Almost Puked Today

I went to what used to be my favorite HD today. As I was browsing around the poorly kept plants, I spotted a large Schefflera that had scale. I've never seen a plant so infested with scale in my life. Every leaf had gobs of scale and the excrement was dripping everywhere. As if that weren't bad enough, they had it jammed up against a palm and another Schefflera. They had the audacity to have marked this plant down from $69.99 to $39.99. I was APPALLED and DISGUSTED!!! When I finished gathering myself, I walked to the front of the store and asked one of the cashiers for the name of the GH manager. They only could tell me his first name and last initial. She asked if there was a problem. I looked at her and as calmly as I could, explained that it was a travesty for them to be selling an infested plant such as the one in the back of the store. I explained in great detail about scale and how they multiply and spread and eventually kill the plant. I also explained that it would be completely unfair and unethical of them to sell that plant to some poor unsuspecting soul thinking they were getting a "deal" on a large plant. She must have been moved by what must have been horror on my face and desperation in my voice, for she asked if I would show her the plant. Of course I will, come with me please! This poor woman was just placating me because she had no idea what the HE DOULBE HOCKEY STICKS I was talking about! At least she listened to me go on and on about the dangers of selling this infested plant. She said that she would tell some manager on duty. I thanked her for listening to me rant and told her that I would still be writing a letter to the store manager and the GH manager. I know, I know. They don't give a rats hiney about those plants or my complaint, but it's the principle. I love plants and cannot let my concern go unheard. Heck, I could even write a letter to corporate.

I'm hopping down off my soapbox now. Thanks for listening.

GH

While it is awful what you found, I have to say I'm not really surprised! I've never seen anything that bad at the HD near me, but I do quarantine any plants I buy from them until I can know for sure that they don't have anything nasty on them because I know they don't take good care of their plants.

Yes...usually Lowe's tries to separate their bad plants and put a 75% off dot on them. But last time I was there, a particularly nastly looking something was next to some gorgeous begonia riegers. I picked up the one I loved the most and sure enough, I found webbing underneath those leaves. *sigh* I bet those employees would hate me if I worked there. lol

I doubt it would be the employees, but the plant vendors maybe

I can't tell you how many times I've looked at plants that I really wanted only to find some ickiness with a plant scourge. usually it's the mealies.

I ****think***** that all Home Depots are now contracting out their plant care?????? The woman who spoke with me yesterday said that they have a "team of people" who come in and take care of the plants. She went on to say that one woman upset her because she was always pushing for the plant dept. to open early so that all of her plants could be sold.

My local Home Depot indoor plant section is HORRIBLE. There is nowhere near enough light and everything is crammed together. "Team of people"? They must be somewhere else in MY HD other than the plant section!

My local Lowes is FAR better.

Tom

Same here - my local HD is so sad, its unbelieveable. The new one that just opened a few months ago seems to be pretty good SO FAR, but only time will tell.

I was in WM the other day and saw a huge Euphorbia that had lots of mealy bugs on it. There was a huge spider building webs on it too. They also had several other cacti and succulents that were near death sitting on the same table. All these plants were still marked at original price, with the Euphorbia marked at $29.95. I wasn't able to find an associate to talk to that day, unfortunately. It's sad that store employees don't notice these things and remove the plants from sale.

The condition of the HD plants totally SICKENS me!
Many times I have gone to HD to find plants totally crispy and brown. Our HD has "out sourced" the plant department to an outside company who in my opinion only come when they feel like it. Do you know that the HD employees won't even water the plants? Nope. Totally bone dry, cripy and crying they don't bother to even give them a drink. Makes me FURIOUS!
The vendors stop by and drop off new plants and don't even take the old plants back with them nor do they mark them down. The same dead plants are sitting there full price week after week.
Our new Lowe's has opened and SO FAR they are much better. However, I did tell an associate there and brought them over to show them that the string of nickels, the string of pearls and the string of bananas they were selling could not be sitting in so much water. As I explained to this to him I was tipping the pot and water was just pouring out. Needless to say....3 days later I went to check on the plants and all of those succulent darlings were DEAD and rotting. Breaks my heart.
I get SO UPSET with these stores but they can mark their clocks....I'm there once a week grabbing one of them to show them something they are doing wrong and every single time....nothing changes. It's gotten to the point that when I walk in Home Depot the garden department kids know me and start heading the other way. It used to bother me that they felt they had to run from me but I'm there to advocate for the plants and always smile and try to explain as nicely as I can.

