You have to check because even small nurseries buy in stuff. One way to avoid it with annuals is to buy those pick and mix single plugs. The plastic label wraps around them forming a small container so there is no 'need' for mesh. They are only available for a short time in early spring. I missed them this year as I had to go away and wouldn't be able to look after them. 😞
That is a good thought, @thevictorian about consumer rights. I am going to ask every time I buy plants from now on, if the supplier uses mesh. They may not know I suppose.
From what I can glean so far, the 3 cotinus shrubs that died, (a slow death I think) were from 3 different places. I now think some of my other shrub casualties followed a similar fate. I am referring to new 2 or 3 litre potted plants that died during the growing season, meaning that the roots were getting bigger and becoming trapped without my knowledge. I lost about ten plants this year for no apparent reason - now it is becoming clearer to me. I threw out some of the plants so cannot check to be sure, but I am fairly certain it was due to roots trapped in mesh.
I don't know any 'small' nurseries. What would the definition be? Would they be 'propagating by hand' with no mechanisation involved? Nurseries don't seem to advertise their methods much (from what I can remember). Or maybe they do? Then again, the smaller nurseries do seem to buy in plants too.
I would be very interested in buying from non-mechanised nurseries. Maybe prices would automatically be more expensive when buying plants from these sorts of places?
That is a good idea @b3 for those small annual plants that are presented in different packaging. Some plug plants are also fairly easy to check. For instance, I bought plug plant primulas this autumn and I could tell there was no mesh.
The problem with larger plants is the roots and soil hide what is going on so the only way to tell is remove all the soil and start teasing the roots and feeling for the mesh (all without damaging the roots).
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
If your plant dies and you blame yourself or the weather, the GC can sell you another plant. That sounds like good business to me. It's called planned obsolescence in other industries.
I had one on a Salvia bought at Great Comp, which surprised me. I hadn't even thought to actively look... until it died.
In my experience stuff doesn't die straight away either, it's often a year or two down the line and then they fail, you wonder why, dig them up and there it is.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
A few of mine with mesh were salvias too, @LG_. Your experiences sound similar to mine. The length of time to death might also make it less easy for the plant supplier to be deemed 'responsible' for ill-effects.
I am not sure @Liriodendron. It seems that the supplier could remove it from bigger, older plants, before the point of sale, but they frequently don't.
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
Some garden centres pot on shrubs, roses etc before sale . The bigger the pot, the more they can charge - fair enough. This is the time that a responsible GC could remove the teabag without damaging the plant. I would even be prepared to pay a little extra for a plant labelled 'no teabag' or 'teabag removed'
I heartily agree @b3. I am going to ask suppliers from now on when ordering, whether they remove the mesh. I knew about medical mesh problems, but never guessed mesh would be affecting plants like this. Thanks for raising the issue earlier. When did you first discover the problems? Was it getting on for decades?
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
One decade, maybe😒 .At that time they actually advertised them as the answer to all your messy planting problems. Just slot them into the soil and bobsyeruncle. @clematisdorset
Posts
One way to avoid it with annuals is to buy those pick and mix single plugs. The plastic label wraps around them forming a small container so there is no 'need' for mesh. They are only available for a short time in early spring. I missed them this year as I had to go away and wouldn't be able to look after them. 😞
From what I can glean so far, the 3 cotinus shrubs that died, (a slow death I think) were from 3 different places. I now think some of my other shrub casualties followed a similar fate. I am referring to new 2 or 3 litre potted plants that died during the growing season, meaning that the roots were getting bigger and becoming trapped without my knowledge. I lost about ten plants this year for no apparent reason - now it is becoming clearer to me. I threw out some of the plants so cannot check to be sure, but I am fairly certain it was due to roots trapped in mesh.
I don't know any 'small' nurseries. What would the definition be? Would they be 'propagating by hand' with no mechanisation involved? Nurseries don't seem to advertise their methods much (from what I can remember). Or maybe they do? Then again, the smaller nurseries do seem to buy in plants too.
I would be very interested in buying from non-mechanised nurseries. Maybe prices would automatically be more expensive when buying plants from these sorts of places?
That is a good idea @b3 for those small annual plants that are presented in different packaging. Some plug plants are also fairly easy to check. For instance, I bought plug plant primulas this autumn and I could tell there was no mesh.
The problem with larger plants is the roots and soil hide what is going on so the only way to tell is remove all the soil and start teasing the roots and feeling for the mesh (all without damaging the roots).
In my experience stuff doesn't die straight away either, it's often a year or two down the line and then they fail, you wonder why, dig them up and there it is.
I am not sure @Liriodendron. It seems that the supplier could remove it from bigger, older plants, before the point of sale, but they frequently don't.
I would even be prepared to pay a little extra for a plant labelled 'no teabag' or 'teabag removed'