# Plants bought at lowes for the enclosure



## PMQ (Aug 30, 2014)

I just purchased a spider plant, jade plant, and dracaena from lowes to enhance my tortoises indoor enclosure. Should I plant them in organic soil(which I just bought) and put them into the enclosure or should leave them in the organic soil for a while before placing them in the enclosure?


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## Yvonne G (Aug 30, 2014)

Because one never knows what kind of systemic pesticides nurseries might have used on their plants, most people will allow the new plant to grow for a while in new dirt before putting it into the habitat. You can wash the old dirt off the roots and re-pot in new soil, then give it a couple weeks to flush out its system.

Having said that, I've never been one to follow the rules. If I see a plant that I want to put into a habitat, I buy it and plant it. I try to protect the plant for a while, though, just to give it a good start. Little popsicle fences do a good job of keeping the babies away from the plants.


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## PMQ (Aug 30, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> Because one never knows what kind of systemic pesticides nurseries might have used on their plants, most people will allow the new plant to grow for a while in new dirt before putting it into the habitat. You can wash the old dirt off the roots and re-pot in new soil, then give it a couple weeks to flush out its system.
> 
> Having said that, I've never been one to follow the rules. If I see a plant that I want to put into a habitat, I buy it and plant it. I try to protect the plant for a while, though, just to give it a good start. Little popsicle fences do a good job of keeping the babies away from the plants.





this soil is ok right?


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## AZTorts (Aug 30, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> Because one never knows what kind of systemic pesticides nurseries might have used on their plants, most people will allow the new plant to grow for a while in new dirt before putting it into the habitat. You can wash the old dirt off the roots and re-pot in new soil, then give it a couple weeks to flush out its system.
> 
> Having said that, I've never been one to follow the rules. If I see a plant that I want to put into a habitat, I buy it and plant it. I try to protect the plant for a while, though, just to give it a good start. Little popsicle fences do a good job of keeping the babies away from the plants.



Yvonne, I thought I would just ask you a quick plant question here instead of starting a whole new thread. Do you know if gojo berry plants or berries are okay to feed desert tortoises? I have tried to find out online but can't find anything definitive. I did find this so I'm thinking it would be good for them...

*H – Wolfberry (Lycium Fremontii)*


Edible fruit – our native Goji berry
Forage for animals
Bird attractor
Groundcover that suppresses grass and controls evaporation.


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## naturalman91 (Aug 30, 2014)

I've done what Yvonne does and i haven't had any problems i do was the roots first tho.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 30, 2014)

I found "Goji Berry" and the whole plant is edible. It is used as a leaf vegetable in China.


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## AZTorts (Aug 30, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> I found "Goji Berry" and the whole plant is edible. It is used as a leaf vegetable in China.



Thank you Yvonne. I don't know if it's exactly the same plant but there is a Goji Berry that grows wild in the desert. The berries are considered a 'super food' for people but I was sure if it was safe for torts. I actually ordered some plants from Calf. a few years ago.


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Sep 1, 2014)

Man... goji berries are delicious...  I would wait a bit before giving the plants.. never know what they put on there


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## AZTorts (Sep 1, 2014)

Yellow Turtle01 said:


> Man... goji berries are delicious...  I would wait a bit before giving the plants.. never know what they put on there



I've had these plants for over 2 years. They keep dying back for some reason. Just when I think they're dead I start to see new little leaf buds. LOL The berries are great when they're ripe. Not so good if you pick them too soon. LOL


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Sep 2, 2014)

Sour!  Maybe that's just natural?


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## Tom (Sep 2, 2014)

PMQ said:


> I just purchased a spider plant, jade plant, and dracaena from lowes to enhance my tortoises indoor enclosure. Should I plant them in organic soil(which I just bought) and put them into the enclosure or should leave them in the organic soil for a while before placing them in the enclosure?




We have an experienced member here that works in a commercial plant nursery. He let us know that all plants bought at the store, like yours, have been treated with systemic pesticides. This means those plants tissues are infused with toxic pesticides. This is why they look so nice and the bugs don't eat them. Because I don't do this with the plants that I grow, mine get chewed on by bugs. Even if you remove the soil it was grown in, it takes up to one year for the pesticides to dissipate. I would not allow a tortoise access to those plants for one year.


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