Friday, November 22, 2019

Patio ready (one of these things is not like the others)

An errand to get rebar had me at the orange big-box store. Since I could see the garden department was open I decided to check it out first, before walking to the other end of the store for the rebar. Imagine my surrpise when I saw a table full of Agave attenuata, in November, in Portland.

This is one of the wimpiest agaves there is, melting near 30F, what is it doing at a big box in Portland? Oh! It's Patio Ready! Does that mean these were supposed to be merchandised over the summer? (they weren't here a month ago when I was at the same store).

Hmmm, and one of these things is not like the other...

You're not an Agave attenuata! Of course the label on the side of the pot said it was.

I wonder if they'll have the smarts to put these all on clearance before they freeze?

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Weather Diary, Nov 21: Hi 57, Low 34/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

23 comments:

  1. That is insane. Any guesses on who the unknown fellow is?

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    1. It's only a guess, but perhaps Agave parrasana.

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  2. That plant that is not like the others is the same type of agave as I rescued from the big orange box near me this past summer. It may have been patio-ready then, but like those lovely A. attenuata, I knew it was not winter-ready in Portland!

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    1. How is it doing? And did you ever get an ID?

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  3. I hope you freed the little random guy. He clearly deserves a good home.

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    1. $28.98 is a bit steep. If I make it back and he's on clearance, yes!

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  4. Hopefully, somewhere in the pot, there is also a tag with care information. I was surprised the sticker said "Agave attenuate". Often it would just say: succulents... or cacti.

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  5. Oh, Home Depot...for shame! Yet another reason not to shop there.

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    1. Or look at shopping there as a rescue mission?

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  6. Such beautiful plants. What a shame they are destined to freeze and turn to mush.

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  7. I never expect the box store employees to know anything about plants, let alone water them. It is the equivalent of visiting a kill shelter for animals, you want to rescue them all before they perish.

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    1. Occasionally I've talked to someone who really seems to know their stuff, but usually...yes. Exactly as you describe.

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  8. You have to feel bad for new gardeners who get burned by these displays.

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    1. Oh gosh yes! I've written a few blog posts on this and will continue to praise garden centers that actually bother to educate. It's a problem!

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  9. They'll probably make the grower give them credit for those plants when they bite the dust-the grower should have known better too. I feel bad for unsuspecting customers though !

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    1. Ya I thought about that "credit" thing. It's a racket!

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  10. Don't you all have glassed-in, heated patios in Portland? ;) That is pretty weird. My first guess was that they were shipped to the wrong location but, no, the tag clearly says NWEST. I should check out what HD sends to our local stores just for fun - but I usually avoid them like the plague.

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    1. I thought the same, re: a shipping error and then seeing that nope, they were meant for here. So bizarre!

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  11. And here, they sell hostas! Sigh.

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    1. And probably merchandise them in full sun...

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  12. Wow, that's strange... I learned about their melty ways a couple of years ago. I thought I was so smart to store it in our unheated garden shed, but sure enough - it died a miserable death. Live and learn. The one I have now spends the winters on the kitchen window sill. Not ideal, in terms of light, but at least it's not dying.

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