late frost = early plant sale

A quick stop at Lowes netted me a sale on Bonnie 4 cell veggies.

Lowes got a delivery on Mon and we had a serious frost Mon night. All the 4 cell Veggies were marked down from $1.88 to $.99. Marigold 4 cells $.47 and petunia large 4 cells $1.00. I went for red lettuce seed and came home with red sails transplants, swiss chard transplants, and habenero pepper transplants. A litttle frost damage on the outleaves, but the centers and under leaves were in good shape. Too late to plant by the time I got, but hoping for some dryer weather and a bit of sun soon. We are past the average frost date, but not yet at the last frost date. I only had cool weather crops out and they all did fine. Only the potatos even look like they got frost nipped.

Good news, my local nursery IS still carrying mushroom compost. Bought 2 bags. I'll use part of it for a 5 compost blend to have on hand for second plantings. I'm trying to reclaim 2 flower beds in the front of the house. Last tenants neglected it completely. I would love to put a Japanese inspired garden (with pond) in the 8x10 space under the living room windows, but that's not happening this year.

Kay

Save your receipt, Lowe's has a money back promise on plants. I buy half dead things there all the time, they will refund you. I bought 2 half dead in a gallon pot marigolds last year, dug a hole, filled it with fish emulsion, stuck them in and babied them for 2 weeks. Those things took over last year. I saved all the dead heads, and left the plant out all winter, pulling the rest of the dead blooms this spring. I have baby marigolds all over my garden, all from those two half dead plants that I paid just under $4 for.

My flower beds are blooming away from 47cent panseys from last fall. I lost a few over the winter, but most are doing fine. The heat will eventually get them.

Serves the big box stores right for putting things out for sale, at top prices, 3 to 4 weeks ahead of local frost dates....the criminals. I get chippy when big companies take advantage of the ignorant in the name of profits. It really chaps me.

I'm all for making a buck. But, doing so....ethically.

I agree, but I also went to the local feed store a month ago and they had plants out. The guy said he tried to warn one lady it was too early to set them out, just put them in bigger pots for now, and she insisted on getting them and setting them out. He said I sold them to her, and I'll sell her more when she comes back. Sometimes people just have to learn, like me I bought brussels sprouts cuz they were available, they are suposed to be ano go here in the spring, but I'm trying anyway.

It would be nice if they had planting guides for the area and sold region specific plants, maybe if enough of us experience gardeners made enough noise, there would be more info at these stores, and fewer gardeners would give up, and we would all have food.

FarmerValerie wrote:It would be nice if they had planting guides for the area and sold region specific plants, maybe if enough of us experience gardeners made enough noise, there would be more info at these stores, and fewer gardeners would give up, and we would all have food.

I understand what you are saying, to be sure, but it would behoove the gardener, noob or veteran to take the time to educate themselves to their climate, their yard, their soil makeup and the plants that can be supported in it. Success can be achieved. There is sooooooooo much good info and charts and stuff on the web or the library shelf, one just has to look.

Unfortunately we live in a world where "self-education" is almost non existant. I am doing my darndest to teach my kiddos to think for themselves, and when they ask a question, I send them to my set of encyclopedias...........

But then we'd be upset when we couldn't find things available yet when we're trying to push the envelope with hoop houses and such.

BYBG-looks like eliephant trumped you!!!

FarmerValerie wrote:BYBG-looks like eliephant trumped you!!!

Yuppers. As Ashton Kutcher used to say on That 70's Show......BUUUUUUURN! Very nicely played.

But, in all seriousness, I think that is such a minority of the population. The big boxes are obviously preying on the ignorant. Besides, I start from seeds, myself. I imagine most people that know enough to extend their seasons are avid enough gardners that they, too, are starting stuff from seed so they don't have to depend on the box stores to get started. Heck, I imagine anyone requesting seed catalogs would do the same this early in the season. But, I dunno.

I think we would all agree that 90%+ of people buying tomatoes 4 weeks before their frost dates are just assuming Lowe's knows the local area and is giving permission to plant.......because Lowe's wouldn't cost themselves money by losing to a freeze.

But those of us that know better.....we wait for the freeze and things to go on sale.....