Lowes & Walmarts seedling prices

I couldn't believe this past season of vegetables and flowers at these 2 stores.
These large stores must be selling these items on consignment now.
$3.68 for a plant, just one plant. Their really nice looking plants though.
Fortunately for me I had everything I needed started this year.

I see the same thing at Home Depot. Also their prices for any combo of plants in a basket can be high, and for hanging baskets, wow! Mid 20's and up for the latter, even small ones.

Of course, everybody has to make a living, and I don't blame them for trying to. But for most of their plants, there are quite a few cheaper options elsewhere.

I was amazed at how much they are charging for plants as well. Even some of the local nurseries seem to have raised their prices quite a bit. It used to be a six pack of plants now many of the plants come in a four pack at last year's price for a six.

Walmart, HD, and Lowes all carry Bonnie Plants.  Lowes is usually great at marking down plants that are damaged or not looking well.  When I asked about some really rough looking Bonnie Plants, I was told Bonnie will not allow them to mark down for quick sale, but they must either return or destroy.  I will admit I've never seen a Bonnie Plant on a markdown shelf.

Kay

+1 Kay! I ran into that too.

I purchased a sweet potato vine at Early may for $4.99 (ouch)...then found a nine-pack at Lowe's (comparable size) for $2.88.

I also just checked on a 1 gal butterfly milkweed at a local landscape center...$22.99...double ouch.  No way am I paying that much.

On the other hand, I sold plenty of veggie seedlings to my fellow community garden for $1.50 ea.

I rarely buy vegetables at big box stores, or even nurseries, because they mostly don't carry heirlooms, and I'm not willing to pay for something I can start myself.

However, I do purchase perennials at my local "ma and pop" nurseries, some of them in the "back woods", off the beaten path.  Normally, I'll buy a non-hybrid plant, such as milkweed for example, and my plan is to harvest the seed and start them over the winter indoors.  I can buy a $5 plant at the nursery, harvest the seed, and have many more ready for the next year.  It's a slow way to start a garden, but an economical one.  I've spent about $200 on perennial pollinator attracting plants this year, and my garden looks sparse, but it won't be next year!

From: a DIY'er from Kansas

Slim...I am close to you and have been looking for milkweed plants in our area...I'm looking for Butterfly Milkweed as well as the Tropical/ Scarlet Milkweed (I planted seeds yesterday...a bit late).  I also have some contacts that will gather seed of a handful of other native varieties in August. 

Do you have any seedlings available?  Do you know of any for sale in our area?  I refuse to pay high prices for nursery plants ($8 at Earl May and I saw a price tag of $12.99 on a 1 gal. butterfly milkweed a few days ago...ouch.).

For some reason my butterfly milkweed did not survive the winter...I dug up the root just a few days ago when no green had appeared yet.

All of my seedlings are in the ground -- I have been able to find seed at places like Family Tree & Nursery.
Check out Vinland Valley Nursery in Baldwin City, KS -- it looks a little rough, but they have a TON of plants, cheap.  If I recall, I got several milkweeds for about $5 a plant in quart sized pots.  It's worth the drive.

walshevak wrote:Walmart, HD, and Lowes all carry Bonnie Plants.  Lowes is usually great at marking down plants that are damaged or not looking well.  When I asked about some really rough looking Bonnie Plants, I was told Bonnie will not allow them to mark down for quick sale, but they must either return or destroy.  I will admit I've never seen a Bonnie Plant on a markdown shelf.

Kay

Bonnie employees, wearing tee shirts with their names on were going through racks of veggies last week and tossing out the odd looking pots. They made sure it was destroyed beyond repair...this was at Lowes

My wife made up 4 hanging baskets for our porch, flowers cost between 3 & 4 dollars, we had the baskets and MM was used. these pics were from 3 weeks ago and their much nicer now that the weather is stable.

When Lowe's had their 2/$5 sale on Bonnie's vegetable plants, I made my husband crazy as I searched through all the plants to find a cherry tomato with two stems and a jalapeno pepper with two stems. So, 4 plants for $5!  

manda99 wrote:When Lowe's had their 2/$5 sale on Bonnie's vegetable plants, I made my husband crazy as I searched through all the plants to find a cherry tomato with two stems and a jalapeno pepper with two stems. So, 4 plants for $5!  

I did the same thing for some plants this year.

Kay