Low priced gardening containers found in supermarkets?

Keep your eyes open and you will find super deals for gardening products in unlikely places such as your local grocery store.

This is one of my favorite stories of how I "stole" some garden pots from my grocery store!

 

To the left of the entrance doors of  my local Pavillions supermarket  is the floral department.

It's offerings are nothing special, just your typical mini roses, gift azaleas and "foliage plants."

Oh yeah, they have balloons there too.

 

On the day I "stole" the garden pots, there was a big box jutting into the entrance area.

I had to walk around it to enter the store.

A young, lanky clerk was busy moving the box and I could tell he was exerting himself.

Whatever was in that box was HEAVY!

 

The young mans forehead was dotted with sweat and he spoke in short sentences as he tried to conserve his energy for the laborious task before him.

"What's in the box?" I asked, typical of my nosey self.

 

"Ah, I don't know…some stuff for gardening," the teen answered with dispassion.

 

"What kind of stuff for the garden?" My curiosity was piqued.

Anytime I hear the word "garden," I'm all ears.

"Some garden pots..I'm not sure. It's a special shipment for a sale we are having." he continued.

 

 

"A sale on pots? Since when does Pavillions sell garden pots?

Can I see them?" I asked

 

"Would you mind waiting until I take them out of the box?

If you are shopping for stuff, why don't you come back in 20 minutes?"

The young clerk seemed to be running out of patience to continue the conversation with me.

There was no preciseness to his language, everything was just "stuff."

 

 

 

 

The pots that were on sale are a glazed terra cotta and large enough for my container-planted tomatoes!

 

The clerks impatience with me just made me more curious!

The words "pots" and "sale" in the same sentence had a lot to do with it.

 

"Here, let me help you. I have to leave soon and want to see what you have."

I started pushing the box out of the way before he could accept my offer.

 

The clerk froze in silence  as I had my way with the box of mysterious gardening "stuff." 

A cardboard sign that read, "$39.99"  sat on top of a stack of garden containers?

I picked it up to see what was underneath.

Bingo!

There were some huge glazed terra cotta pots that provoked a closer look.

 

I asked him to help me take a pot out of the box.

He agreed but was not happy about it.

 

As the container was lifted, I could see that it was a beauty and not a bad deal for $39.99!

I started sweating…not from the heavy lifting, but from excitement!

 

 

 

I spoke with bated breath.

 

"Wow, this is gorgeous!

Such a  deal for $40 dollars.

How many do you have?"

I was willing to take the whole box full.

 

 

"I have six of them but the price is wrong, I have to make a new sign."

 

"Oh, great," I thought to myself, the price did seem too good to be true.

 

The clerk continued, "They are supposed to be $9.99, not $39.99"

 

I couldn't believe my ears!

There was no way these pots could cost only $9.99.

I buy pots all the time at wholesale prices and I never paid $9.99 for pots of this size and quality!

It had to be a mistake.

 

I knew I had to move swiftly and with purpose before any of the other shoppers  saw them.

This was the steal of the century!

 

"Don't take them out of the box, I'll take them all!  

(There was no way I was going to pass up this opportunity).

 

"Let me get someone to help load these to your car.

Do you need to make a couple of trips for them?" He asked.

 

"No, I can take everything now. I have a truck.

"I can help you," I said with a smile.

 I'm used to heavy lifting, this is no big deal."

 

The young clerk thought I was weird.

He didn't say a word but his baffled expression revealed his feelings.

 

Maybe I had a deranged look on my face.

The kind of expression someone has before they are about to commit a crime….like "stealing" some garden pots from the supermarket!

 

Explore More!

Read my post on "How To Make A Thriving Container Garden With Less Soil" on SnapGuide.

This week’s new Garden World Report show is taking a fun turn for garden enthusiasts!

Oprah does a yearly show around this time of the year where she presents her favorite products and does a giveaway.

Oprah is not doing a “Favorite Things” show this year, but I am!

 

“Shirley’s Favorite Things For the Garden” showcases my top 4 “must have” garden products and guess what?

I’m giving out garden products to some lucky Garden World Report viewers!

I’ll explain later in this post how to win!

