I see it as the problem between "garden centres" and "nurseries". The trend with garden centres over last couple of decades is to set up for a family trip out with cafes and kids play areas, and charge whatever they think they can get away with. I do go to my local GC if I want a particular item or tool but I expect to be ripped off. Never buy plants from there though, haven't won the lottery yet! My local nursery has good quality plants for very reasonable prices. I was especially impressed to buy a rhubarb in March, one leaf emerging at the time. It's now got 6 leaves and looks like there's actually two crowns! Also bought strawberries which are thriving, only £1 a plant 😁
Amazingly enough the outlet selling those chillies are actually growing them on site...so you can imagine the markup. Unfortunately it seems that while all the above stands we are currently in a moment where a lot of people get advice on social media and blogs that too frequently have their own agendas and commercial set ups. All too frequently they conveniently leave out any monetary aspect.
So for someone brand new to gardening they probably think seven pounds is good value in comparison to some of the more trendy and overpriced house plants that are all the rage in those circles.
I suppose with time the newcomers will realise there's another way...but it's frustrating watching them give those chancers their money.
The markup really depends on the quantity. A nursery needs to grow (tens of) thousands of plants to be able to sell small vegetable pots for £1 to garden centres that resell them for £2 or maybe for £3 after another potting on. On the other hand, a very small business growing only tens or hundreds of plants need a much bigger markup to make it worth it. Sometimes, people are willing to pay for "the story" or to support someone they like. The chilli itself is just a part of the product.
How much would I pay? £2-3 for the usual varieties. £4-5 for something special. £7 maybe with shipping.
If you’re a brand new gardener and you fancy trying to grow a couple of chilli plants and you have no gardening ‘stuff’ you’ll may well buy a pack of seeds ... £3-ish a half sized seed tray or some module type thingies £5 a bag of MPC ... at least £3.00 and at least 2 bigger pots £4 ish
and if you’re new at growing and a bit unsure of yourself you’ll think that you’ll probably be rubbish at growing them and you’ll be left with half a pack of seeds, the seed day or modules, pots and three quarters of a bag of compost that you’ll never use again ... £7 per plant probably seems about right.
On top of that, they should’ve started growing them at least a month ago ... so buying a couple of plants that someone else has started needn’t be more expensive and gives them a chance of getting some ripe chillies. 🌶
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Last year I only wanted to grow one (sweet) pepper so decided just to buy a single plant from a local garden centre. But when purchase time came around we were in the thick of the pandemic and no garden centres near me had stocks. The only place I could find on line was Sea Spring Plants (the chilli nursery in Dorset that featured on Gardeners’ World a couple of episodes back). They had the highly rated and difficult to source variety called Hamik for £2.50 plus £5.00 for p&p.
Last year I only wanted to grow one (sweet) pepper so decided just to buy a single plant from a local garden centre. But when purchase time came around we were in the thick of the pandemic and no garden centres near me had stocks. The only place I could find on line was Sea Spring Plants (the chilli nursery in Dorset that featured on Gardeners’ World a couple of episodes back). They had the highly rated and difficult to source variety called Hamik for £2.50 plus £5.00 for p&p.
So, I paid £7.50 for a plug plant, willingly.
Supply and demand. It's obviously "horses for courses" and I wouldn't pay that much. Actually, that's not quite correct...I wouldn't pay the postage. The plant at £2.50 is ok but don't get me started about Royal Mail costs!
To have visited four local garden centres in a vain quest for the plug plant would have been a fiver in petrol costs and two hours of time. Being sensible, I phoned them but that was still time consuming. Order, pay the cost, and call it good. In fairness to Sea Spring Plants their postal charges are a flat £5 fee no matter the order size.
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So for someone brand new to gardening they probably think seven pounds is good value in comparison to some of the more trendy and overpriced house plants that are all the rage in those circles.
I suppose with time the newcomers will realise there's another way...but it's frustrating watching them give those chancers their money.
On the other hand, a very small business growing only tens or hundreds of plants need a much bigger markup to make it worth it.
Sometimes, people are willing to pay for "the story" or to support someone they like. The chilli itself is just a part of the product.
How much would I pay? £2-3 for the usual varieties. £4-5 for something special. £7 maybe with shipping.
a pack of seeds ... £3-ish
a half sized seed tray or some module type thingies £5
a bag of MPC ... at least £3.00
and at least 2 bigger pots £4 ish
and if you’re new at growing and a bit unsure of yourself you’ll think that you’ll probably be rubbish at growing them and you’ll be left with half a pack of seeds, the seed day or modules, pots and three quarters of a bag of compost that you’ll never use again ... £7 per plant probably seems about right.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
So, I paid £7.50 for a plug plant, and willingly.