wanted: string of beads plant

I am looking for a string of beads plant does anyone has some cuttings or a plant? I am willing to pay for it. I think this plant is really neat and my children would enjoy it for the unique "beads" leaves it has. Thanks in advance for any help. I went to our local plant nuseries today as well as wal-mart and no one around here had any.

If you are a regular shopper at Hpme Depot, they get it in once in a while as part of the assortment of 6" hanging baskets. Keep going there and keep asking about it!

Gita

I will keep looking. I found out that my favorite local greenhouse is going to try and get some in the spring. The lady who owns it has some in her personnal greenhouse. Maybe i can talk her into giving me a few cuttings. Never hurts to ask.

They have lots of them in our local Home Depot. I will keep an eye out for pieces that have fallen off and onto the floor. I am such a scavenger. I do not break plants to get cuttings but I do look around on the floor when I'm at places like Home Depot and Walmart for pieces that have fallen on the floor. Walmart is really bad about his because when their plants come in they are wrapped up really tight in plastic and when they take the plastic off pieces go flying everywhere. They do not put much care in how they deal with their plants since most of them do not know anything about plants and probably do not care. So I'm always scavenging for odds and ends that have fallen on the floor. Does anyone else do this or am I the only weird one?

JesseK

JesseK i haven't done that but it is not a bad idea! I wish our Home Depot would get some in. I think I will go one day this week and check again.

Lots of luck with Home Depot. I was there a couple weeks ago and found about half of their plants being totally neglected. Scooped 4 or 5 into my cart anyway and asked for a discount. "No-can-do, but if they die, bring 'em back and we'll refund." I'm pretty good at rescuing orphans, but one didn't make it. I took it back, got my refund, and was told that HD was getting out of the business of house plants. That whole section was filled with outdoor furniture with nary a plant in sight! Don't know if it's nationwide or regional...
Yes, I scavange. That's why I'll take the saddest of the bunch to the register and ask for a discount. This was the first time I've been refused. And the first time I've lost one. I'm not bragging...just amazed at how resilient they are. Plus my green thumb isn't anything I do...it's just there. Don't know how or why. Just happens!

JesseK,

I so do that...I love to find pieces on the floor so that i can start my own little plant for free, but i am always afraid they will yell an say am stealing them but really i am not they will just get thrown away. I would much rather have a small plant and grow it to a bigger one then a big one all grown, ya know what i mean.

Char

You know our Home depot didn't have many house plants last time i shopped either. They need people who know how to take care of the plants. It kills me to see how badly some places let their plants go. There is no telling how many plants are killed. Makes us all want to go rescue them! Hey maybe that is what they hope for people like us to feel sorry for them and buy more lol.

I agree. Home Depot is terrible about caring for their plants. I recently asked why they were in such bad shape and hadnt been watered and they explained it was up to the vendor to come back and care for them. I couldnt believe it! One clerk said she secretly waters when managment isnt looking cause she feels sorry for them.

This message was edited Feb 21, 2006 5:27 AM

Check your local grocery store too for house plants. In my area, our grocery chain called Market Basket has a nice house plant selection and even carries orchids. I got a beautiful yellow Reiger Begonia for $3 (flowering and healthy). Right now they are carrying the 'Lucky Bamboo' plants, mini mums, african violets, orchids, begonias, etc. so many things. So check out the grocery stores too. I was shocked when I went to a local nursery and the grocery store had more selection!

I picked up a tiny one last June at a flea market and it is coming along really nicely. I saw some string of beads hanging baskets just a few days ago at HD. My HD is not as bad as what some of you are describing. I love the scavenging idea. I'll be like a little doggie looking for bits of food on the kitchen floor, only I'll be a (not so) little human looking for bits of plant matter. LOL.. Love it.
ruby

i went to our home depot and kmart as well as a local plant nursery yesterday and still came back empty handed. no one here has this plant. i am not giving up of course. i will find one eventually and i will be more proud of it because of the length of time i have been looking. i agree with you on the grocery store plants. some of the grocery stores are getting some nice plants and they seem to take care of them at the ones here better than the retail stores.

Lovesday, here's a link to eBay. Several coming up in the next day or so.
ruby

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&fstype=1&from=R10&fnu=1&xpufu=x&satitle=string+of+pearls&sacat=11700%26catref%3DC6&bs=Search&fsop=3%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=28803&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=

The same thing has happened to our Home Depot. They have moved all of the houseplants into a tiny corner and filled the entire area with furniture. I talked to the head of the department and he told me that it was not him or the store manager, but the one doing it was the regional manager. This guy that I was talking to has a degree in horticulture. He is retired but works there just to have something to do. He has started his own business raising and selling plants but he has just gotten started so doesn't have anything to sell yet. He feels so bad for all of the plants and tries to do what he can but it is the same here as with the other stores. It is almost like they get in trouble for taking care of the plants. I think that is so sad.

JesseK

I saw one at our HD the other day, and almost bought it. They are really cool plants. Most of the plants seem fairly well cared for here, thank goodness.
Sharon

I was in charge of the WHOLE Greenhouse at my HD for 41/2 years. It took me 6 months of going there and begging to be hired so I could work in this Department. Did my darnest to keep it clean, pretty and fresh. In all those years, MY Greenhouse got to be one of the best ones in town, because I LOVE palnts and took good care of them. My customers counted on me for honest, down-to-Earth advice as well. I
ordered most of my own plants and tried for a nice diversity--Orchids, Interesting tropicals, Water fountains, Bonsai, Tillandsias, dish gardens, great advice on ponds and pond supplies, etc.

You will not see this level of devotion as I had in your avarage HD. The plant dept. is only as good as the person taking care of it! It IS a full-time job, but no one else thinks so! I was always accused of spending too much time in the Greenhouse and not in the other areas of Garden. Sad!

You are right, Jessie, nobody gives a Plants are dispensible and such a small %'age of the srote's income that they do not matter!
One would have to sell several thousand plants to equal one sale of a John Deere Tractor or a big shed! SO! Who cares about the plants? They are all "transitional" and disposable. It is the true plant lovers, that try to keep everything in good condition, with NO help from the management, that make a houseplant department look great. We are few and far apart! Lucky are the stores that have one! Luckier are all the customers that shop there!

I have not worked in garden now for 21/2 years, but it still kills me to see all the plants that are neglected and diseased, and they will not spend a dime to sparay the greenhouses or to get someone else to water all the racks and racks of Holiday plants that are just sitting there dying. In the BIG picture--plants are a drop in the bucket! Sad--but true!!!

Now, due to bad knees and old age, I am a Phone Operator sitting on my "can" and answering/dispersing all the calls that come into the store. I miss Garden, but I have made peace with that feeling and have NO desire to return to it in the capacity I was back then. I would still love to work with plants, but on a much smaller scale somewhere else. NO pressure--just good customer service!

Also, nowadays, all the staff in the average HD is cut to the bone, just so they can make all their millions and "make their plan" for the given quarter. There are hardly enough people to service the customer. No service--NO sales! NO sales--fewer employees--Fewer employees--less service--less service, less sales.....etc. It is a sad cycle.

If you have never worked in B-I-G retail, you have NO idea! It is all greed--no matter WHAT the cost to the employees, management or the customer. It does not matter how BIG the company is! HD, Lowes, Wall Mart, Target, JC Pennys, etc.

Well! I feel better now!!! :o) Gita

Thanks indy for the ebay link i did place a bid on one. Gita stores need more employees like you who really care. I hope i win the bid!!!!! Yall all cross your finger for me lol!