I would think hitting the grocery stores, Walmart, Target and places like that after the holidays for plants would be a great place. They rarely have dedicated staff to those departments and the plants are just water and sun deprived.

I need to remember to go and check out some cheap plants. My husband is tired of my succulents/cacti and wants something more "pretty".

I rescued a few hanging planters last weekend. Had been to a favorite local nursery and then stopped at a Lowes on the way home to get something non-garden related. Saw some totally dead plants in 6" hanging baskets. Finally found a clerk who sold them both to me for $.50 plus tax. Got home and dumped out the dead plants and viola! now have a couple of 6" planters that I can hang or just use as a bowl shaped planter. I'm happy.

TXFlowerChild, brilliant!

tx_flower_child said:I rescued a few hanging planters last weekend. Had been to a favorite local nursery and then stopped at a Lowes on the way home to get something non-garden related. Saw some totally dead plants in 6" hanging baskets. Finally found a clerk who sold them both to me for $.50 plus tax. Got home and dumped out the dead plants and viola! now have a couple of 6" planters that I can hang or just use as a bowl shaped planter. I'm happy.

O...M...G. that is brilliant.

I am reminded of a story of a construction worker who pushed a wheelbarrow of junk off -site each day. The security guard checked through the junk. When the construction guy retired, the guard asked "please tell me what you were stealing".

Wheelbarrows....

Anything can be hidden in plain sight, LOL!

I'm guilty too. I got written permission from a manager to take a packet of printer paper home because I worked at home. I have enough printer paper to last a lifetime. No one ever looked at the DATE on the document... LOL!

tx, I'm with you too. Clearance for the pot and slightly used potting mix can be worth it. I've been thinking about grabbing some less common hanging basket for that reason if it was the right price and something I don't have- because will need the basket for something else.

You guys are so funny, but the hanging basket story is great . . . they always get so much for hanging baskets. I'm fond of the bulbs they put on the "sale" table because they are done blooming for the year. I got three pots full of pineapple lillies that way. I always check the plant sale table.

Dee - That's not a first for me except it was the cheapest. Usually I would have to pay $1 each. Still worth it for a 6" hanging basket, even if I don't like the plastic hangers. But the 2 for 50 cents should have been free. They were ready to just throw them out. I mentioned dumpster diving but the clerk said that the dumpsters were locked at night. The weird thing, and the clerk agreed, was that even tho these plants were 100% dead, someone had just watered them. Guess someone was told to water every plant. Actually, I was looking to buy some new hanging baskets but they're very hard to find unless you want the kind with the coco liners.

Yardenman - good stories. Love 'em both.

Before my wife died and we were big into beding plants, we would salvage all of WalMarts throw aways. They always had a bunch because no one ever takes care of them. Usually they were just dried out. I'd mix enough Miracle Gro in a bucket to give the water a slight blue tinge, and submerge them to they quite bubbling. In a couple of days they would be ready to go out in the beds.

My wife's sister worked at the local funeral home. When one of their potted plants started looking sick, she would bring them to Jo, instead of throwing them away. I guess that is one reason we ended up with over a 100 potted plants and a green house.

@Jim41 Hello.

Been a long time... Sorry to hear of Jo's passing


Lowe's is having a "Spring Black Friday" sale this weekend. Annuals 5 for $5 "select" perennials 4 or 5 for $10. Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday.

Moonhowl said:@Jim41 Hello.

Been a long time... Sorry to hear of Jo's passing


Lowe's is having a "Spring Black Friday" sale this weekend. Annuals 5 for $5 "select" perennials 4 or 5 for $10. Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday.

The Lowe's closest to me had a sale on giant bags of top soil, $10 for 5 (so $2 per bag) while supplies last. I got the last 12 bags at my location.

Jai_Ganesha said:

The Lowe's closest to me had a sale on giant bags of top soil, $10 for 5 (so $2 per bag) while supplies last. I got the last 12 bags at my location.

That's a good deal even by bulk standards, I think.

I find it hard to believe that nobody has rescued any plants in the past 6 weeks. I rescued two ornamental grasses from Lowe's this past Saturday, now to figure where to put them.

I look all the time when I shop, but too early in the season for rescuing.

I picked up a fuschia and 2 boston fern the other day for $5, and a bunch of small stuff that I don't even remember. It's all sitting around outside somewhere.

All the rain lately, here anyway, would think that people can't get things planted and therfore aren't buying fast. But I am not shopping, so I don't know. Ace hardware had small geraniums for 69 cents they were trying to unload. but I'm not a big fan of geraniums.

I got a spider plant (airplane plant, etc.) the other day for $6 and some change. I wouldn't technically consider it reduced or rescued, because it was a store-wide sale, and it's not doing poorly. I've wanted one for a long time, and I couldn't pass up the half-off tag. It seems much more curly than ones I've seen before.

robinbunch5 said:I find it hard to believe that nobody has rescued any plants in the past 6 weeks. I rescued two ornamental grasses from Lowe's this past Saturday, now to figure where to put them.

I just haven't been near any lately, or I would. But I bought 2 Venus Fly Traps on clearance for $2 each. Fed each a fly I caught myself and tweezers them into a trap. What fun to see the traps close up on the flies!

And I know how to care for them. Mixing peat and perlite in 6" deep pots for them tomorrow.

James, there is a 'curly' spider, and you probably don't find them in stores often. So,

I love Venus fly traps! I've always wanted some.

Sally, after some research, I believe I have a Variegated Bonnie Spider Plant.

JamesAcclaims said:I love Venus fly traps! I've always wanted some.

Sally, after some research, I believe I have a Variegated Bonnie Spider Plant.

Walmart has Venus Fly Traps right now here (and presumably everywhere). Give them an insulated pot 6" deep with peat moss and perlite and distilled (or rain) water, and 4 hours direct sunlight and they will thrive. Or google them for care.