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Both are Big Box Retail Stores which people on here have said are running the more reputable local owned nurseries out of business. Lowe's sells more inappropriate plant materials in the local climate of Indianapolis Indiana from my experience and observations.
I don't think so. I've seen way too many plants in the trash or lined up for half price when all they needed was water or shade.
A few years back I was at Home Depot and saw a table with left over plants advertised at half price. Some were wilted and some were root bound and others were drowning in water. I immediately spotted a nine pack of sweet potato plants. I noticed one was missing and the others looked pretty bad but it was the only sweet potato plants available. I took it to the clerk and pointed out that there were only 8 plants and asked if there was a price reduction. $1.50 quickly went to .75 so I purchased them and set them out in my garden. I raised 40 lbs of sweet potatoes from those 8 plants. I don't mind paying full retail price but I do know a bargain when I see one.
Like many have said it depends on your local stores. I've found both HD & Lowes store locally here in Alabama are much nicer, better stocked, with helpful employees than the ones in California when I visit my parents and help them out with their yard.
I've bought trees & plants from both stores and they are striving well in my yards! I have found the key to garden shopping is to find out what day does each store receive new shipments! I'd go to the back of garden center and look at fresh young vibrant plants and get my pick .
For me, I go to the local HD first, out of habit I'd guess. I know the store layout well and the employees recognize me with a friendly nod & smile. I know they use a local supplier and I've talked to her about specific plants I wanted. I even have her cell phone number!
BUT... I always go to my local nursery because they have more specialty plants. The owner graduated college with a botany degree and often give good advices on trees & plants. I bought 2 plum tree varieties from him that are bred to be more disease-resistant for the local humidity. I also bought several fruit trees from him to plant in our church backyard. The kids LOVE to dig dirt and plant trees!
I have done better at Lowes. The prices and selection are better. Also by me they have a clearance rack where you can get plants for $1, often they are on clearance because they have already bloomed. I bought 2 lantana that now look beautiful.
and we have done much better at Home Depot. The only difference to us: it seems Lowe's does have better sales. An example here: veggie plants: $3.98 at Lowe's and $3.48 at Home Depot. I know that isn't a big difference $ wise, but % it is. I have to say, we use Lowe's a little more because it is so much closer, but when we are in the Home Depot area we go there. I will also add, but this is off topic I have another reason for using Home Depot, but I will leave it there.
They are horrible at everything. Lumber is warped. Boxed on shelves are open or re-taped. And take note of the returns... I see a lot of plants & trees being returned. Sure you can get lucky at times, but the quality and choices are better at Lowes
I have to ask you, what does warped lumber have to do with the gardening dept? As for things being returned, I haven't seen that at either store. Overall they are really very similar in quality.
As for people saying one store has plants on sale, the other does not; this isn't true in our area. Each store is different. I found a better selection of herbs at Lowe's this year, but a much better selection of tomato plants at Home Depot. Of course the ideal place is a private nursery, but you pay for it.
Lowe's is better but watch out for Danny Crichigno at Home Depot
********* Danny Crichigno, 54, of 2814 Avenue Z, Brooklyn NY failed to shake down the Cropsey Avenue Home Depot for a large undisclosed sum of money for a “fake right knee injury” he allegedly sustained pushing a shopping cart in the garden section. As with any monetary fraud, NYS Supreme Court judge Johnny Lee Baynes ruled on January 9, 2020 that he found no factuality or merit to support Crichigno’s frivolous personal injury claim he filed in 30 July, 2019.
Judge Baynes tossed the vexatious suit when he found Crichigno’s claim baseless.
While claiming to allegedly suffer “severe and permanent personal injuries to his right knee and other parts of his body,” Crichigno was concurrently agile with no discomfort or pain to his right knee or other body area, as he falsely claimed in his suit.
Crichigno’s fraudulent personal injury claim was a failed attempt to extort a large monetary sum from Home Depot. Hence, the Supreme Court justice threw out Crichigno’s case “with prejudice,” which permanently bars Crichigno from ever bringing an action before the court on the same or similar claim.
The judge’s decision was a final judgment and the Crichigno fraudulent case was closed permanently. Now we won't pay more for our plants because litigation payouts--even if won fraudulently--are passed on to us consumers.
I shop between both store’s garden centers. I know that the garden center at HD is privately contracted, meaning that the plants are only paid for once they are bought. If you return a plant within the time frame, the contractor eats it. They are cared for by the supplier.
I assume that Lowe’s is the same, but I don’t know. I do know that between the two stores, Lowe’s is more expensive, but they have a clearance rack of $1.-$3. plants, which I buy regularly.
They usually use the same growers for the most part. The packaging of the plants is different so they look different but are grown at the same locations. Bedding plants, shrubs, veggies may be exactly the same at both locations.
For the quality of plants, is Home Depot or Lowes better? I just need small plants that I can just take out of those plastic cups and put em in the ground.
Doesn't matter which store, they are both selling plants mass produced in huge operations, possibly in China. (Yup, that's a thing.) They will have been delivered in great condition.
What matters is what happens to them after they've been delivered to the store. Have they been properly watered, have they been protected from excessive rain, wind, cold, heat, and/or sun.
Find out from each store which days are their regular delivery days. Shop for your plants the next day. Buy the ones that look the healthiest.
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Lowe's is better but watch out for Danny Crichigno at Home Depot
