Over the weeks, I have had numerous visits and phone calls about people buying plants on the street and when they get home they’re all wilted, or a few days later they have all died on them.
When you choose to buy a plant have a look around first. Visit as many plant shops, nurseries and plant vendors as possible. Build a relationship with them, ask questions, then make your purchase.
By building a relationship with these establishments you know that you can call on them when the need arises. If you choose to make your purchases on the street and something goes wrong with your plant then you have only yourself to blame. As the old saying goes ‘Penny wise and pound foolish.’
Carefully select what you like and how best to grow same. Ask the name of the plant and make a note of it. You can always read up more on it and you would be surprised how much you can learn about it.
Of course buying from a reputable establishment will mean having to pay a little bit more; however, these establishments have overhead expenses too and they also create employment for others.
In many cases the people who walk the streets, selling plants or stems could very well be selling ill-gotten plants. Your gain would be someone else’s loss.
Three major losses of plants happened in recent weeks. Even orchids were not spared. A man of questionable character was seen removing orchids from a prominent citizen’s yard in Bel Air and you would be most surprised who he sold them to!
Recently blooming mini Ixoras in colours of red, yellow, orange, pink and white, along with cacti, Shrimp plants, Jasmine and Spider plants were stolen from the Gardenland on Brickdam. Last but not least two Christ-mas trees approximately 4-5 feet tall, nicely shaped as well as yellow and orange ixoras were stolen from a prominent business establishment on New Market Street. Second time round, this Christmas tree was stolen from the same premises.
This situation is certainly getting out of hand unless something is done to remedy it. Shame on all the people who bought these plants! So be careful whom you support as you could be the next victim. Be on the alert!
Until next week, happy gardening!