 

 

Also on this week’s show, I’m showcasing three amazing “garden heros” who are making the world a better place through gardening and helping to improve other’s lives.

 

 

Watch for:

Kylee Baumle, garden blogger of Our Little Acre presents the mastermind behind an award winning children’s garden, Louise Hartwig .

Louise helped to create the  ”Smiley Park Children’s Garden” in Van Wert, Ohio.

You will be inspired! I was.

 

 

The online garden store, Gardener’s Supply honors a special gardener who brought a garden paradise to the concrete jungle of the Bronx, New York and unified his community at the same time!

Jose Soto is their “2009 Urban Renewal” winner.

Watch Jose on the Garden World Report show.

 

 

“ECHO” stands for “Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization” and this organization is spotlighted as an international garden hero.

ECHO trains future “garden ambassadors” who go throughout the world to underdeveloped countries and teach other’s how to be self sufficient by growing their own food!

Check out ECHO’s headquarters on the Garden World Report. I can’t believe they are in the USA. (Florida, actually).

 

 

Social media expert, Jean Ann VK teaches garden bloggers how to take advantage of some basic “SEO” or “search engine optimization” so that Google and readers can find your blog posts!

Jean Ann always presents easy to understand tips for navigating the online world. Follow her series on the Garden World Report and listen to her podcast, Good Enough Gardening, she’s great!

 

 

Suzi McCoy, garden media expert of the Garden Media Group contributes a second installment to her series, “Garden Trends for 2010.”

Suzi is talking about “multi-purpose gardens,” or gardens that serve other functions other than just looking pretty!

I like that…double duty!

 

The highlight of the show for me, is the debut of my “Shirley’s Favorite Things” for the garden!

I’m even giving away garden products.

 

Here’s the lowdown:

Watch the show and email me afterwards.

The first person to email me and request one of the particular products, will win that product.

Now, I’m not Oprah, so I don’t have thousands of items to giveaway.

Please request only one of the products that I showcased and the first request will win!

 

Email: Info@GardenWorldReport.com

You can select from:

1. Eco-Lawn : a bag of seeds will cover approximately 1000 sq feet. This is the “granddaddy of drought tolerant lawns” made of seven different fine fescue seeds.

2. Ups A Daisy: Planter inserts that are a much more clever solution than using “packing peanuts” to minimize the area in containers for soil. Drainage holes also promote great aeration for plant roots.

3. Potlifters: An ergonomic strapping system to help you lift up to 200 pounds in the garden. Move oversized pots and other  odd-shaped things like boulders, logs and more.

4. “Easy Bloom” Plant Sensor: A high tech, but easy to use tool that takes the guesswork out of planning appropriate plants for the garden. Easy Bloom also helps to diagnose water and climate problems for failing plants.

 

Start watching the Garden World Report Show!

It’s fun, I promise.

Go, what are you waiting for!

 

The Lechuza, "Self Watering" Plant containers were a hit at the Independent Garden Center Show, Chicago.

 

Garden Center TV: Post #5

 

The reason why I have failed with some of my container plants is because of improper watering.

Sometimes I over-watered my plants and "killed them with kindness" and other times I didn't give them enough water and they died a slow, thirsty death.

Sound familiar?

 

I was intrigued when I saw an ad in a garden trade magazine for "self-watering" plant containers by Lechuza.

I wasn't paying attention to the  self watering feature at first, I just liked the way they looked.

 

Once I noticed that the planters were designed with a sub-irrigation system, I was curious to see them  up close.

Take a look at this short video where I interview Anton Van Zevenbergen, of Lechuza.  

 Anton explains how the planter works.

 

When used correctly, the planter can maintain a plant for up to 12 weeks with no human intervention!

 

The Lechuza self watering containers come in different styles, sizes and shapes and are available at your independent garden centers throughout the country.

 

 The planters are lightweight and very convenient to use.

 

Watch the whole video series of  Garden Center TV posts!

Post #1: "Monrovia Growers: Would You Like Some Design Inspiration to go with that Plant?"

Post #2: "Hort Couture Plants for the Plantonista?"

Post #3: "An Indoor Plant Named "Tweed that Looks Like Weed!"

