Why are Garden Centers Biased against Autumn?

[FJ and G]

I've been looking for thymes in garden centers in a 10 mile radius and every time I get the same reply: come back in the spring. (same for tree assortments that I need).

Fall is an outstanding time to plant trees and groundcover. What's the deal with this "come back in the spring" reply? It's so frustrating. Our springtimes in Virginia can get downright hot and evil.

[Anonymous]

They had to make room for all the Halloween crap and Christmas decorations somehow, didn't they?

[tangerine-jack]

Oh I agree with you both 100%.  I do most of my heavy garden work in the late fall/winter time frame.  It's the only time of year I can dig holes, move rocks and other heavy physical work without melting in the heat or getting carried away by mosquitos.  I went by Home Depot to get some bags of crushed marble and they DIDN'T HAVE ANY LEFT!!!!!  What the F$#%?  It a rock for crying out loud!  I can see not having certain plants and such, but no rocks?  Fa-la-la-la-la, 'tis the season.

[ttrigg]

Oh I agree with you both 100%.  I do most of my heavy garden work in the late fall/winter time frame.  It's the only time of year I can dig holes, move rocks and other heavy physical work without melting in the heat or getting carried away by mosquitos.  I went by Home Depot to get some bags of crushed marble and they DIDN'T HAVE ANY LEFT!!!!!  What the F$#%?  It a rock for crying out loud!  I can see not having certain plants and such, but no rocks?  Fa-la-la-la-la, 'tis the season.

TJ
Move on out here to "Sandy Eggo".  My favorite "rock store" carries my kind of rock (from 25 ton monsters down to "crusher fines") in my favorite colors 365 days a year.  My favorite nursery (the one that sells LGB, Aristo, etc.) has an operating GRR and a GRR Plant specialist.  On hands of GRR trees never stops.  (well mostly never, some times one of the clubs will buy them out for the weekend).  We may not have all four seasons out here, but train supplies are NEVER hard to get.  Never have to worry about mosquitos and the like.  OTH spinach is another story!!!!!!!

[tangerine-jack]

Ttrig,

I can GET the stuff I need after looking around, but my point is that most places wrongly assume gardening is a spring/summer activity and quickly clear the shelves for Christmas merchandise as soon as September hits.

I was born in Sandy Eggo, earthquakes, wild fires, mud slides, tornados and hippies, no thanks. Get rid of the hippies and I might move back.

[ttrigg]

TJ
Yes I know how frustrating it can get. In a lot of the places here the live plants are being moved out to make way for Halloween.  Christmas stuff is filling the top steel racks everywhere.  What we want is available but at the cost of gas, driving there is an"only when necessary"  thing.

Earthquakes: just chase the gofers down the street
Wild Fires:  break out the hot dogs and marshmallows
Mud Slides:  reason to rebuil the RR right od way
Tornados;  moved on to Kansas
Hippies:  sent them to 'frisco, had to make room for all the new "guest workers"!

[cacole]

Must definitely be a regional problem -- Home Depot, Wal-mart, K-mart, Ace Hardware, and others keep their garden centers open year-round here in south-east Arizona.