This is a soapbox I will gladly jump on board with as in Maine we don't have alot of choices other than Lowe's or HD and it disgusts me to no end! It's so nice that there is this family at Dave's who can totally understand the feelings associated with such abuse to these living gifts from God.

Kim

Our Lowe's has a policy (and they announce it with great pride) that they water their plants EVERY DAY. That's nothing to be proud of...

Man we just got home from Lowes and I always do a "drive by" on the garden center. All the inside plants were dead. Rotten AVs, Cacti etc. Those in the GC part were in agony. Water every day is anybodys' guess. What idiots....

Don't you envy those who have a Box Store nearby with plants that are cared for??

I haven't been to our nearest (70+ mile drive) HD lately...but the last time I was there, there was a large group of floor plants in 10" pots...mostly Majesty Palms, Yucca, Scheffleras, etc.......*smack dab* in the middle of this group was a Majesty palm whose fronds were *covered* with mealy bugs....and the nearby plants had fairly large infestations, as well.
From a distance, it looked like a large spreading white star!

I'm sure it was only a short matter of time before all the plants were well-infested, and I'm sure that many of those plants were also sold to unsuspecting customers!

It's really something that angers me, Nan. They should give ME the job of GH manager. Plant sales would soar and customers would actually be happy with their purchases. Imagine that.

:)

I second that emotion, GH!!
Go on and apply for it!

(Now *that's* a plant department I'd visit with confidence!!! :)

Saturday ,I was at our local HD looking for spaghnum peat moss to store my bulbs in this winter. They were marking a new shipment of Angel Exotics" outside and it was sleeting and soon changed to snow. Wind chill was around 15 degrees. I told them they should be getting them inside, and was told they had "forgot" about the order and had filled the houseplant section with Christmas items so they couldn't take them indoors. I said you better sell them at 1/2 price to get them sold quickly. They said they couldn't mark them down. because they'd lose too much money. If they died, they got to charge them back and it wouldn't be a loss. What a pity! They had the best plants that I had ever seen them sell. Large healthy hanging baskets and full four inch pots. Oh well, I quess that's just the way it is. I hated to see them all die in one day because of neglect. Lou

editted for spelling

This message was edited Nov 13, 2006 5:50 PM

Oh, Lou! That's such a shame!

Personally....I think I'd report that to the EA wholesaler.....I think they take a lot of pride in the plants they send out, and they wouldn't be too happy to hear about the store's lack of interest in getting them indoors!!

Our Walmart did the same thing last year!! I told them it was expected to freeze that night and they said their manager wouldn't let them bring the new plants inside. There were maybe 40-50 of those large sized plants!! They said they had a new manager and he didn't *like* the gardening department. Don't know how true that is, but really...HOW DUMB!!

Last year our WM left the WHOLE SHIPMENT of Chritmas Cactus out in the freezing cold. 2 days later they were all mush and sitting there still full priced. My heart bled in pain. I can't tell you how upset I get when I see things like that. It's like leaving your kids outside in the snow with no boots on. GRRRRRR these stories are heartbreaking.

You know, when you have a plant at home and you're taking care of it to the best of your ability and it slowly dies, at least it dies peacefully and while being loved.

When whole shipments of plants are the responsibility of people who just don't care and they are left to die a fierce hard death....THAT IS ABUSE in my opinion.

Kim

The state should get involved

LOL...well, maybe not the state...but *WE* should!
We should report these things to their suppliers....if we can find out who they are...because in a way, if they're getting credit....it's theft, isn't it?
Unethical business practice, to say the least!

You guys are right- it IS unethical. It IS abuse. I was kidding about the state, though. ; )

This is off-topic, but when I was preggers, I was joking with some people that I'd name him Bubba. One girl I didn't know very well took me seriously and said it was just wrong to name a boy that and she would call SRS on me. lol Well, when I was in the hospital, an SRS lady came to talk to me. She was INTERVIEWING ME and didn't tell me why!! So I started wondering if the girl had called after all! haha!! But apparently, I found out they have someone talk to all the parents who have babies in the NICU. lol

So I was kinda thinking about that incident when I posted that about the state. Okay, back to plants now. ; )

LOL!!
Well, you can name your son 'Bubba' if you wish....I've certainly heard worse:) !!
Must admit, I'd have wondered, too!

