Plants in the garbage!!!!

I spent this past weekend with my oldest son and his wife (the youngest son lives close to them so he was there most of the time too) Well the first thing I noticed was a huge hosta lying in the outside garbage. I almost went bilistic! LOL I ask him what on earth were they doing putting it in the trash. He told me that there was going to be some landscaping going on (he manages a 4-H camp) and just didnt want it. They have a small yard with some plants and berry vines but to throw away a plant!!! So needless to say I fished it out of the trash and also found a smaller one that they had thrown away also. Got them now planted in my back yard and seems to me that they might just do pretty good.
The camp also has a guy that comes around and does the landscaping around the cabins. This past trip I found out that I can get cutting off of some of the plants. Needless to say I did that also.
So before leaving I told them that if there is anything else they want to get rid of just to send it my way :-)Planning on going up later this year when things are seeding and taking advantage of that also :-) Not to mention the trips inbetween LOL

Gayl I know exactly what you are talking about. Just before I moved away from the Tidewater area, new neighbours moved in next door. The previous owners only 2 years ago had planted about 10 new trees (gorgeous) and the existing shrubbery was wonderful. A lovely Hibiscus about 6 feet tall and wide near the front door. The new neighbours bulldozed it all down flat!!!! Ugh!! They wanted a croquet lawn and a low maintenance garden. I literally cried for the trees and was too late to ask them if I could have them. We went out to the stores early in the morning and when we got back evrything had been torn out of the ground and nothing remained. Talk about lunacy and utter destruction. I'll say no more - I still fume when I think about it!

I know what you mean!! My hubby and I were at Target a few days ago and an employee came through the store pushing a cartload stacked with flats and container plants. I asked him what he was doing with them and he told us he was throwing them away. I said I'd be glad to take them and he said the store doesn't do that. Grrrrrr. I smiled and asked where their dumpster is, and he said it's in the back of the store, but inside. Grrrrr again!! There were quite a few salvageable plants in there, doggone it.

When I mentioned to a Lowe's employee how pretty their deep purple astilbe were. She asked, "Oh, do they come back?" (after blooming). I told her they did. She looked sheepish and said she'd just thrown out a whole bunch of 1 and 3 gallon astilbe the day before!

What's WRONG with these people!?

I've had similar experiences with Home Depot. Once I found an employee pushing a large cart LOADED down with bulbs that had passed their bloom period, thus unsaleable.

I asked her what she was going to do with them, and she said they were dumping them. Of course, when I offered to take them, she said it was against policy, and when I asked where their dumpster was, she said it was an enclosed dumpster that customers cannot access.

:(

In addition to the bulbs that were still very much valuable, those containers are usable! I considered talking to the manager, but lost my ambition.

Dave

I too have tried to persuade Lowes and Walmart to part with their pots and even offered to buy them but - no sale. They were just going to be dumped. It doesn't make sense to me. Also last weekend we were at Lowes and they were fully stocked with some wonderful shrubs etc but they were all dying and I mean dying - the whole nursery area. My dh was told that the manager was on vacation and they didn't have the staff to water the plants!!!

Wal-Mart is sooo bad about taking care of live plants. Same with live pets and fish. I went to the fabric dept in WM and there was an endcap with vases and beta fish. The fish were ready to go in little cups WITH LIDS ON THEM!! Some of the fish had already died. I made a scene all around that endcap telling everyone that stopped to look at them. So I ended up getting help removing all the lids. I told a member of management but I am sure it didnt do much good.

Oh, also at WM, when they put the containers outside next to some plants (on their way to the dumpster) I just pick them up and put them in my cart and nobody even asks about them. They don't even ask at the checkout. I got 5 two gallon plastic planters the other day. These will be great to sink in the ground for some invasive plants.

I was at Lowe's this past weekend and their 'marked down' cart should have been tagged 'almost dead' cart.

