I agree with a lot that you said, especially the part about how they try to sell plants that don't suit the zone. I just posted recently about another gifted fuschia and how to keep it alive when it gets hot. Didn't get a lot of positive answers, which I figured would be the case. I really haven't had a lot of problems with stressed plants, though. The big stores around here are pretty good about separating these to the clearance rack. The problem is, many of us live in rural areas where there is nothing else but big box stores. We have a couple of mom and pop places here, but they don't replenish the inventory and it's sparse pickins'. And the big box stores carry the same ol' same ol' stuff year after year, no variety. But this is the case in other large stores, too, concerning everything from linens to housewares. There is no variety anymore.

Big Box stores cater mostly to impulse shoppers and local demand, neither of which are often in line with what would be considered responsible gardening and, sadly, out number knowledgeable gardeners. Proper gardening information is confined to forums and the very rare PBS program. Home improvement channels rarely have landscape/gardening shows any more and when they do it's Glam Gardening. Rather than peruse forums, most people skip through Pinterest which is plastered with idealized pictures with no hint of where or how the scene was accomplished.

I won't say I avoid the Big Box stores, but I am definitely a lot more picky about what I pick up from them.

It all depends on the store. Our local HD would fit your description, but two miles away there's a Lowe's that has an amazing outside garden department. They stock Monrovia plants, have a huge succulent selection, and always seem to have stuff that nobody else is selling. I've never had a problem with any plant I bought there in at least a dozen years.

That having been said, we all must support the smaller, local nurseries to keep them in business. There's no argument that you'll find plants and trees there that you will NEVER see in HD or Lowe's or wherever. And I agree those plants will be healthier than the big box stores only because the people working in the nursery know what they are doing rather than just punching a timeclock.

I don't know about other areas, but at my local Big Box stores, if you get there early, the 'plantsmen' will be there checking over their stocks so they can see what is selling and what isn't. They tend to have more knowledge than your standard garden department worker and they know when they will be bringing in the next shipment and what will be coming with it.

I am guilty of buying clearance plants from the big box places, sometimes the plants just need a repot w/ fresh soil and fert and they do great. ... BUT good local nursery always has the best!

Hi

One of the things I enjoy most about gardening is the buying of the plants,particularly price shopping lol i used to go to the shows but since they've started charging 10/20 bucks to get in there are very few bargains

Seem to end up in the box stores anyway for groceries,hardware,plumbing parts etc. etc. might as well look at the plants.?? I can impulse buy and still not spend a lot. Does require that I know a bargain when I see one

Among my recent inpulse buys was a magnificent hydrangea ,looked a whole lot like an anniversary present to me and was only 8 bucks .An incredibly healthy looking,potted hybrid tea rose for 10 and the best a large form of a Spathiphyllum that had been dropped off the truck breaking the priceless plastic pot so got it for 3 bucks still had the 32.50 price tag on it

My latest was a Phal orchid with 3 spikes in a deep rich yellow color rather than spots stripes or a warshed out pastel. 8 bucks because it had been knocked out of the pot. Got that at a winn dixie while buying a cup of coffee lol Usually don't even look at the plants since they are generally way overpriced . Amazing how they put some foil or a bow on a pot and suddenly the price doubles??

If I want something specific such as the White elephant palm I go to the internet.Did find exactly what I wanted at the size I was willing to pay for lol Did impulse buy some black anthuriums and a Black Ghost tree fern. No bargains for sure But you'll never find them in the jungles of the box stores ??

I dislike going to nurseries as I feel obligated to buying something and worst of all it requires that I have some idea what the heck I'm looking for?? lol

I'm currently looking for a hybrid glory tree in a topiary form in a mature size

No internet or box store for that ?? lol gary

Kerriodoxa elegans? So where did you finally buy that from? I just found a Coccothrinax crinita with 2 foot of hairy trunk for $100 at the Lowes up here in Lakeland last month. Yes, not really suited for this area, but I have greenhouses for winter keeping. I buy from box stores every once in a while. I already know which ones take better care of their plants and which ones do not. As you all have already said, prices range from 3 times the price, to very good bargains. At least i know what things cost. When I was landscaping, sometimes HD would have annuals for less than I could get them at the wholesale place all the way over on the other side of Plant City. ( no pun intended )

Here is a pic of the kerriodoxa when I first got it . Still attached to the seed and two broken fronds . 40 bucks lol. Has grown beautifully in spite of the rough start though it is just now starting to develop mature fronds but latest is around 3 feet and does have the velvety white fuzz on the reverse so I'm convinced of the ID. but is still a long way from the awe inspiring look of an adult . When I was looking for one ; half grown were around 3/400 bucks!!

