling her about the plant inside. I was waiting by the cashier and the lady I was speaking to went back inside and came out the the plant. She said to the clerk, ring this up as Clearance and sell it to this lady for a dollar so she can go repot it and save it.

Ended up being a good day
birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Chandres, so basically, you love all plants. LOL. You're right, there's something about succulents. Shapes, colors, and basic growth patterns.. They are amazing.
Cactus are okay, but I don't like thorns. Especially when repotting.
Three of my fav sux are Pachypodiums (madagascar palm cactus) Crown of Thorns, Euphorbia and Desert Rose (Adenium)
I started various Pachy's from seed, some made it, others didn't..as soon as one nursery (can't name it on GW) gets fresh seed, I'm going to try again.

Raven, apparently you bought the cactus. LOL. Did you repot? It looks healthy. I wish you luck. I'm unsure on its botanical name, is that the one called Rat tail Cactus? Grows red flowers?
The managers at big box stores could give a hoot as to when plants need water. Those that require moist soil are bone dry, and cac/sux are kept soaked. You would think some places, especially those with huge plant collections, would hire someone who had even an inkling on plant care. They don't. Most employees couldnt tell you if a plant was hardy let alone guessing its name and care. Toni
sahm2ae
Original Author
16 years ago
Toni, yes, yes, all plants! Hubby surprised me with Rosemary, Hoya carnosa (four rooted cuttings, which I belive to be 'Krimson Queen' based on the photo in Mr_Sub's blog), and two Coleus 'Kong Rose' (which may go indoors since I don't have much shade outdoors, and I've read they're fine with that) from Earth Day yesterday at the nursery his mom works for.

I enjoy both indoor and outdoor gardening, which seems to be foreign to a lot of people I know... they prefer only one or the other.

Raven, wow, the only plants I'll ever find for $1 are already dead, or at least so close that you're not sure they'd make it to the car alive, so that's wonderful someone took pity on your poor new plant!

Chandres
sissysimone
16 years ago
I kid you not when I tell you this..........But I feel the plants pain!!lol
I never buy a plant from these stores without first lifting the plant out of the pot to make sure the poor roots are healthy looking. You are just catching those ones at that time. Imagine buying one that looks good, sitting in these stores on end, dying of root rot, and it so happens to hit you after you brought it home...Sneaky store ha. Great way to get some of us unsuspecting ones back to the store to buy more once they decline over time to replace them!! lol
They can't fool me now...;-)
sissy
birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Chandres, your dh was very considerate..What did he do wrong? LOl..j/k.
But honestly, it was nice of him surprising you. Will you grow the Rosemary in or outdoors? I've never had luck growing herbs indoors..but their scent is out of this world.
Like you, I in-and-outdoor garden. The problem is, here in Il, there's limited varieties, so it's either sticking with standard plants, or ordering online/catalogs. This summer, I'm going to plant an inedible Musa/Banana tree in front. Edge with smaller, flowering annuals.
Last summer a friend gave me variegated Butterfly Bush, so I'm praying it returns..love those BB's.
Several years ago, I bought Holly from HD. It's planted closer to the house which gets a less direct sun. I want to relocate closer to the walk, but am afraid the plant will die. What do you think??
I also have Barberry that's taking over. And Datura galore..it grows like a darn weed. Don't like it's odor, either, so they've gotta go. Flowers are spectacular though.
Last summer, we had a cycada infestation, they did a number on perrenials..some were over 10 yrs old, including a white-flowered BB. Oh boy.

Sissy, believe it or not, I've had the best luck w/ plants for 1.00-1.25 over the years..including a Lipstick plant bought at the grocery store.
I also got 3 .10 Bleeding Hearts (perrenials) that are the first to sprout and flower in spring.
Every so often, our grocery store, (Jewel) sells 4" potted plants for 1.00. Crotons, Dracaenas, etc. All are in good health, no pests, and yes, they have roots..LOl. I guess it depends on the store, and as long as the plant isn't bug infested, if you lose 1.00 it's not a catastrophe. On the other hand, when Frank's Nursery was opened, they'd sell plants for 17.00++ that were bug packed..they had a big sale before closing..5.00 for 10" potted plants..but the entire collection were Mite condo's, one worse than the next. Because the store was closing its doors, they could care less..
I can picture u in the store, lifting plants out of pots..What do employees say if they catch you doing this? LOLOL..Toni

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