How dangerous are HOME DEPOT plants?

tglazie

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This is the reason I get almost everything from seed. What I don't get from seed, I get shipped in from organic nurseries, given that I don't have any here in town that I trust. About twenty years back, when we first moved into my new house, I ordered some Pakistani mulberry trees from some now defunct organic grower in Northern California, along with a variety of grape vines. These fantastic plants have provided me with so much tortoise food, it is ridiculous. The rest I buy as seed and sow in early January, so the tortoises have fresh graze by late February when they wake from brumation. But yeah, I don't even buy top soil from Home Depot. I think the only thing I have actually gotten from them are cinder blocks to build my enclosure walls, and I figure they're safe, given that they're on the other side of the store.

T.G.
 

ascott

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Does washing the plant help ? Do the pesticides leach into the substrate if planted directly in the enclosure?

No, most chemicals are taken up into the plant systemically.....so no matter how much you wash it....it is in the plant....so the plant would need to be cared for (out of the enclosure) about a year....and during that time you can trim away old growth as new growth begins....keep the plant well/appropriately watered....
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I always read the labels. I incorrectly guessed that there would be warnings. There are now. (At H.D)
Just about all of the plants I feed are from Hibiscus that are many years old and from things I've grown. Thankfully I can stop this before it started. Thanks.
Also, I have had tortoises try to eat plastic leaves.
 

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RosemaryDW

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Geez. Changes required immediately!! I'm so sorry to have ever told anyone "oh you can find that stuff at Home Depot". I thought time and replanting would do the trick. Thank you for the information.
Time does do the trick; give them eight months to a year to grow that stuff out of the plant and it will be fine. If you are buying seasonal plants that won’t work, of course.
 

RosemaryDW

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I fed a single petunia flower from Home Depot to my tortoise, will he be ok and what can I do???
Unless he is a baby I think he will suffer no or very minimal harm from eating a single flower. You can give him an extra soak to see if he goes to the bathroom a little sooner than usual. Some will suggest feeding “wet” food, like cucumber, to move things out of his system.

Tortoises occasionally get into the wrong thing but we have very, very few proven instances of tortoise death strictly tied to diet. It’s super important to be careful but I wouldn’t freak out over this.
 

jwr0201

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I shop for my torts every week when I'm getting groceries, I'm not sure actually getting landscaping for food is that cost effective or safe (I've never seen a bug or caterpillar on a Home Depot plant) I would avoid that practice..
I'm in the landscape industry and have an addendum to respectfully include your statement regarding pesticides on plants. Many/most small growers do not use pesticides on all of their plants. Take Milkweed, herbs, etc. There are no pesticides used there. In many small nurseries I've been in, there are butterflies all over, visiting flowers throughout the nursery. Butterflies are good environmental indicators, as they are rather delicate and certainly would not survive if they had contact with plants that had been sprayed. Also, the milkweed is for Monarch caterpillars.
Agreed that plants grown for the big box commercial places are thoroughly sprayed. Likely due to their 'no questions asked' plant return policies. If a place has no warranty on their plants, they likely do not spray.
 

jwr0201

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Recently, I purchased both Primrose and Begonias for my out doors enclosures and noticed a separate pesticide label. After looking around, I saw that most of the plants had the same warning. Deer and pest resistant NEONICOTINOIDS. And "Not for human or animal consumption."
I looked online and found that although it is approved by the FDA there is some evidence that it gets into every cell of the plant, rendering it toxic. Period.
It may also be linked to Honey Bee deaths worldwide.
This is bad because I had been using Home Depot plants in part, to feed my tortoises.
I'd never seen any warnings or notices before. Only labels about watering and care...
Zero - forget Home Depot & Lowes. Visit your small local mom & pop nurseries. Ask them about spraying - they will be honest. Look for butterflies and bees among the plants. Also, if they have edibles, butterfly plants and MIlkweed, they most likely do not spray. :cool:
 

Blackdog1714

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Zero - forget Home Depot & Lowes. Visit your small local mom & pop nurseries. Ask them about spraying - they will be honest. Look for butterflies and bees among the plants. Also, if they have edibles, butterfly plants and MIlkweed, they most likely do not spray. :cool:
My place is Azalea Garden Center family owned an operated since there was a K Mart there many years ago. They are a no chemical except for roses kinda place. Their supplier uses fish fertilizer so it is safe for human and animal consumption. A little more expensive but often have stuff you are really looking for or will order it! I have been shopping there since 1999 and Covid-19 helped them. They doubled their orders and sold each out days after it arrived especially since who carries lemon basil?
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Zero - forget Home Depot & Lowes. Visit your small local mom & pop nurseries. Ask them about spraying - they will be honest. Look for butterflies and bees among the plants. Also, if they have edibles, butterfly plants and MIlkweed, they most likely do not spray. :cool:
These plants are all more than 5 years old now and are gigantic shrubs.
Half of my yard is one interconnected tangle of Hibuscus.
I will never need another new plant as long as I live here
 

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