Garden centre reduced aisles

[Allhallowseve]

Is there anything wrong with buying plants from the clearance aisles at garden centres?
I'm on a low budget and love a bargain . Been mostly trying to get perennials, shrubs and annuals- so they come back ?? I'm a novice but am really starting to enjoy gardening . Should I be avoiding these cheap plays?

*plants sorry

Nothing wrong if you choose wisely - and don't expect 100% success rate. Supermarkets often sell cheap plants in cellophane covers. Make sure the plant looks healthy.

Annuals won't come back again so don't use this strategy for them.

Good luck!

I have had mixed success but I bought some 50p bedding plants for baskets and pots which are flourishing and name me smile every day.

Ok thanks oh yes I seem to have misunderstood annuals . Only bought one and it's in good condition .
Is there any way of collecting seeds or anything to get them to come back again.... or is that a really dumb question ?

Annuals usually need deadheading to keep them flowering for the season. At the end of August any straggly plant can run to seed and you can collect them. The plant will die at the first frost.
I frequently buy from the reduced section, or 'sad plants' as I call them I usually re pot or plant after a good soaking and put new compost around the plant. Also make sure they are always well watered.
The photo is of three Azaleas that were £4 each earlier this year.

I've had loads of bargains from clearance plants, I buy perennials and even if they have started to go back they come again the year after. My whole front (little!) Garden was clearance plants and, twoI years on its still beautiful. The best part of gardening is to experiment though so theres no silly questions or things to do, its all part of the fun!! I have also found that plants from morrisons supermarket are absolutely fab and cheap. Happy gardening

Ah ok great thanks for the advice everyone !
I am finding it a lot of fun and our garden is starting to look lovely which makes me happy
Sorry can anyone explain to me what "run to seed" means and how you collect it . I bought a beautiful plant today and would love to keep it going but looked now and it's an annual .

No Morrisons nearby but will have to pop in now if I see one.

Love a rescue plant, me. We've had success with Scabiosa in particular and other assorted perennials. It's a great way to try something new.

Run to seed - means that you let the flowers develop the seeds so they become dry and can be gathered. This generally takes a lot of the plants energy, so they are producing seeds rather than flowers.
So by dead heading, cutting off perished flowers you encourage more flowers rather than seed.
At the end of the season you want seeds, so you let those flowers turn to seeds.

My mum is the queen of the graveyard section. She bought (tiny) acers for 10p each in Morrisons last year and they're going strong.

Respect to your mum WellTidy and all the other plant rescuers on this thread

I too have a Morrisons graveyard acer collection!

Most of my plants come from the reduced bit. Sadly my two local Homebases have closed (source of my best bargains) and no B&Q nearby either! Morrisons is undergoing renovations so they've closed their wonderful garden centre early this year bar a tiny, sad bit in the florist section.

Perennials and evergreens, especially the more ££ shrubs and climbers are an excellent buy. Plant them correctly for sun/shade/shelter and reap the benefits next year. Or pot on with some fresh compost (check whether they require ericaceous soil) as suggested upthread and enjoy bigger, stronger plants next year thus saving you £££. Don't forget to water!

There's a fine line but usually as long as the plant isn't too crispy or overrun with mould you should be able to rescue.

Wilko normally has a decent garden sale instore (August from memory). I often pick up seeds for 10p or 50p dated until at least the following year.

I've had loads of luck with reduced perrenials - even the really sickly looking stuff recovers well. I have been doing our garden on a budget too, so the vast majority of plants were either free (divided from over enthusiastic plants in MIL's garden),bulbs or reduced.
I have noticed that our local, normally v expensive garden centre heavily reduces perrenials as soon as the flowers start to die back - they're not even unhealthy in any way!

Loving hearing all of the positive stories. I live near the seemingly only garden centre in the country that never, ever reduced anything. I asked once if they had a reduced price section and was told that they never did. I can only assume that they just dispose of (or even keep for their own purposes) any plants that are past their best. They must have loads of space. I thought I would get a reduced price rhododendron this year after they'd all flowered as they had masses and masses of them, but no.

What a weird policy Welltidy I would be surprised if they always managed to sell everything, and most plants eventually go through an untidy/playing dead phase. They must throw a lot out. I think my luck is mainly due to the fact that we go to the garden centre almost weekly for other reasons (its very close to my house and has lots of toddler-ish things) so I can have a quick check at the reduced bit every time I'm there.
Lidl is good for cheap plants, in my experience. The seeds it sells are amazingly cheap too.

I love Morrison's for plants too.
Reduced ones as well as full price.
I also like to search out the reduced section in Dobbies - have had many bargains from there too. (Best buy was a 6 foot tall Kilmarnock willow for a fiver!)
Once the gone over flowers and yellowish leaves are off and it's tidied up they all look like full price items again. Plant them up and they are off growing again.

I bought 6 khol rabi plants from the Range for 37p. Each one grew and tastes delicious, raw or cooked. I also had 6 Florence fennel plants reduced to £1.47. They are growing well too.

Very good to know thanks everyone

I have a hydrangea that came from the 'nearly dead' section and it's taken a couple of years but this year it is fabulous .