I can't believe the price some plants are going for on here. Folks are going crazy in their bidding - and paying over $30, yet a simple search and they could find the same plant for $12 or under LOL! (I paid $5 for mine). The sellers must be smiling broadly :)
koru67,
Oct 8, 9:15pm
One seller annoys me who calls lots of their plants "rare" and asks exorbitant prices, they are not rare. I feel sorry for anyone who purchases from them.
cameron-albany,
Oct 8, 9:40pm
It's the "cash rich" but "time poor" element of society who buy these plants (and other things!) People who simply can't be bothered trying to find cheaper ways of acquiring what they want simply look up the item they want and go with it, no matter what the cost. As long as it's easy - 2 or 3 clicks for buy-now and payment and they can go back to their party, their kids, their wine or their jobs. I guess they vaguely factor in the time and effort spent looking to save $5, $9 or $12 on a better deal. but in many peoples' lives now, that doesn't mean a lot compared to their earning power or their busy lives! It's all about 'give me that plant NOW.' Why would you feel sorry for them ? ! They have as much opportunity to research better deals as the rest of us. They choose not to.
brightlights60,
Oct 8, 9:51pm
Depends what kind of plants you are after, yes you can buy cheaper, but just remember, nursery plants are mass produced and some of the sought after plants on here are old and heritage. I think that if you are paying $25-$30 for a 3,4 or 5 year old plant or tree that's fair, as it does take time and effort to grow them well. Obviously you wouldn't pay that for run of the mill stuff, but if I am after something specific I don't mind paying a reasonable price for it. BTW does anyone have any white phlox?
vickyh1,
Oct 8, 11:23pm
You also have to remember that not everyone is in a big town with plenty of choices and loads of nurseries within driving distance. Or they might want something from thenother end of the country that isn't common in their zone and is hard to start in their climate.
arcane1315,
Oct 9, 8:36am
Oh yes, I have also paid for a plant that I really really wanted. but I would never pay over $30 for something that is run of the mill. and available on here in the search bar for a whole lot less ( and I too feel sorry for those people that pay the exorbitant prices) Oh well, as another poster said - I guess some people are time poor nowadays. I love my garden and happily pay for those plants that are special, or have taken a long time to grow, and no sorry - no white phlox ;)
harrislucinda,
Oct 9, 9:07am
think i brought a rare plant off here and it was a so call weed Then there are the ones that rip you off with postage as i wanted a plant and asked if they could just put in a $5 red post bag said no it was a clivia and would have to fold leaves over but i have brought others that they cut the leaves so dont mind
lythande1,
Oct 9, 11:21am
Well, buyer determines the price.
lovelurking,
Oct 9, 11:38am
Wow. You sound really angry. That's sad.
lovelurking,
Oct 9, 11:44am
Or they might not be able to get out and about to go to the nurseries so buy from trade me because they trust the members they are buying from?
colin433,
Oct 9, 12:35pm
I spent a lot of money with (and I'll name them) Owens nurseries. What a rort. tiny little plants, most of them never grew. I got some from a non-reccognised lady, and they did well, as did the rhubarb plants from another lady
piquant,
Oct 9, 5:56pm
There are some very good growers that sell on here - but you have to know who you are dealing with. My biggest gripe is the fact that some sellers are selling 5cm tubes (that is a Growing on line - not a plant) for $6. $7. maybe $8.00 each. Unknowing gardeners will plant out these tiny rooted cuttings, expecting them to grow. Of course, they are very disappointed when they don't survive - or thrive, as they should. Someone above mentioned the time poor/cash rich element - well, that might be an element but more likely it is knowledge poor and I absolutely do not condone anyone spending money on things that are unlikely to survive. It is a rort and one that few have the balls to stand up and complain about. Which is one of the reasons I have chosen not to sell my plants via this means. I would have done happily in the past, but not now.
survivalkiwi,
Oct 9, 6:27pm
The plant that makes me laugh is yuccas. I bought two about 15 years ago for $50 each. A mate of mine who owned a trendy cafe paid $130 each for four for his cafe at the same time. From my original two I have 10 at my current house. I have about 20 at our comercial property and left about 10 at our last house. They grow like weeds. So why where they so expensive.
oh_hunnihunni,
Oct 9, 6:49pm
Well, I have bought and sold plants on here for ages and have never been disappointed - in fact some of my best purchases have been from super traders who obviously do it for love not money, just as I do. Because growing stuff should be fun, and garden centres don't often do bargains, or freebies the way we do here.
Long may it be so.
piquant,
Oct 9, 7:47pm
with respect, hunni, you know about plants and I would expect that you have the knowledge to look see what the size of it is etc and know if it was a good bet or not. I, too, have got some treasures off ordinary gardeners and I'm happy to pay a fair price for those. But all too often, there is an opportunist element - some of whom don't even know what it is they are selling - who stretch the boundaries so far, they spoil the concept completely. Some people just have NO conscience
oh_hunnihunni,
Oct 9, 9:28pm
Usually the expensive ones, lol.
arcane1315,
Oct 11, 10:56am
Haha. I have decided this morning after scrolling through the new listings that I will now sell my heritage forget-me-nots $6 a pop and i have oh, around 5000000000 of them self seeded everywhere. I'm gonna be rich! woohooo.
fruitbat,
Oct 11, 11:03am
Do ya homework.
tourer100,
Oct 11, 11:34am
Yep, same reason it annoys me that organic veg I so expensive, $13 for kumera in an organic shop, $6 at Avondale markets, they give organic shops a bad name in my book, it shouldn't be this way, we all should be able to eat spray free food if we wish, not just the rich
kay141,
Mar 9, 5:47am
Must have been the luck of the draw, I have bought many from the same nurseries both at my old address and here, completely different areas and climate and I've never had a failure yet.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.