Plant Stores?

[Rango_TheManEater]

Right now, my pathetic plant collection in Rango’s cage consists of a lively schefflera and a medium-sized fern. It’s enough to provide drinking surfaces and a few hiding spots… but it’s definitely bare minimum.

I’m looking to buy a few more veiled-friendly plants (mainly Pothos for ceiling coverage and perhaps another fern). Would it be a good idea to purchase some from a popular store, like Walmart, or should I stick to local greenhouses? My two previously mentioned plants have been in my home for a while now, so I haven’t a clue where they came from.

 

[GrannyK]

I get mine from Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Walmart while in season. Occasionally I’ll go to the plant store if I want something special. Just resoil and wash them to ensure pesticides are removed and soil is safe.

 

[ehdee6]

I get all my plants from Home Depot, Lowe's, Canadian tire; or whatever bigbox store. Unless it's for specialty plants, like the carnivorous ones. I'd recommend taking the plants down to the roots, rinsing thoroughly and putting in fresh soil; to avoid bugs. I'm learning my lesson with not doing that to one of my plants bought on sale... I got lazy and just tossed it in with the other's... Now I'm learning one wrong pest can take out all your plants, if you're not careful.

 

[Carlton]

Don't forget moving/garage sales! I've scored huge Pothos and a wonderful, mature Schefflera at them for just a few dollars. Buying such large plants at a retailer would have been expensive! The people moving couldn't take their houseplants.

My greatest plant find was due to a mistake. I was wandering through a garden center looking at their indoor "tropical" plants and trees. I spotted a huge potted Ficus alii (lance-leaved Ficus) offered for a suspiciously low price. After comparing other trees of similar size and condition, decided it must have been mislabeled. I snatched it right up and kept my mouth shut. The thing must have topped 7', about 5' around. Laid on its side with its pot in a plastic garbage bag, I could just barely cram it into my Subaru. Pruned and shaped a bit and clumped next to a big Hibiscus and a rangey Schefflera, it was home to my free range Melleri for years. Broke my heart when I had to sell it, but it got a great home with people who wanted a big tree for their cathedral-ceilinged foyer.

 

[Andrew1283]

Etsy has awesome mature pothos plants.

 

[BleuSaphir]

If it a small business, more enriching to help an average person succeeding in business too.

 

[GreystoneExotics]

We purchased all our plans from a local family run plans store. Prices were actually better than the big box stores, and, I think the quality was a little better as well. Even if we had to pay a bit more I would have still gone to a smaller family run shop.
We took all the plans out and washed all the soil from the roots and re-potted in new pots.