I was just there for something else and noticed all their gallon perennials on sale for $4.86. I bought a LOT of them figuring what the heck - may as well try. I got Huechera, Lamium, Lamiustrum (Hermann's Pride), shasta daisies, 2 miscellaneous ones I am unsure of and 3 blue ones my 4 yr. old son picked out (campanula maybe???). Anyway - do Wally world plants do OK?? Or even on sale was it a waste of $$?
Never did have time to go pick up my something else that I was there for LOL.
Plants from Wal Mart???
I've had excellent luck with them. Nothing exotic of course, but what I've picked up has done just fine.
Mine also.... not always what they are labeled however.
That's what I am hoping. I figure if they were labelled incorrectly they are close to what they should be - I oly bought what I recognized the leaves on (from pictures and planning what i want in there). I bought 2 things I hadn;t ever heard of, too but hopefully they will be fun. Thanks for the feedback!
I usually will not shop at Walmart - but there is one close to us that orders in some simply amazing plants. I don't know if they mislabel or what, but they are usally marked $8.95 for the "Premium Foliage Plant"
I got a giant split leaf philo in a 5 gallon pot that has to be 4' x 4' for $9.......very healthy. They also get in several palms, yuccas, and dracaenas......all about that size.....all healtjhy......all $9
I've had pretty good luck with their plants and, this year I noticed they have a big sign up stating their plants (perennials) are guaranteed for 1 year......a really good reason for saving your receipts!
Just plant that Hermann's Pride where you don't want anything else to grow. It takes over, and grows over plants that are 3' tall!
I have acquired some wonderful coleus from Wally World. They may not mislabel as much as generalize their labeling into a plant group rather than saying the exact name of each. If you need to ID anything DG is the place to go. I find that if you find a heathy plant and take proper care of it , it doesn't matter where you purchase it. But healthy is the word. I always check out a plant thoroughly before buying it. I'm sure people have stared at me and wondered if I'm ever going to take it home or stand there and look at it all day.
Don't buy hostas at box stores. Very often they are infected with a virus and not only do they have to be tossed, but they can infect the rest of your hostas.
Otherwise, have a good time. If it's not blooming, don't count on the accuracy of the tag and I agree with Ordine. Make sure that they are healthy.
I've bought plants at Walmart more times than I care to admit. So long as they are healthy when you buy them (they aren't very knowledgeable about caring for them), they'll do great. I often notice that they are from the very same growers that more expensive retail nurseries stock. I feel like my risk of introducing infection is just as high from private nurseries as at Walmart.
I do want to say, though, that I reserve my more expensive purchases for my local nursery. They are an independent business, putting my money back into the community, and they spend a great deal of time and effort knowing all about the plant I am purchasing, how it will do in my area, and offer great service. So get the annuals and generic varieties at Walmart--buy those special plants at your local nursery.
Another note about Hosta HVX. Unless you know what you are doing it's hard to see the damage because it causes pattern changes on the leaves that are sometimes subtle. Buy hostas from reputable sources (good hosta specialists) only. Even they can't guarantee that their hostas will be virus free but they are trying.
I've had good luck with Walmart plants too. We just bought a topiary hibiscus and palm tree thing (LOL) from them this year and both are doing great despite the 100 degree weather we've been having. Most of my roses are from Walmart too and I've had them for years. :)
I wouldn't buy hosta from there - I have learned too much already from the folks here :)
Everything I did get seemed healthy and I don't really expect anything from them this year. They all seem happy in their new homes though. Thanks for the input !
Recently purchased six Columbines from their "half-dead and reduced" table: the poor things were very brown and sad, but the pots had plenty of roots. After two weeks in the soil with regular watering, they're taking off and looking great. Figured for six bucks, I couldn't lose much; instead, just got a good deal.
I only try to purchase reduced or half dead plants from Wally's. I feel sorry for their plants because of the abuse they suffer. And talk about a place where no one knows anything about the plants they sell, my local WalMart is it. When purchasing the reduced plants (I hate to think of something going to the garbage simply because it got too much or not enough water) I only look for those that do not show any signs of disease.
Having worked in a full service camera shop for years, I found myself getting rather disappointed in individuals who would come in and take advantage of our free advice and help, then leave and purchase their camera from the BB (Big Box) store. Folks, if you want knowledgeable staff and advice that can help you save that wilting forsythia, pay the extra (within reason) from your local nursery. Even the small stuff from the local nursery adds to the bottom line for the local business. Do I ever shop at WalMart? Only when nobody local has it!
I prefer to shop local shops too. I love our old, but well-stocked, hardware store. I especially enjoy the old creaky wooden floors. I don't see much difference in the price, if any, and they have things that W-mart simply doesn't carry.
As for plants, it doesn't matter where you buy them if they look healthy. I did buy a Tropicana Rose from that I shouldn't have. It did have good stout canes but i thought with a little TLC, it would grow and florish. It has grown and bloomed but never developed good strong canes. I think I am going to pitch it this year and order another one from Heirloom Roses. Never, ever buy roses that have wax all over the canes. They have been dug eons before the season starts and the wax is to help prevent water loss. I will avoid hostas at W-mart after seeing this thread, though.
Pegz...I saw this thread and I'm wondering how your Walmart plants turned out.
