[Steveharford]

Spring has only just sprung, and yet, B and Q have got their usual racks of advanced chillies and tomatoes etc, getting on for 18" high. And as usual, stacked outside the front door to nicely catch all the wind etc which will turn them blue and droopy, and get them relegated to somewhere round the back. I'm amazed it still pays them to stock stuff which is so advanced, this early, as they always appear to have a lot go to waste.

[Totty]

All those sorts of stores do it don't they. I see they have started putting the trays of carrot seedlings out now too!
Somebody must buy them I suppose.
It's because of the lack of care and knowledge shown in these stores that I won't use them. They may sell cheaper compost etc, but I'd sooner pay a little more, to a local nursery who can give you everything you want, and better quality.

Totty

[jondav14]

its known as stack em high, sell em quick

I really hate B&Q. Went there a few years ago to buy lots of plants for someone's garden. Had a very bad experience with their so called self service tills (8am and no manned tills open). From that day on I have never used another blinking so called self service till. If it wasn't for the fact I was buying the stuff for someone else I would of walked. Place item on tray/take item off tray/unexpected item on tray etc etc etc. 30 minutes, never again.   

[Chaz1985]

This is how I ended up with  20 free tomato plants last year. I had popped in for something else to see an employee throwing all of the grafted plants into a shopping trolley. I asked why they were getting rid of them all, his answer was they were too far advanced too early in the season and the stems were snapping due to the lack of supports. I cheekily asked if I could have any at a reduced price as it has two chances on my allotment, after speaking to the manager I was told to take as many as I wanted.

12 were planted in grow bags outside the shed, the others were given to other allotment holders, the were covered with fleece protection on the numerous occasions when frosts were forecast.

They romped away, growing taller than the summer raspberries they were planted by and produced so many tomatoes I think that they supplied half the allotment.

I have noticed they have them again this year, I'm going to make sure I keep an eye on how sales are going, I may be able to be cheeky again this year!

[GreyScales]

Stopped by today and noticed they've got all their tomatoes, chillies, squash plants etc. outside. Now we had good sunny weather here today for a change, but we're still seeing sub 10C temperatures at times. So I'm not sure on their chances, especially their well advanced cucumber plants, mine are still in their seed packets until May.

That said, a friend of the family has been daring me to grow scotch bonnets (2-7X heat of everything else I'm growing) and I'm not planting any new pepper seeds in April. So I picked up one plant from there today, strangely delicate feeling compared to my chillies for some reason. I noticed some of the pots had two chillies in them planted unhelpfully close, I only wanted the one as I don't think I'll be using many of these 

[Robster]

I saw runner beans about two weeks ago at our local garden centre.  They were already falling over and drooping out of the little trays they were in.  I've not sown runners yet.  I'm cynical of the shops motives but the shop has some great bargains.  I recently bought and planted out some golden beetroot.  Must have been about a hundred plants for £2.99.  They are doing very nicely thank you.

[Nobbie]

Stopped by today and noticed they've got all their tomatoes, chillies, squash plants etc. outside. Now we had good sunny weather here today for a change, but we're still seeing sub 10C temperatures at times. So I'm not sure on their chances, especially their well advanced cucumber plants, mine are still in their seed packets until May.

That said, a friend of the family has been daring me to grow scotch bonnets (2-7X heat of everything else I'm growing) and I'm not planting any new pepper seeds in April. So I picked up one plant from there today, strangely delicate feeling compared to my chillies for some reason. I noticed some of the pots had two chillies in them planted unhelpfully close, I only wanted the one as I don't think I'll be using many of these 

I went to buy a scotch bonnet, but they had none. Just as well, as they all looked cold damaged.

[Steveharford]

Yes I took a look at them again this morning while they were being watered at eight o clock in a biting wind, and the tomatoes particularly, looked as though they were suffering from cold but also very pale in the middle of the leaves as if they were missing some nutrients.