Come visit me again at Eden Makers Blog,

 

Visit the Garden Center TV website and community to preview new garden products from around the world and share your opinion about them!

 

EdenMaker Tip:

Recycled tumbled glass mixed with broken tile is used as mulch in this garden vignette

Mulching your garden bed is an art form?

It is to me! 

When I have over one-hundred different materials that can be used to mulch my garden bed, I select the one that is most suitable for the site and plants, compliments the design and is priced within my budget.

I don't consider my garden work complete if I don't give my beds a finished look with mulch.

With so many options its worth taking a look at the benefits, disadvantages and aesthetic value of different mulch materials.

 

 

Watch  Shirley's video on selecting the perfect mulch for your garden.

What is Mulch?

Mulch is any organic or inorganic material that is used to "top dress" or cover the soil in the garden.

You can buy mulch at your local nursery or landscape center or you can find "free" organic mulch like pine needles and leaves around your yard that can be shredded and used as mulch.

Did you know that  seaweed can be used as mulch?

Inorganic mulches include non-living materials such as stone, shredded rubber, black plastic and tumbled glass.

Recycled peach pits from Pit's In Pieces makes a gorgeous and aromatic mulch with a uniform look.

Pit's In Pieces peach mulch repels snails, is long lasting and does not use nitrogen to break down.

My all time favorite mulch!

I use it in my garden.

Why Mulch?

Birth control for the garden!

When your garden soil is covered by a two or three inch layer of mulch, the sun can not penetrate the soil and stimulate weed growth.

In this case, mulch acts as a physical barrier for germination and photosynthesis of those unwanted and "unplanted" plants.

A thicker layer of mulch-up to 4"- inches can be used in cold winter gardens to insulate plants from freezing temperatures. 

 

Recycled rubber tires are colored, shredded and used as a garden mulch and walkway material.

This is a practical mulch for commercial or institutional gardens as they are long lasting and come in a variety of color.

Great for wind-prone areas because of extra weight and I like it in the garden more than in the land fill.

Does Mulch Work?

Not as well as most birth control methods, but effective enough to keep my weeding to a minimum!

If these odds are not to your liking, abstain from gardening 'cause there is no guarantee.

(Have you seen weeds growing through sidewalk cracks?)

That is a serious will to survive.

 Another reason to use mulch is to help maintain moisture in your soil by insulating it from the drying heat and to moderate temperatures around the root zone.

 

Shredded redwood mulch looks best in an informal garden like this one with ornamental grasses and sage where there are large open areas between plant.

 Can Mulch Cause Problems?

Yes, when mulch is applied too densely or incorrectly, it changes from being your garden's friend to it's foe.

Thick layers of mulch do not allow water to percolate into the soil, so your plants die from thirst.

Mulch that is mounded up against a plant is an invitation for root rot in plants, fungus  and harmful bacteria.

Too much trapped moisture can lead to plant death from drowning.

Some mulch materials such as wood chips, shredded newspaper, and shredded bark are great for deterring weeds, but they use up valuable nitrogen from the soil to break down and contribute no valuable nutrients to the soil. 

Compost, on the other hand, can be used as a mulch material and enriches the soil with beneficial organisms and nutrients.

The only drawback is that weeds can find this environment "beneficial" too.

Get the hoe ready!    

Redwood soil conditioner enriches the soil and improves texture but does not offer the best protection against weeds unless you apply a THICK layer!

That said, redwood soil conditioner is neat looking when "clean" lines matter in your garden design.

 

Cocoa mulch can be deadly to your pets!

The ingestion of as little as 2 ounces of cocoa mulch has been implicated in severe stomach upset, and more serious illness and death at higher doses!

Dogs and cats may find the chocolate aroma irresistible and can be poisoned by the caffeine and theobromine in it.

Cocoa mulch should only be used in pet-free yards.

I found out the hard way when my dog started snacking on my cocoa mulch and threw up.

It was a lot of work to remove it from the garden and it the cocoa mulch cost more than a lot of other mulches.

The upside for "pet-free" gardens is that cocoa mulch provides great weed suppression and does not rob nitrogen from the soil to breakdown.