Wife limits me to 20 bucks for a single plant so I lied and said I got two lol

I got it from Eldon tropicals in Ocala gary

I could have got you one that size in perfect shape for $7 plus shipping. Do you still buy very many rare palms now? If you do, I can give you the name of my go to guy who usually has 300 species available at any given time, and most all of them are under $10. You do have to buy $100 worth at a time, but you will get what the guys down in south Florida sells for $300-$500. Do we have private messages on this forum?

There were. I sent a few people private messages, but I think a person has to have the option of being able to be contacted through PMs enabled as there have been a few times lately that I have tried sending PMs, but was unable to find the links to do so.

To enable messaging you have to go to your profile>advanced settings and scroll way down. Then you'll see this:

and you can change the setting to allow messaging.

To send a message, click the name of the person you want to message and if they've enabled messaging, on their main page you will see this on the far right:

Not sure what's happening in this thread, but I too-oddly enough-know of a really good and reasonable source for palms, cycads and more in the SW Florida area. You can PM me too if you like.

Native plant nurseries are a great place to buy plants ... because they are native and will survive here, whereas the big box stores well what's pretty at any given time.

Check out your local native plant nurseries at Florida Native Nursery Directory. They don't generally have regular hours like a store, but usually have times set aside for the public ... it's best to call first to find out.

Plantsman56 and wisconsitom, would you please email me through "my page" by clicking on my user name? I have a list of Florida tropicals I am wanting to buy, and would like the names of your resources. Thanks!

Kay, I'm feeling rather klutzy here this morning. Clicked on your name but didn't get a tab to email you. Hmmm.....I used to do that. Wonder what I'm missing?

Edited to add: Kay, I did private message you here on the site though.

There are a few Lowes near us thar carry all kinds of great stuff. Im kinda picky so if they have good stuff I will buy it. I also found a medinilla at the walmart in Orange Park. They carry good stuff sometimes too. The Ace in Mandarin has a greenhouse full of goodies. Many of the nurseries around here are kinda blahhh. Gores nursery in Dinsmore has an extensive collection of citrus (more varieties than I've seen elsewhere around here) and sometimes more unusual tropicals. I still buy most stuff online though because I am usually looking for something specific and dont want to look all over town.

Gary, glad to see your little palm is still doing well !

Wisconsitom, my email is plant_lady2@ hot mail dot com.

Sultry

Have been rather pleased with it in spite of the rough start. Is not quite 3 years old and the latest frond is around 3 feet. A real speed demon when compared to Licualas lol I've kept it in a pot because even if it matures at the low end of the potential(6/8 foot wide fronds will really fill up the area where I want to keep it. The velvety white undersides are becoming quite prominent so perhaps ,sometime within my lifetime it will equal those 300 dollar ones ?? lol

gary

Hey plantsman, does your contact sell Sabal Palms? I'm looking to plant a couple cheaper ones. I'm also on the lookout for Wax Myrtles. Thanks

Cody, Sabal palms and Palmetto palms are the same thing. You can grow them from seed if you're patient enough to wait for them to grow. If you look around, you can find seedlings coming up everywhere under them in untamed places. Wax myrtles also root readily from cuttings and grow fast. Now is a good time to root them.

I don't see any wax myrtles in the Tallahassee area so I can't get any cuttings. I've also tried digging up sabal plants but haven't had luck. I'd like to start with a potted palm. I have some saw palmettos that I planted that are looking good.

Sabals don't like to be moved, and they have a hell of a tap root. Tiny one or two leaf seedlings transplant easily.

I have moved 12" and 24" tall Sabals with a fair degree of success. It was explained to me that all sabals will kill off damaged roots all the way to the base of the plant and this is why so many transplants fail. If the plant isn't big enough to hold enough water on its own, it will dry out and die. So to get a transplant to take, you need to keep the soil around the 'bulb' moist, but not wet. The bulb can take a few days of dry weather, but it is better to water at least every other day until you see growth, but only water the soil. Naturally, there isn't much you can do about rain, but the drier you can keep the above-ground bit, the more likely it won't rot before it has had a chance to establish new roots.

Our local Ag center has lists of plants that grow well in our area. It helps alot. Both feed stores, Ace hardware, Walmart and Tractor Supply all sell plants that shouldn't be planted in our zone. You could probably google each type of plant before you went shopping. Say fruit trees or tomatoes, etc. to make sure you bought ones that will grow well in your area.

Zack, you're so right. That's what I always do - I research a plant BEFORE I buy it.