Supermarket plants

I hate this, too! Masses of similar outside Asda the other day.

Yes this annoys me as well, so many times almost dead plants are being sold at full price. What a waste, not only of the plants but also the resources to produce them.
If the trays of failing plants were sold off very cheaply before they died at least someone would get some enjoyment.
Of course the other option is to employ someone who has an interest and would look after them.

Yes I hate to see this I d rather they didn’t sell them than eave them to die

Don’t get me started on this issue I can’t tell you how many shops that have had me complaining about this at the customer services. Why do they sell plants if they don’t even look after them while they are on the shelves. I wrote to national news papers some years ago to name and shame the supermarkets it obviously went unnoticed.

I go to a local nursery the owners plant seeds and nurture them for hours on end and have done all their working lives. The customers have beautiful displays in baskets and pots to last through summer and even in the winter.

I know how hard they work on their business but I don’t know how its done commercially for shops etc. However it’s done its a disgrace to see shelves of plants just left to dry out and die.

Absolutely hate it - the waste is massive, greenhouses, plastic pots, peat, water, transport, and on, and on.

It should be totally illegal to sell plants unless you have the right conditions to look after them, water them, etc.

I have been known to buy badly wilting plants because I felt sorry for them, and have resurrected them at home. There’s a limit as to how many you can save, though!

IMO there should be a RSPCP. (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Plants.) 🙂

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My husband has an early morning cleaning job in an upmarket supermarket. He regularly rescues plants that have been thrown in the skip. He's a keen gardener and it breaks his heart to see them so neglected.
He asked to take the houseplant, but he liberated the fig from the skip.

A cashier in tesco told me they weren't allowed to water plants!

Fleurpepper

Absolutely hate it - the waste is massive, greenhouses, plastic pots, peat, water, transport, and on, and on.

It should be totally illegal to sell plants unless you have the right conditions to look after them, water them, etc.

This!

It makes my blood boil. 😡😡

Our Sainsbury’s plants are lovely, I have bought several recently for £3.50 each . Tesco, however, dry and wilting, poor little things. I have complained at Customer services several times, to no avail.
I talk to all my plants and some have names. Like Witzend I have rescued some from Tesco.

We get bedding plants here in supermarkets and shops like B&Q when it is possibly time to plant them out in the South of England but several weeks away from planting time here. Then either people who don’t understand the difference between hardy and half-hardy annuals will waste money buying them or the shop staff will have to look after them. Surely somebody must be able to adjust the times for sending out plants to the differing climatic conditions of different parts of the country!

Apart from all the waste listed above, they also threaten proper garden centres with qualified staff and good conditions.

I bought a big hanging basket of violas in Home Bargains for £2.99 about a month ago. They look stunning.

I bought a big tub of geraniums for about £4.99 in QD and they have been flowering for weeks.

Most years I buy bags of dwarf narcissi, crocus and snowdrops from Lidl or Aldi and put more in my 12ft windowboxes and in the bank outside. Looks a picture!

I’ve seen this at my local Coop and also at the large Sainsburys nearby, when they’re all wilted and half dead they reduce them, which makes me laugh because I doubt many people buy them in that state. I guess they’re just thrown in the skip eventually!
If you buy them on the first couple of days they are probably ok. I don’t understand why they keep stocking them if they can’t be looked after better, they must be losing money on them. Better to give your custom to the GC or smaller nurseries.

I have noticed Lidl seems better at keeping there outdoor plants healthy. They are also good for houseplants and cut flowers.

No doubt the prices we pay factor in the wastage. So we are penalised for their neglect. It all seems so unnecessary.

Health and Safety ! If they water plants and somebody slips on a drip of it ….apparently it’s the supermarkets fault !

Perhaps they should be banned from stocking them? I worked for a heritage organisation years ago and plants were tended to 3 times a day. Probably had sufficient staff then.

About 20 years ago when we still had Woolworths they sold off some half dead trees. I bought a Twisted Willow which once in my garden grew well. Then moved & Willow lived in a large pot for a few years. Finally have lived here 14 years & Willow is beautiful much bigger than we ever thought! The nasty person owning & renting out to some very dubious tenants over the years has taken a dislike to the tree & has threatened Court action if this tree is not killed off! So my lovely healthy tree trying to help the environment will be chopped down in a few days! Sorry bit off topic but I am still so angry over this as it will cost less to kill the tree than go to Court to fight!

I have been told by staff they are not allowed to water the plants maybe, as you say, because of puddles forming and a possible slip occurring. It is so sad to see trays of wilting pansies at the moment. I agree Lidl seems to look after their stock well,I have bought some really good plants from there.

Hi Silly Nanny321, the landlord may be really horrible but the tenants may be nice. Have you spoken to them? Maybe it will cost you nothing if you just ignore them and wait and see what happens in the court. The court may decide in your favour.

Hi SillyNanny - unfortunately, the tree is very close to the house, and may be causing root damage / subsidence to the structure.

My mum's neighbour has a large willow tree, about 60 foot from the house, but it's caused huge cracks and there is a company there now, sorting out all the damaged pipework. Willows are one of the worst for this - shame as they are so beautiful.

I once queried why the plants weren’t watered and I was told they couldn’t do it due to “health and safety” in case the water ran on the floor and someone slipped!

Witzend I do the same if I see plants wilting-buy them if reduced &resuscitate at home- I’m not green fingered at all but have empathy for the plant grower -have been quite successful with a couple of them 😊

Quizzer

I once queried why the plants weren’t watered and I was told they couldn’t do it due to “health and safety” in case the water ran on the floor and someone slipped!

In that case they shouldn’t be selling them. 😡