Equally disturbing is the increasingly common practice of displaying plants in full bloom weeks before they should actually be in bloom. That’s more the fault of the wholesaler or grower, and not the retailer, but it’s a bad practice regardless. The only way to get plants to bloom ahead of their natural bloom cycle is to trick them by increasing the amount of light they receive (also known as forcing) and, more often than not, feeding them hefty doses of synthetic fertilizers.
When you buy a plant like that, you’re basically buying a botanical junkie, one that will soon be crying out for its next nutrient fix. And those plants are almost always root bound, which means they will almost certainly suffer from transplant shock.
Retailers have responsibilities. But so do we as gardeners. Theirs is to provide quality products at fair prices. Ours is to let them know when we aren’t happy with the way they conduct business. And to remind them that we can always shop somewhere else.
Thanks for letting me rant.
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“There ain’t no rules around here! We’re trying to accomplish something!” Thomas Edison
MY RANT 
May 2009
I’m only going to rant once a month. After all, ranting requires a lot of energy. It’s also something people get tired of in a hurry.
Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)
It happens every year. Plant retailers, eager to replenish their coffers following a predictable decline in revenue during the winter months, begin creating colorful displays to entice buyers eager to get going in the garden. And up to a point, that’s great.
What isn’t so great is that many of the plants on display shouldn’t be planted, at least not for another few weeks. The list includes, but is hardly limited to, basil and other tender herbs, caladiums, various tender annuals and perennials, and warm-season veggies (eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, for example).
I’m all for retailers making money. But not at the expense of unwary customers who aren’t aware of the safe planting dates for plants. After all, crops failures can be frustrating, discouraging, and expensive. At the very least, the retailers should create signs that tell people not to plant until a certain date. But that begs the question: Why have the plants out in the first place?
plants on display shouldn’t be planted, at least not for another few weeks. The list includes, but is hardly limited to, basil and other tender herbs, caladiums, various tender annuals and perennials, and
What isn’t so great is that many of the
warm-season veggies (eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, for example)
Archive Rant
