Shrub and Bedding Plant Deals (Naples, Pine Ridge: for sale, HOA, condos)

[tmozer]

In my immediate neighborhood (the rectangle of Vanderbilt Beach, Livingston, Pine Ridge and Airport) there are several places to buy plants, including Lowes, Home Depot and the garden/produce centers. I'd like to get some plants for the back of my condo and want them not only healthy, but as cheap as possible.

Suggestions?

[motordavid]

Any of those joints will have decent plant material, imo...for common stuff, wait for a sale at HD or Lowes. For better specimens, look in the garden specific places, for info, for better varieties, etc.

I like HD/Lowes, but I really like The Wizard on Pine Ridge, for key varietals.

Imo, most of the species/varietals for sale, if they look good, and are planted well, all grow like a weed in the Naples Zone 10. Some species "sleep" the first season, esp. over "winter", but most then skip the usual northern "creep" for 2nd year, and go right to "leap" mode.

If one buys cheaper stuff at HD or Lowes, they do come with a sketchy "1 season/year guarantee", but you will need to keep receipt; the other point of buying cheaper stuff at HD or Lowes, is that if the plant dies, or you don't like it, or gets too big too soon, you can always replace it with something else. Stuff just grows in SW FL...

Hit the web and do some reading; I can post some very informative links on Zone 10 stuff, if you wish. Avoid the temptation to reproduce your "northern garden/plants", and try to avoid the non-native invasives, imo.
GL, mD

PS: we live in a house, and have very liberal HOA rules on planting things we like; the condos in our development have more strict HOA Docs. You might check your Docs first, or ask a Board member. Most turn their heads; some are like hall monitor nannies.

[tmozer]

Not sure exactly what I want. Plant once. Watch it flower and spread. Nothing that needs to be trimmed. I guess this will require some learning and research. Again, suggestions on specific plants would be welcomed. Thanks......

[BigMunch]

Crotons are my favorite

[B4U]

Try some of the nurseries on Airport-Pulling Rd, north of Pine Ridge Rd.
Also, the same type of nurseries are on Rt. 951, north of Pine Ridge. They will tell you more info about what will work than the people at Lowes & HD ever could.
Also, there's an excellent, but pricey nursery up Pine Ridge, make a left on 41 and right on your right is Driftwood Gardens. They will give you a multitude of info, the assortment is numerous without you having to walk around acres, and then you can go to HD or anywhere and buy.
They even have pond fish for sale or view. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go there.

HD & Lowes aren't bad. They guarantee their stuff, and they buy from local nurseries. You'll see the nursery name on the plant tags. And those nurseries provide the labor to each store to bring in their products. But the workers from the nurseries at HD & Lowes often only speak spanish. So make sure you talk to a store employee if you need to talk to someone. If the plants look shabby, it's because the store has not maintained, ie; rotated, watered them. The plants don't come to the store that way.
If you're looking for a Christmas tree, that's probably going to be your best, cheapest bet. But note: there's a short window to get one - anywhere down here.
They usually start selling the day after Thanksgiving, and are sold out the 1st or 2nd week of December. It sounds rediculious with the heat and all, but that's how it is.

[B4U]

Have you visited any of these places yet? Find anything you liked? Lots of things are in season now, so it's a good time to go, rather than the dog-days of summer.
My next purchase will be firecracker plants, when the new Lowes opens by me on 12/17, or there about.

[tmozer]

Nope. Not shopped for plants yet. They just mulched so the garden beds look a little better. Plant/shrub shopping is on my to-do list.

[justNancy]

Petunias will bloom throughout the winter months.

[tmozer]

Decent size/looking Crotons are on sale at Lowes for $2 a pot. I will go with a bunch of those for now......