Our local Walmart has just about bottomed out in the garden department. Last year they carried fruit trees and yard trees grown in Texas; their selection of six- and nine-packs of vegetable plants was good; and they had nice bedding annuals and some perennials, including Knockout roses.
This year--two kinds of fruit trees (a plum and the other one), no yard trees except dogwoods (which don't grow in our alkaline soil)and the vegetable and flower plants were pitiful and expensive. Their roses were the usual grafted types that don't do all that well here either.
I usually don't buy plants at Walmart, and after seeing this season's selection, I probably won't. I can get better selection and now better price at a nursery, and it's worth the drive.

I usually check out the Walmart garden center but have not had time yet. I did go to our Canadian Tire Store (national everything hardware store with a garden center) and they had great perennials for $1.99. They do such a good job, as does Home Depot, that I don't usually need to go to Walmart.

Sounds like I should skip it for this year, anyway...

Most of the big box stores have no idea what to do with the plants they bring in nor do they care.If they die they get thrown out and marked as a loss.It's really sad. I used to work in green houses and it bugs me to see them so neglected.

Wal mart is possbly the worst place to buy plants. They have no knowlegable people in the department at any store I have been in. Home depot and Lowes have trained, degreed people to manage the plants but their stock can get pretty rough too. The best place to buy plan stock is at a nursery where the prices are not much more, especially since they will survive and the staff knows something and has an investment to protect. I have a small nursery and its a real struggle trying to combat low prices on cheap products elsewhere, many people are only price shoppers and deserve what they get.

Our WalMart here in Los Angeles is REALLY horrible about not ever watering their plants. So much so that I'm tempted to start dragging a hose around giving the plants a drink. I've seen it several times and mentioned it to the employees, who obviously don't care. It's like torture to deprive plants of water in such a hot climate. :(

And I've also noticed an increase in prices, I also went there to get a cheapo plastic pot and was surprised at the prices. :(

My local Armstrong store went under, I used to buy all my garden stuff there because it was always healthy and well cared for. Now I'm stuck searching for a new nursery. I'm willing to pay a bit more for good quality, because I'm not stupid enough to buy dead plants. :)

Velvet ~:>

My aunt is having a party and she was looking for plants to decorate her tables. Yesterday we went in Lowes (NJ) and they had plenty of peace lily's that were large and in bloom. Would have been pretty if they were not all dropping down. I was disgusted. What is going on with people going green and then letting the greenery they do have die. It's a contradiction if you ask me. I think it mightbe a good idea to point this out to the news. I think I am going to do what when I get home. Maybe a little public attention would make them at least water the freaking things!!

I am back home now and had to stop in Walmarts before going home. I forgot a piece of $2 plant border on my last trip. I noticed all the dead plants are gone, and everything was watered and looking nice. I guess complaining does pay off sometimes. Hopefully it lasts.

I wonder where I can buy cheap pots now? I need some big ones to plant my broccoli in and I refuse to pay a lot of money

I don't even visit the "garden" departments at big box stores. I don't trust them to stock plants that will happily exist in Texas! Something that may do just lovely in Missouri wouldn't last a week here without major pampering, which I have no time for.

I like to do business with my neighbors right down the road, who grow their own stock from locally collected seed. Not only am I assured those plants want to grow here, but I also help a small, friendly, family business to grow and thrive! And get expert advice into the bargain. And if they have any seedlings that look the slightest bit questionable, they'll greatly reduce the price, and then offer to replace them for free if they don't make it (I've never taken them up on that; they're too kind). Ever seen a big box do that?

Not a big fan of Wally World, anyhow. But that's just my own socio-economic bent.