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A friend has suggested buying plants at the farmer's market for fall planting. Has anyone had experience buying there or anywhere else?
I bought some bushes there this spring. The prices were great and the folks were kind. And my bushes look great ....all except the ones that hubby forgot to water while I was gone and it was 100 degrees.
I've bought plants, flowers and herbs at the Raleigh Farmer's Market. The vendors are so helpful with planting and lighting tips - very knowledgable! Good stuff!
I buy them there all the time. The prices are reasonable, the sellers are nice and the plants are local, which I think helps when you re-plant.
The ONLY drawback I can think of is that there is not the variety you find in a regular nursery or home warehouse kind of place.
I echo what everyone has already said. The other nice thing is that you can bargain with the puveyors, which you can't at Lowe's or Home Depot. Plus, the plants are all well-cared for, relatively pest free, and have all been watered regularly. Can't say that for the Big boxes. Furthermore, if you ask about how to plant, prune, protect, etc. you will get a real answer vs. an answer from a book on a shelf. I totally prefer buying at the farmers market.
I always buy my seasonal flowers at the farmer's market. I've also gotten herbs there, but no shrubs as of yet. I like it for the following reasons:
1. The plants are healthier than ones you get at Lowe's or Home Depot. They seem to spend much less time "in shock" once you transplant them into the ground, and I've had a higher success rate with farmer's market plants than with Home Depot plants (I don't go to Lowe's - their stuff is crap) because I think they start out healthier.
2. It's easier to get help at the farmer's market. I go to the booths and ask the people working what plants would work given the criteria I have to work with. For instance, I'll tell them I want a good hanging plant for my porch, which gets morning sun. Or I need something that will fill out and stop erosion for a spot under a tree in my backyard, one side of which gets afternoon light and the other afternoon shade. And they'll hook me up with the best plants for my needs. It's tough to even find anyone to ask at Home Depot, and all they'll do is tell you to read the plastic tags.
3. Farmer's market is much cheaper than local nurseries, for an equivalent quality plant. I love going to Logan, and I will go there sometimes still,but only after I've visited the Farmer's market. I'd say Logan is maybe 30-50% more expensive for bedding flowers, sometimes 2x or more, because where I can get 6-packs at the farmers market for $3 or $6, Logan will be selling larger versions of the same flowers in single pots for $2-3 apiece. Two weeks after planting the farmer's market version, they'll be the same size as what Logan was selling for twice as much. However, I can't always find what I want at the farmer's market; sometimes the booths get picked over pretty quick.
I'm in the market to replace some dead shrubs pretty soon here. I'll probably hit the farmer's market first and go to Logan if I can't find what I want there. Going to Home depot is like throwing away money, IMO.
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