Musings of the big box stores

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KBGkicksazz
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Musings of the big box stores

Post by KBGkicksazz » May 12th, 2019, 6:56 am

Today was one of those where I had to visit Lowe’s and Home Depot.

1. Many stores in NH are out of stock of Milorganite. The HD that had it about half of the bags had huge holes in them.

2. Good deals on herbicides at Lowes. Had a bunch of 32 oz WBG marked clearance for $4 so I grabbed a stash. I’m guessing someone had no idea that it’s peak season for it...

3. The mind games on central AC filters is comical with their labelling.

4. Not easy to find a metal watering can only metal one I found was at HD. there was only one option which was a galvanised can with two copper bands and copper head so I bought it. Tired of plastic cans blowing in the wind and eventually cracking.

5. The pre mixed and pre canned 2 and 4 stroke non ethanol fuel is expensive. I only use in some of my equipment that doesn’t run regularly.

6. I have become a plant snob. Other than hostas, daylillies and other simple plants when I go to big box stores there plants are often from much farther south and not native hardy. Getting harder and harder to find stuff I’m willing to pay for at big box garden centers for plants.

7. Saw a guy loading an F150 with untold number of bags of mulch. He could have had more material delivered to his driveway for less than all those bags. No need to throw all that plastic away, no opening 50 bags, etc. I need to market dirt and mulch to big box stores it’s got to be a huge money maker.

8. The 10% military discount is really nice. Lowe’s has an automated system that verifies your info online and then I only give my phone number at check out. Wish HD would do the same as they require physical proof so I have to remember to carry my VA card everytime I go to HD. I realize this is a generous benefit of the stores to offer the discount but Lowes has the better system.

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andy10917
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Re: Musings of the big box stores

Post by andy10917 » May 12th, 2019, 7:31 am

6. I have become a plant snob. Other than hostas, daylillies and other simple plants when I go to big box stores there plants are often from much farther south and not native hardy. Getting harder and harder to find stuff I’m willing to pay for at big box garden centers for plants.
I barely ever buy plants any more from the big-box stores. On top of what you wrote, the low-price mass production suppliers do not practice safe growing and shipping practices. The Early-Blight, Downy Mildew (impatiens) and Hosta Virus X mass infections of large areas of the US in recent years have been traced back to big-box retail suppliers. Since I have many hundreds of Hosta, I know that smaller or specialty suppliers know how to avoid Hosta Virus X contamination, but I see the signs of HVX infected Hosta at the big-box stores pretty regularly. Prune one infected plant while tidying up a bed and you can infect all the others you use the same pair of clippers on. I am not about to lose some precious mature specimens I have nurtured for 25 years to save a dollar on a plant at HD.

KBGkicksazz
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Re: Musings of the big box stores

Post by KBGkicksazz » May 12th, 2019, 8:13 am

I probably have about 50-75 hosta now. If I need another I’ll just take divisions off what I have.

I’ve also learned that hosta can easily handle what some might consider sunny areas by ticking them next to other plants and it really dresses up the beds and less maintenance on mulch and weeds.

How do you clean your shears between plants?

I have a local nursery I really like. Many of their plants come out of WI and MN so they are tolerant of NH winters. I did extensive new landscaping last year and we had a bad winter with very cold and windy weather but light snow fall. The only plants I lost were from Lowes. The nursery plants are thriving and blooming.


andy10917 wrote:
May 12th, 2019, 7:31 am
6. I have become a plant snob. Other than hostas, daylillies and other simple plants when I go to big box stores there plants are often from much farther south and not native hardy. Getting harder and harder to find stuff I’m willing to pay for at big box garden centers for plants.
I barely ever buy plants any more from the big-box stores. On top of what you wrote, the low-price mass production suppliers do not practice safe growing and shipping practices. The Early-Blight, Downy Mildew (impatiens) and Hosta Virus X mass infections of large areas of the US in recent years have been traced back to big-box retail suppliers. Since I have many hundreds of Hosta, I know that smaller or specialty suppliers know how to avoid Hosta Virus X contamination, but I see the signs of HVX infected Hosta at the big-box stores pretty regularly. Prune one infected plant while tidying up a bed and you can infect all the others you use the same pair of clippers on. I am not about to lose some precious mature specimens I have nurtured for 25 years to save a dollar on a plant at HD.

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andy10917
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Re: Musings of the big box stores

Post by andy10917 » May 12th, 2019, 8:25 am

How do you clean your shears between plants?
Use a bucket dip of bleach (1:1 bleach/water), or you can use rubbing alcohol, ammonia, or Lysol between each plant.

killerv
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Re: Musings of the big box stores

Post by killerv » May 13th, 2019, 2:25 pm

Whatever...

I'll never mix gas again. All my headaches went away once I started buying the premixed stuff. Expensive is rebuilding carbs and fighting with small engines when you could have been done doing whatever if you'd have just bought premixed to begin with.

If a guy wants to load up a bunch of bags of mulch instead of buying in bulk good for him. I deal with the same thing with top soil, I've bought a load saving a few bucks, but the soil all over the bed of my truck, the shoveling, and transporting, etc....it was easy to just carry a bag to where I needed it and put it out. It's worth the 10 dollar difference to me.

Filters have different ratings for a reason. I have a small woodworking shop and run a few different systems.


KBGkicksazz
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Re: Musings of the big box stores

Post by KBGkicksazz » May 13th, 2019, 8:25 pm

I’m saying I can have the mulch delivered and dumped in my driveway for less than what people pay to go to the store, lug it to the check out, put it in the car, then lug it again and all that plastic the throw away.

39 bucks a yard with a 20 delivery charge.

Wheelbarrow and pitch fork and viola done.

No need to even put it in my vehicles...
killerv wrote:
May 13th, 2019, 2:25 pm
Whatever...

I'll never mix gas again. All my headaches went away once I started buying the premixed stuff. Expensive is rebuilding carbs and fighting with small engines when you could have been done doing whatever if you'd have just bought premixed to begin with.

If a guy wants to load up a bunch of bags of mulch instead of buying in bulk good for him. I deal with the same thing with top soil, I've bought a load saving a few bucks, but the soil all over the bed of my truck, the shoveling, and transporting, etc....it was easy to just carry a bag to where I needed it and put it out. It's worth the 10 dollar difference to me.

Filters have different ratings for a reason. I have a small woodworking shop and run a few different systems.

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HoosierLawnGnome
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Re: Musings of the big box stores

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » May 14th, 2019, 7:05 pm

Around here I can get a cubic yard of mulch in bags for less than a cubic yard of bulk mulch if I get it at the right time.

It's cheaper stuff with dye that washes off sooner and isn't as finely ground, BUT - if you have to add a lot you can put the cheap stuff on the bottom and good stuff on top.

I usually load up my trailer 2 yards at a time and forgo delivery charges, pull it around to my beds and toss it in from there.

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