Garden

[gardenman]

Due to my broken leg I didn't buy any annuals last year, so I don't know what the prices were then, but in previous years they've been under $2 ($1.57 two years ago) for each six pack locally. I was just up to my Walmart this morning and they had the first six packs in and priced at $2.97 each for common annuals (impatiens, petunias, marigolds, etc.). That's kind of a dramatic increase. What are annuals selling for in your area? I've got to start shopping around a bit to see what the prices are elsewhere. I don't need many as I started lots of plants from seeds, but I always like to add a few. A nearly 100% price jump in two years seems a tad excessive to me.

[1Snickers]

    The deer and rabbits eat mine and I have to weed and water.

    This year I put out artificial hanging baskets I purchased from Michaels on sale. They look real! You can use them several years.

[RetRN]

I went to a greenhouse yesterday just looking for ideas. I was shocked at the prices I saw. Now I'm thinking about just getting some decorative items to put out that I can use every year. Either way, I guess I will have to spend more than I had planned on.

[ValuSkr]

$2.97 sounds like a bargain based on what I've seen so far.  I don't bother with annuals as they will, in all likelihood, become deer and rabbit food.  But the market down the road usually has a large section of clearance plants, especially later in the summer, and sometimes I'll pick up one or two for a dollar.

[Susan Louise]

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@gardenman wrote:

Due to my broken leg I didn't buy any annuals last year, so I don't know what the prices were then, but in previous years they've been under $2 ($1.57 two years ago) for each six pack locally. I was just up to my Walmart this morning and they had the first six packs in and priced at $2.97 each for common annuals (impatiens, petunias, marigolds, etc.). That's kind of a dramatic increase. What are annuals selling for in your area? I've got to start shopping around a bit to see what the prices are elsewhere. I don't need many as I started lots of plants from seeds, but I always like to add a few. A nearly 100% price jump in two years seems a tad excessive to me.

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@gardenman The price has certainly doubled here in Nebraska...

Last Wednesday I picked up the potting soil and all the petunias I would need for our 7 porch railing planters. I usually get them from 2 different places...Earl May (one of our local nurseries) and Kew Gardens (a temp nursery based in Kansas that sets up locations in/near/by grocery store parking lots. 

I bought all the railing planters from QVC back in 2008. That 1st year it cost about $95 between petunias and all the potting soil. I thought it was a lot of money back then...LOL

Earl May also sold their 6-pks by the trays back then so it was a bargain. Now they sell them individually. This year they are $3.99 a 6-pk! At Kew Gardens they are sold as 4-pks for $2.97.

The grand total this year came to about $210!

The reason I buy from both nurseries is so I can get a wider variety of colors...2 pinks, 2 corals, purple, deep purple, pale lavender, striped, white, red, yellow, burgandy.

Since I love all the colors and can't decide on just a few, each railing planter is like a Crayola crayon box. 

Here's a pic that shows 5 of the 7 railing planters. The other two are on the far side. This pic was taken last Spring...you will also see a Robin on the roof that was waiting for me to finish taking the pic so I could give it mealworms

[Kachina624]

Such a pretty, well-manicured house and yard @Susan Louise .

[gardenman]

It sounds like $.50 per plant is the new standard. Interesting. That's almost twice what they were selling for two years ago. Ah well, one more reason to start my own from seed each year. I'll have to check out Lowes and Home Depot to see if they're doing the same with prices. I may have to add another row of lights to my plant stand to grow more seedlings.

[Carmie]

Prices are high this year. Lowe's and Walmart sells annuals for $2.98 for six.  The garden stores are $4.99 for six.

i have a friend who gets flowers wholesale because she has a small business.  I am going to see if her costs have gone us as well.

The prices usually drop around Memorial Day and there after.

[gardenman]

I was checking the Home Depot ad and they have eight packs for $3.98, so it looks like $.50 per plant is the new norm. Someone somewhere seems to be making more money off of plants these days. Seed prices are still about the same, as are soil and plastic prices, so the near doubling of the price over two years is making someone lots of money. Sadly, it's not me.

[drizzellla]

Last year I happened to go to Sam's Club. They were selling a flat of 6 packs of flowers for $5.00 ( I remember the dollar amount - I don't remember how many cents). So of course I bought a flat.

I figure that is what I will do again this year.