tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post8898906437055718470..comments2024-03-27T07:35:21.832-07:00Comments on Plants are the Strangest People: 6 Things They Don't Want You to Know About the Plantsmr_subjunctivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-72723122940171859002010-09-22T15:44:10.760-07:002010-09-22T15:44:10.760-07:00Congrats! I just found this post on stumbleupon.....Congrats! I just found this post on stumbleupon... I've been stumbling your stuff for a while now so I like to think I helped...Steve Asbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00095474295719758914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-9564583819121657852010-08-17T19:35:03.097-07:002010-08-17T19:35:03.097-07:00Re: the mystery plant.
Honey, it could be a hoy...Re: the mystery plant. <br /><br />Honey, it could be a hoya and you will delight us with it. Not to worry.Jennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15597630887713954960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-86114930978753663602010-08-17T19:32:57.294-07:002010-08-17T19:32:57.294-07:00"but what kind of nutbar is going to fill the...<em>"but what kind of nutbar is going to fill their house with hundreds of houseplants? I mean, seriously, you'd never be finished watering. It'd be insane."</em><br /><br />I love your footnotes.Jennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15597630887713954960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-58640485072847400842010-08-17T15:22:50.435-07:002010-08-17T15:22:50.435-07:00Ivynettle:
Yeah, it's not fun. I usually side...Ivynettle:<br /><br />Yeah, it's not fun. I usually sided with the plant and customer, as opposed to the business, and tried to match person and plant as well as possible, but of course that also sometimes led to people leaving without buying anything. <br /><br />On the other hand, I could also honestly say that I'd grown most of the plants at home myself, which I like to think helped mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-6581598734961071012010-08-17T14:10:11.265-07:002010-08-17T14:10:11.265-07:00I have to say, I love it when you try to be honest...I have to say, I love it when you try to be honest with a customer, to hold their hand and guide them to what they really need, but no, they're going to insist if they buy this Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and plant it outside (Zone 7 at best), because it's next to a dryer vent it will be OK.<br /><br />She would not listen. I could not budge her opinion. I hope that plant blooms it's Jordan in Oregonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04290439051558323819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-15807834285776160812010-08-17T13:04:07.659-07:002010-08-17T13:04:07.659-07:00Sometimes, it's hard to walk that line between...Sometimes, it's hard to walk that line between telling enough truth that I can still respect myself and keeping enough quiet/phrasing it in such a way that I can still sell the plant.<br />If only my bosses didn't bring in plants we already know will be difficult... those poor Nepenthes...Ivynettlehttp://ivynettle.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-72674219749839929762010-08-17T11:49:16.030-07:002010-08-17T11:49:16.030-07:00Wow, that was one heck of a detailed and informati...Wow, that was one heck of a detailed and informative post - thanks! I completely agree btw - I found out pretty much all the points you made myself (in other words, the hard way), having bought plants from stores and growers throughout '08 and the first half of '09. <br /><br />I also couldn't help but notice that beautiful photo of the Alocasia amazonica. They are sold here sometimesAmhttp://somethinghere.com/grownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-78960760601713765282010-08-17T09:49:28.372-07:002010-08-17T09:49:28.372-07:00GardenMom:
It's true that no amount of scrut...GardenMom: <br /><br />It's true that no amount of scrutiny is going to be able to catch <i>every</i> potential bug problem. And I actually don't always remember to look, especially if I'm really excited about a particular find. But knowing what infestations look like has at least saved me quite a bit of grief.<br /><br />And yeah, when the bugs get bugs, it's probably time to mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-37565999683636493912010-08-17T08:59:43.608-07:002010-08-17T08:59:43.608-07:00I think that, though garden centers risk loosing a...I think that, though garden centers risk loosing a sale when they don't tell a customer the truth about a plant, they risk convincing someone that they "don't have a green thumb" if they sell them crappy or hard to grow plants as if they were easy.Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14433418903218452909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-85536537839456995522010-08-17T08:45:55.114-07:002010-08-17T08:45:55.114-07:00There are two more things that they don't tell...There are two more things that they don't tell us.<br /><br />1. They use certain chemical to make plants look short and compact, e.g. Ficus microcarpa. They sell it as bonsai, but the new shoots are so long, as it could be a hanging plant. In fact the plant isn't suitable to grow as bonsai.<br /><br />2. Flower bulbs like tulip and hippeastrum. All of them said if you do this and that, Hanhttp://www.flickr.com/people/hankeat01/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-30970777962079156242010-08-17T08:31:54.839-07:002010-08-17T08:31:54.839-07:00Ha ha...I meant plants that must have been infeste...Ha ha...I meant plants that must have been infested with bugs. It's REALLY bad when your bugs are infested with bugs. jeez.GardenMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10583373530917618835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-86562247656516986882010-08-17T08:29:35.754-07:002010-08-17T08:29:35.754-07:00Interesting post. It's true, if you garden lon...Interesting post. It's true, if you garden long enough, you will figure most of these things out on your own, but it is hard on the new or slow-learning gardener (lol). I have plants I buy at Lowe's and Walmart, and there are things I only buy at independent garden centers. I also check plants thoroughly for bugs now, after a few unpleasant experiences with bugs that must have been GardenMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10583373530917618835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-57565267229388133272010-08-17T08:19:36.498-07:002010-08-17T08:19:36.498-07:00Great post! I once heard a garden center employee...Great post! I once heard a garden center employee at Lowe's tell a customer not to buy the tomatoes yet, since it was still well before the last frost date and it was destined to die. I admired her honesty.<br /><br />Haha re: the suffocation. The air quality benefit claims have always cracked me up. I'm guessing that you have problems at home with rapid oxidation of iron and Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12589473046882217457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-77715930022960995602010-08-17T08:18:49.064-07:002010-08-17T08:18:49.064-07:00Ginny Burton:
See, now I'm worried that every...Ginny Burton:<br /><br />See, now I'm worried that everybody's built it up to be something really amazing when it's not. It's a perfectly ordinary species of plant, but a variety I hadn't previously seen in person and never expected to see. Working towards a post which includes it tomorrow, though it could be Thursday.<br /><br />Paul:<br /><br />The Lowe's near me is not mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-85529341051336661092010-08-17T07:51:09.814-07:002010-08-17T07:51:09.814-07:00Thanks for the great post. It's so true...that...Thanks for the great post. It's so true...that alocasia is not easy to grow here in Tucson:(Rohrerbothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02136631378931478644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-69773717549348268882010-08-17T06:51:58.949-07:002010-08-17T06:51:58.949-07:00Re: Lowe's availability. I may just be lucky,...Re: Lowe's availability. I may just be lucky, but Lowe's in Austin has a surprisingly decent variety- way better than Sears, HD, or WM. I haven't been disappointed with the quality, either. I got my San Pedro cactus there and it's tripled in size since Feb.<br /><br />HD, on the other hand, sold me late blight tomatoes and mislabeled peppers last year (they were supposed to be Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17083803851861243093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-13980102800428686432010-08-17T06:26:12.854-07:002010-08-17T06:26:12.854-07:00I got a big chuckle out of reading footnote 3 and ...I got a big chuckle out of reading footnote 3 and then checking your current number of plants. ;)CelticRosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-84821153210597442532010-08-17T03:14:56.432-07:002010-08-17T03:14:56.432-07:00Wonderful post, but what about the really cool pla...Wonderful post, but what about the really cool plant you just bought? I was looking forward to seeing what it is. <br /><br />It's not nice to tease, Mr_S.Ginny Burtonhttp://www.burtonoptician.com/noreply@blogger.com