The downside is that your garden will be "pet-free" if your dog or cat eats the cocoa mulch!  

Shredded melaleuca makes an ideal cover under tree groves 

Is Mulch Expensive?

If you have a large garden, you may want to consider purchasing a "scoop" or "skip" of shredded redwood or cedar mulch from a landscape center and have it delivered to your house.

A bulk order will be less expensive in the long run than buying a lot of 1 or 2 cubic foot bags from the nursery.  

Stones and gravel are useful mulches for succulent and other dry gardens.

Stone and gravel are long lasting, do not break down but should be installed with a weed barrier cloth underneath to keep the gravel from sinking into the ground.    

Designer Shirley Watts uses broken mosaic as mulch.

Clever and artsy!

 

    

I use seashells as mulch in container gardens.

If you have enough to cover a garden bed, it looks beautiful in a seaside garden.  

 

Shredded wood  from construction wood pallets are a great repurposed mulch.

 

I would use shredded wood from construction pallets  in an informal garden.

There is a perfect mulch for every garden need, budget and style.

 

Don't forget to pamper your soil with plenty of organic compost before covering it up with mulch.

Refresh your mulch as needed- usually once a year.

For more gardening tips, garden design, edible gardens and "how to"  videos by Shirley Bovshow, visit EdenMakers.com 

Garden Center TV

 

Post #3 Independent Garden Center Show 2008, Chicago

I saw a new indoor plant from Kraft Gardens with a tag that read, "Fool the Police with this Look-Alike!"

I had to take a closer look at the suspicious looking plant to understand the tag, so I made my inspection.

I couldn't believe the uncanny resemblance this vining Anthurium polyschitum (cleverly named "Tweed") had to Cannabis sativa- commonly known as "weed!"

This was not your ordinary, innocent-looking anthurium. 

 

 

 

   

Kraft Gardens, vining Anthurium, "Tweed" is a hybrid from the Netherlands

 

 

I'm not a fan of any kind of weed myself, but I really like the way this anthurium looks.

The Tweed anthurium is a tall, lush vining plant that can be placed in a bright spot indoors, though direct sunlight is discouraged.

Tweed is comfortable in 65-80-degree rooms, just as I am, so I think we will get along just fine!

 

Anthurium, is a large genus of about 600- 800 (possibly 1,000) species, belonging to the arum family and is native to Central and South America.

A tropical plant, the anthurium is equally at home in the sheltered greenhouses of Netherlands, where this special variety is grown.

Unlike other anthuriums, Tweed is grown for its foliage and not flowering habit and is very elegant.

 

At the very least, it makes for a great ice breaker!

 

 

 

Watch  my Garden Center TV  video coverage of this new indoor plant.

 

 

   

I also previewed a new line of Dracaena marginatas from Kraft that boast "beautiful legs" like this "Marginata Candelabra Colorama" with candelabra shaped limbs.

 

 

Many Indoor plant fans are familiar with the tall foliage plant, dracaena marginata,  often used as a specimen plant to soften corners, large walls and anchor plant groupings.

The dracaena makes a great focal point, but I'm not a fan of the way it grows, exposing it's lanky bare limbs.

I must not be the only person who feels this way, because  Kraft Gardens has introduced a new line of dracaenas that boast decorative, shapely legs that will help me overcome this objection. 

 

Kraft Gardens "Marginata Braid" dracaena

 

 

 

 

Kraft's "Marginata Candelabra Red Prince" dracaena

 

Dracaena marginatas do well in a shady spot in the room-areas that usually need a little oomph!

The dracaena is relatively easy to care for as long as you keep the soil moist at all times and can tolerate slightly cooler room temperatures- around 55*F or so. 

I envision some of these sculptural dracaenas against contrasting colored walls.

Kraft Gardens offers a variety of variegated leaf colors ranging from reds, greens and cream.

The dramatic foliage makes an art statement and is an alternative to nonliving art with the added benefit of helping to purify the air.

Have you seen "Tweed" at your independent garden center or the beautifully limbed dracaenas?

Have you bought any of them?

What's your opinion on these plants?

 

 

Watch the whole video series of  Garden Center TV posts!