I just shook my head when I saw what was once big, beautiful Hostas baking in full sun; the Tropicana Cannas leaves were all drying up from lack of water; the poor Louisiana Iris were flopping out of their pots, just crying for water; the poor little water lilies were sitting in just a puddle, the Impatiens were baking in the sun! I could go on and on..such a waste, and Wally Mart's garden center is no better!
Jean

Even though Lowes is my favorite place to shop. (do alot of shopping there other than plants) I have to agree with the care of their plants being lousy. One day there was a large catus that had fell over and broken. Had already started dying. I talk to the manager of the plant department and almost begged him to sell it to me. Wanted to see if I could do something with it. Well anyways he told me that he couldnt because they would send it back and get credit. So guess what -- a few days later I was there again and it was still there , never had been touched and in the very same spot!! Ask again and got the same answer. Think I was being lied to LOL
I have to agree about Wal Mart also how they take care of their plants. Not any better than Lowes. Altho I have gotten a few good deals there before.
One day when in Wal Mart there was a teacher there looking for some easy plants that would grow in the shade for her class to grow. Well the sales lady that was waiting on here didnt know what at all she was talking about. Even with me being fairly new to all of this plant thing I knew that so you know how bad she was doing LOL Well anyways I butted in and told the lady a few plants she could get and noticed that on the plant stand there was even a list of shady plants, sun loving plants etc. So I showed that to the lady. Well what was funny is the sales lady offered me a job LOL --- I told her if I could work solely in the plant department I would but was told that couldnt be done :-(
I just cant believe some of these people. How could they just let something as remarkable as plants die. Sure I have killed a few in my time but not that I did it purposely but with trying to learn how to take care of them. Which made me sad when I did. But these people could care less and just toss them.

I've had real good luck getting salvageable plants from K-Mart for 5 years in a row I've bought a Pallet of mixed plants for $10.00 they seem easier to make a bargan with. I have had good luck with Lowes too, the garden center manager used to work at Builders Square, (Do you remember thier 25 cent deals at the end of the planting season?) she does that at Lowes too, she once told me that she would take them home , but the company would probably accuse her of theft, so she marks them down to 25 cents

Angel, could you not contact the animal protection society abou those fish? They would certainly interest themselves in them in Ireland. What a shame! And all that waste of plants and containers! If we all don't pull our socks up in this world, I have no doubt we will pay the price and go down in history as sinful wasters. I hope the time never comes that as nations we will cry when we reflect on the waste of green life on our planet. But I still have hope, green hope! There are a lot of us gardeners and growers around. We will have to spread our vines in good soil. And let's face it, anyone who throws away or tears up plant life uselessly is not 'the full shilling''

i was walking around home depot and walmart and was amazed at all the plants that were dying because they needed water.
What a shame-who are these workers? I wanted to cry! I kept telling my hubby-in a loud voice "This one needs a drink"
If the employees didnt hear me-God must of-he sent quit a bit of rain here-hopefully they will survive!

I had pretty much the same kind of problem with one of my local chain stores, Wilkinsons. Their plants are cheap, but they are also dying because staff forget to water them. Then they end up trying to sell them really cheap. I've bought seeds there. But the bulbs really don't look great. And as for the prennials... I complained to the staff about it, but they just try to pass the buck. My local Garden Centre is incredibly expensive - though their plants are in excellent condition. I'm now buying more of my plants from local shops like the florists. Just been round this morning and bought another 7 - a poppy, 2 thrifts, 2 which look like potentillas, a sedum and something else can't remember. Half the price of the garden centre.

While running an errand to a local Drug Emporium, I noticed a big outdoor display of Mother's Day hanging baskets sitting on benches. Most of them were Summer Wave petunias. They were against the store front, under an overhang. The poor plants were so dry, that they were all severely drooping from lack of water. I went to customer service and mentioned that they'd do better in selling the plants outside if they were given water, which they needed desperately, and that the plants will die soon if not attended to. The reply from the store employee was..."we'll just throw them away" - ouch! If there was a water hookup outside, I would have watered them myself, dang it!
Trish