I prefer to buy from a nursery, just because stuff looks healthier. But I've also bought many plants from Walmart/KMart and they've done just fine. Every one. Even an Oriental Lily.
So far so good. The daisies didn't blooom really any more than they had on them when I bought them but they were healthy & lasted awhile. The Lamium is doing fantastic - spreading and blooming and the campanula has also been blooming constantly but not spreading at all. The Hermann's Pride hasn;t bloomed or spread but looks very healthy. Hmmm - what else was there... Oh Penstemon - Blooming for the past month or so as well. So I would say it was all pretty much worth it. I definitely looked very hard though to find healthy plants.
Thanks for asking :)
And thanks for the answer. I was hoping it would be positive.
scott, I avoid the big box stores, too, when I can. We have a delightful hardware store here, with the old creaking wooden floors but some of the employees have been there a long time and are very helpful. We also have at least 6 very good nursery/garden centers here including one that specializes in herbs.
But I do find some plants at Wally World that are cheaper andvery nice from time to time. I usually buy some annuals there, but that's about it. I order my roses and irises and perennials from reputable nursereies listed on the Garden Watchdog.
This message was edited Aug 26, 2006 9:43 AM
The only problem I had with Wally World plants is they call some annuals (at least for me) perennials. The names fail me now - I'll try to remember and come back later. Oh, yeah, Angelonia was one and the other was "mona" something and Cat's Whiskers.
Brenda
I think if you know the nursery and the plant is healthy, why not save the money if you can? The local Walmart sells Proven Winners heucheras and I've had excellent luck with them and some other "name brand" plants such an Monrovia.
Since the fall perennials are now coming in to our Walmart I thought I'd add something to this thread. I buy almost all my perennials there, usually for around $3 to $4. If you check the source of the plants, usually stamped on the side of the container or on the label, you'll find that most Walmarts get their plants from the same nursery that many of the local garden centers order from. In fact, I met one lady I know from one of the fancier, more expensive garden centers stocking up on plants at Walmart the other day. She sheepishly told me that both get their plants from the same nursery and she's discovered that she can buy them cheaper at Walmart than she gets them wholesale from the nursery. At our Walmart, though, I've found that you have to be there the day the truck brings them in, because once they hit Walmart those poor plants are on their own. I also have found a lot of mislabeling, however, I have found the same thing at the garden centers who get their stock from that nursery, so I believe that may be where the problem begins.
I try to avoid Walmart because of their employment policies -- minimal health insurance, etc.
I don't just try, I totally avoid Walmart at all costs. There are ust too many reasons to enumerate. Besides, I really like to support the local stores of all kinds.
You 2 are right, of course. We have a great hardware store in town which has better hardware, seeds, etc. and much better customer service. We also have a Lowe's which has better plants and sales at this time of year, too. They are much better to their employees. We also have about 1/2 doz. garden centers in our small county and they are having sales now.
Plus, you don't have to play "Guess what price this is". I hate that!
Our local walmart will not sell the dying plants ... they throw them out... I have tried to buy them and the staff tells me they are not allowed to sell them.. There are very few sales and the ones that do go on sale are not marked down by much... Once a plant takes a turn for the worst, it tossed... what a waste....
I asked for some once and the worker said he couldn't give them away. He had them in a cart ready to throw away. I explained they were for a historic house and a non-profit owned it. He finally relented and gave me a bunch. I planted "some" of them at the historic house, lol.
LOL... woodspirit1... way to go... a sales person there once told me that the idea behind not selling or giving away the dying ones is that folks will buy something healthy and more expensive... I do not know if that is how they feel or not... but I think it is just one more example of them taking from communities while giving back little or nothing... oops sorry to vent... I do not care for them... I am done now... :>l
The only thing we ever got from them were donations that the employees put together. They have some kind of plan for charitable giving for those folks but not for the corporation that I have seen. Wish more companies were at least at little more like Bill Gates.
I think the plants from Walmart and other big box stores would be okay but I won't ever buy my hostas there. Had a very sick Patriot this year and I've learned my lesson.
Overall, I would give my business to the small guy because to me, that's where the knowledge base is. I don't ever want to see my local specialty nurseries and shops disappear because of saving a buck or two. If I want a camera, I go to the camera shop because I want to understand what I'm buying and I don't find that my Walmart could do that for me.
Erynne... I agree... especially in small towns ... it is best to shop with the small local stores as much as possible... the dollars stay local that way... keeps going back into the community.
Except that the question had to do with the quality of the plants.
Ah yes, you're right Nap. Threads do have a way of taking a bit of a turn off course.
Sorry Peg for my part in it.
Erynne
Well, if you get there just as the plants come in, the quality is o.k. but they don't keep them watered and in one hot day, you can see flats and flats of them wilted badly. They throw away so many because of this. I have noticed that Lowe's does much better with their plants.
Also, as said before, at Wal-mart, you often get mislabeled plants.
I sincerely apologize to Peg if I in anyway took away something from the thread... it was not my intent... I will unwatch this thread ....
This message was edited Sep 8, 2006 11:46 PM
I'm not too crazy about Shasta Daisies. I love the look of the flowers but they seeded soo much that they became invasive for me. You could pinch the mature flower heads before they dry and become a problem though. I decided to get rid of mine and I found a gailardia that has a very similar looking flower that sets sterile seed heads. It flowers about a month later than the Shasta did for me.