Post #1: "Monrovia Growers: Would You Like Some Design Inspiration to go with that Plant?"

Post #2:  "Hort Couture Plants for the Plantonista?" 

 

 

Come visit me again at EdenMakers Blog and please subscribe to receive updates!

 

Independent Garden Center Show, Chicago

''Hort Couture,'' is a plant brand  with an unconventional marketing plan.

The name is a play on the word "haute couture," or "high fashion" as it is referred to in the fashion design world.

Jim and Jennifer Monroe, founders of Hort Couture,  had a clever idea to create a "fashion-inspired" line of plants that would capture the attention of the non-gardening market by appealing to their "inner plantanista" and desire for stylish living.

 

Stylish living, after all, includes beautiful outdoor living "spaces," or as us dirty hand gardeners refer to, "gardens." 

 

Has the "House of Hort Couture" come to your area yet? I want to know!

They accomplished this with unique packaging and by offering the the most in-demand plant varieties of succulents, tropicals, edibles, phormiums, and specialty annuals and perennials.

 

"Fashion for the garden at an accessible price" is how Jennifer Monroe describes her Hort Couture plant collections.

Apparently, they must be on to something, because demand for the brand is growing fast, according to Jennifer.

 

The plants come in chic white pots that are decorated with black diamonds and gold Fleur de lis.

These pots look ready  "as is,"  for decorating a table or for special events.

They also offer an eco-pot made out of black rice hulls- their answer to the "little black dress." 

 

Check out my video interview with Jennifer Monroe of Hort Couture

 

 

Their vegetable and herb collections have names such as "Designer Basils," "Connoisseur Veggies," (tomatoes), "Salsa in the City," (cilantro, garlic, jalapenos and tomatoes), and other names borrowed from the fashion design vernacular.

 

Exciting gifts like this Box of Succulents is what I want to receive!

 

For approximately $30  dollars, this is sure to become a Hort Couture favorite!

 

 

Hort Couture brand plants may be targeted to the non gardener who wants to dress up their home, but I think the seasoned gardener will also appreciate the quality of their plants.

 

I know the difference between a fine specimen and a lesser quality plant, and the plants I previewed looked healthy, vibrant and seemed to be grown with care. 

If these plants are not much more expensive than non- brand plants, as I was told, then they are worth a look.

 

Hort Couture plants are available at independent garden centers throughout the country and can be found where ever you see the stylishly dressed model display that represents the brand. 

 

Missed Garden Center TV Post #1 on Monrovia Growers? Go here

GardenCenterTV.com  Video Post #1

Independent Garden Center Show, Chicago 2008:

Shoppers at independent garden centers will have an added value service provided by Monrovia Growers, in-store boutiques that offer outdoor living and garden design ideas! Monrovia Growers, one of the world’s leading producers of container grown plants is setting up a “boutique within a store” display area in garden centers throughout the country.

 Don’t expect to see this level of inspiration in your big box stores- Monrovia has a staff of visual merchandising experts and  talented designers whose sole responsibility will be to keep the garden design ideas coming season after season. Monrovia does not sell their high quality plants in big box stores anyway and their stock is highly distinquished from their “anemic cousins” offered at discount outlets.

Monrovia worked the “foliage and texture” power combination to bring color to the autumn garden. I’m sold!

I got a preview of Monrovia’s design prowess at the Independent Garden Center show I attended in Chicago a few weeks ago. Their autumn container garden display was “out of the box” with uncommon use of landscape plants like phormiums, carex, huecheras and cotoneasters anchoring vignettes for the porch along with their signature topiaries.

A sense of playfulness and humor was evident in the use of unconventional “pumpkin” planters and the use of contrasting texture and form combinations like yellow mums and toffee-colored carex.

    

 Check out my video interview with Monrovia visual merchandising guru, Aaron Shiver at the Independent Garden Center Show.

Monrovia plants have always been popular with design professionals and now the general consumer can enjoy the full benefit of their quality plants along with some great ideas for using them in the garden and other outdoor areas.

Monrovia’s whimsical holiday display opens our minds up to the different possibilities.

 

Next Up on GardenCenterTV.com: Hort Couture for the “Plantonista!”