Texas-where do you buy your plants

Stephanie D

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Joined
Mar 18, 2016
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55
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
Does anyone order seeds from online? I went to a nursery and when I asked about pesticides, she said they only had fertilizer in their water. I know not to have pesticides but what about fertilizer??
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Southern California
Does anyone order seeds from online? I went to a nursery and when I asked about pesticides, she said they only had fertilizer in their water. I know not to have pesticides but what about fertilizer??

I don't think TX is any different than the rest of the country. Commercial nurseries use systemic pesticides to grow their plants. The toxins are taken up through the roots and assimilated into the plant's tissues. This keeps the plants healthy, pretty, and insect free, so they look beautiful sitting on the retailer's shelves. The person you talked to at the nursery might not even know this. These toxins can last one year or more in some cases.

All plants need fertilizer. They can't grow without it. Fertilizer taken up through the roots and assimilated into the plant should be fine, but you don't want your tortoise to have access to any sort of actual fertilizer product either sprayed on the plant or in the form of granules or powder at the base of the plant.

The safe bet is to find older, established plants and take cuttings, or grow your own from seed. I get a lot of seeds here: http://www.groworganic.com

I also like this one a lot:
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix
 

Stephanie D

Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2016
Messages
55
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
I don't think TX is any different than the rest of the country. Commercial nurseries use systemic pesticides to grow their plants. The toxins are taken up through the roots and assimilated into the plant's tissues. This keeps the plants healthy, pretty, and insect free, so they look beautiful sitting on the retailer's shelves. The person you talked to at the nursery might not even know this. These toxins can last one year or more in some cases.

All plants need fertilizer. They can't grow without it. Fertilizer taken up through the roots and assimilated into the plant should be fine, but you don't want your tortoise to have access to any sort of actual fertilizer product either sprayed on the plant or in the form of granules or powder at the base of the plant.

The safe bet is to find older, established plants and take cuttings, or grow your own from seed. I get a lot of seeds here: http://www.groworganic.com

I also like this one a lot:
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix
Thank you for the info. You're right, she could have been mistaken, but she didn't hesitate to answer and said she had been asked before so i'm not sure. I am in the process of growing my own. I bought petunias, purple coneflower, hollyhock and california poppy..that was what I could find around me. I was just hoping for something now instead of just waiting for those to grow:) I am not very garden savvy in case you didn't notice haha. At the nursery they had some watercress and hibiscus that I wanted to buy, but I wasn't sure if I should. So I could buy soil with fertilizer and it would be okay to use? I had bought some organic seed starting mix.
 

Pearly

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Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
Hi Stephanie and welcome to the forum. I'm in Texas too, Austin area. I buy LOTS of stuff from the big box nurseries, and as much from local mom 'n pop places. My suspicion is that ANYONE who sells plants for living and has at least couple of freenhouses... will use chemicals. It's hard to imagine people risking their livelyhood by taking chances with bugs and diseases. I've gone all organic and I'll use simple example of my Pansies. Typically I plant them in late October and have gorgeous show of color in my garden and front porch till May. This year I have a major snail invasion which are getting in a way of my plans. I don't do anything about them bcs my torts LOVE to eat them (snails). Most of the plant for the torts I start from cuttings or seeds, or little root division. They started destroying their indoor enclosure landscape and I can't wait for them to get their outdoor pen done so they can move outside. If you live close enough to come see me, I can give you some tort friendly cuttings
 
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