Nursery plants being left to die

[FallenMadonnawiththeBadBoobies]

I heard on Radio 4 this morning that plants will be left to die as garden centres are shut. It’s a shame about the flowers, but as people are more interested in growing their own fruit and vegetables, and there may be a shortage of tomatoes, peppers etc if this continues, aren’t we missing an opportunity, as a country, to get the fruit and veg plants out into the community?

I grow my own from seed and I, and my fellow gardeners on my estate, will be giving out plants In due course, but I would be very interested in doing something on a bigger scale.

Is anyone out there involved in the nursery or garden centre business?

What might work?

Local here (not UK) are offering online ordering and deliveries

People need something to do!!

There are some companies offering on-line deliveries here too, but I’m talking about companies who usually sell to garden centres, not to the general public. Are they going to let their vegetable seedlings, strawberry plants etc die? If so, that’s an unacceptable waste.

Can’t they, for example, sell them at cost, or give them to supermarkets, who can also sell them at cost or give them away? If people grow more, it won’t cure shortages, but it might help. A couple of tomato plants and a cucumber plant, looked after properly, will be worth the effort for most families who have a little space.

Here (also not uk) garden centres are open as essential, but can only sell plants outdoors not cut flowers or decorative stuff from indoors. The government are really promoting grow your own for this summer, so I think lots will be sold in the upcoming weeks (its a bit too cold here still atm for planting most things outdoors at home). Deliveries also possible.

Dh and I will be stocking up late April/May once everything is in stock

Totally agree. We will try and grow from seed but surely we can't waste all those young plants we might need for food in the summer?

One of our local ones us offering half price bulk buys of bedding and veg plants , another has packages of , for example, tomato seeds/plants with compost, grobag, feed or hanging basket, trailing plants etc for local delivery.

It’s good to hear some positive stories. It’s a shame that more isn’t being done.

Such a shame and such a waste. Following with interest as I'd gladly pay for some young plants if someone comes up with a safe means of distribution.

They should put them out the front of the shop and let people take them rather than letting them die, such a waste. I would happily take a few whilst out doing my weekly shop.

Our local garden centre is delivering but places like B&Q and Homebase are not, they are open for DIY bits but not garden so why not offer the plants for free in their car parks?

Our local garden centre is delivering but places like B&Q and Homebase are not, they are open for DIY bits but not garden so why not offer the plants for free in their car parks?

Our B&Q donated all their plants etc to local care homes and the NHS.

@playthestation was just thinking that might be a nice idea, give residents an activity and something to enjoy. Trouble with leaving out for free collection is it would attract a gathering and likely the least deserving would benefit or try to sell on.

Our local garden centre , put bedding plants outside several local village community centres , for people to take for free
I was speaking to the owner of a bedding plant farm down the road from us, , her family are trying to keep the plants watered & tended to in case the garden centres get to re-open ,

Squires are delivering bedding plants. I was wondering yesterday what is happening to all the other plants, it wouldn't be impossible to have someone water them and sell online, someone to deliver locally.

My local garden centres are all closed. People are desperate for a new hobby whilst stuck at home and many want to grow food, but there’s no way to buy supplies. So they’re stealing them - my Dad had six bags of compost and a spade taken from his garden. His neighbour had large pots stolen - flowers just tipped out and they took the pots.

Petiolaris, that’s really sad.

The thing is, gardeners like me will have more pots than they know what to do with. No doubt if people asked, others would be able to pass some on. The same with seedlings. Compost is another matter though. If garden centres aren’t delivering it, there will be a problem. I had a load delivered before the lockdown.

I did see a story where a small nursery left plants on peoples doorsteps! Im not sure what they could do with all the plants - some will close as a result as this is their peak period. Can they compost some, send them over to local parks to get planted out (if anyone is still working), send them to hospitals/homes for people to tend?

This is really sad
I live in a flat with no garden but if there’s anything I could do, I’d happily help with a pick up point and walk to allotments with them or whatever. I don’t have an allotment but would still do it so stuff isn’t wasted.

It is a waste, and I’d love to take some for my garden (and sanity) I know my mum with her huge garden would too. But the garden centres have said they don’t have a good delivery capacity, and trying to distribute them would be too risky.

I’d love it if someone could come up with a solution.

Or maybe sell them to supermarkets/corner shops? I bought some balcony plants yesterday at the supermarket when I was picking up milk to cheer the place up.

I doubt those who are nicking the compost are gardeners. They’re probably wide boys who’ve realised there’s a market for it at present and they can flog it for an inflated price. It’s literally impossible to get hold of.

Our local garden centers are open. The smaller locally-owned ones have started curbside pickup, so you order what you want over the phone and then pick it up at the store.

Steff I am hoping more do this, it makes sense (click and collect type of thing), people want plants, compost and seeds more then ever at the moment but garden centres can’t keep up with deliveries as they don’t have the transport or the staff.

Our supermarkets all have compost

Autumn that's such a kind sentiment

Peridoto

I contacted the local garden centre and they overwhelmed and don’t seem to want to do more business. I think they’d prefer to shut down.