I knew you weren't serious 'bout that, btw!

I still think that just leaving the plants in the cold, knowing they'll "get credit"....amounts to THEFT!

I worked at HD last fall/winter.....I was hired as a cashier. I asked to work in the garden section because I know more about gardening then anyone else working there. What an eye opener! You're right about them not caring about the plants, because they were mostly "pay by scan". The department head (who knows nothing about plants) was never outside, a couple of the garden associates had 15-20 years experience in other areas! (like plumbing, and painting) Why they wouldn't use them in their "area of expertise" is beyond me!
Anyway, I (as a cashier) had the garden section looking pretty good. I didn't want to be put in the lawn and garden department....then I'd have to deal with lawn mowers, bbq pits, and storage bldgs., instead of plants! Can you imagine how frustrated I was!
After I was there for a while, I became comfortable enough to start asking questions, (which is where the trouble began)...."why is it done this way?", "why can't we take care of plants properly?", "why are you all so STUPID!". The new cashier department head was very challenged by me. She would put me on an inside register on a busy garden week end, knowing that the cashier outside had bad allergies, and would probably have to call in sick the next morning. Just to flex her "department head" muscles.
Then there was the time that I came in to work (last Feb.) on a below freezing day....I had the 3-8 shift. Well, the "muscle flexing" department head thinks I should go outside...I refused, bringing up the fact that because the garden center register was closed the day before, (due to below freezing weather, no customers, and the plants are covered up) I didn't dress warm enough. Remember, I live close to Houston, our blood is real thin!). After some words, I got to talk to the Manager on Duty. He said he would close the garden center early...so I went out, sat with my feet on the heater, and did nothing for 2 hours. He calls me back saying that I have to stay out there 3 more hours....I told him I needed my 15 minute break....when my relief came, I went to the lunchroom, cleaned out my locker, clocked out, and never went back! I've never done anything like that before!!!
So....plant buyer BEWARE....cuz HD don't CARE!
My next epic will be about my 3 month fiasco at LOWE'S......
I'll never work for a big company again. I now have a wonderful job at a retail business that specializes in trees, with a few perenials, and lots of Texas Native Plants!
Sorry for the length of this message, I just want people to know what they are getting....please support the "mom & pop operations", even if you think it will be a little higher in price,( you will probably be surprised that there is not much difference.) They will know their product, be more courteous, and if they don't have it, they can usually get it for you.....

Amen, Amen, Amen! I agree about the M & P operations. They usually have a better selection and most are more courteous. The best thing is, there is usually one person there that knows a lot about plants. Thank you for that very enlightening post.

GH

I prefer the small nurseries as well. They actually listen to you and try to be of help. If you ask them to order something they usually comply. It's horrible to see how some of the food, etc. big box stores neglect their stock because they get full credit for whatever isn't sold.

Just saw this thread and thought it would be appropriate to post it here:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/649881/

I'm with Pirl, I'm buying from nurseries near me and those with good ratings here on DG. I've gotten good buys, even after paying shipping, and lots of after-sales help too from the on-line vendors, many of whom are fellow DGers.
I used to envy those of you who picked up great bargains at HD or WM, but I'll be envious no more.

Another benefit to small local nurseries is that if you have a surplus of daylilies or hosta, etc. quite often you can make a good deal with them. That's not true of any of the big chains. I swap hosta for plants or cash.

The HD close to my home just opened about a year and a half ago and they are sooooooo bad with the care of their houseplants. I went there 2 days ago and they are just about all dead! It was a horrible scene and I felt awful for the plants. I mean, they have the plants in their greenhouse, however a door is open to the outside, which the temp has been around 15 to 20 degrees. It is way too cold for these plants to withstand. I am going to call the manager and complain, because it is still bugging me even though I was there 2 days ago. I mean they had all their tropicals right near the cold draft and they have not all been watered!! Lowe's takes better care of their plants by far than HD or Walmart.

BJ's is the worst! Well, around here they're the worst.

Don't they have agricultural inspecttors? In this state they would have their license taken away. The problem is that people buy those sick plant, and pay for them. Happy to get them so cheap. As long as we buy them they will sell them. Norma

Don't they have agricultural inspectors? In this state they would have their licence/ license taken away. The problem is that people buy those sick plant, and pay for them. Happy to get them so cheap. As long as we buy them they will sell them. It's really our fault. Norma