i love my lowe's

[moswen]

I went into lowe's today to get some supplies to make tula her outdoor enclosure (I was trying to hold off until we moved but mannford is just such a small town and no one's selling!!!!) And I saw something that I thought I'd never see...

A whole section of succulents! And for a moment I almost succumbed to my daughter's influences and peed my pants, I was so excited! I ended up spending almost $60 just on succulents, all priced under $5. That's a lot of succulents... I'm so excited! My babies are going to be so happy at breakfast tomorrow morning!

Yay!

 

[Missy]

I would be carful they could have chemicals in them. The only way to be sure is grow them away from your babies for a season then transplant them. Maybe you can get the growers # from Lowes and call and ask if they use fertilizer or pesticides. I work for Menards (Lowes competitor in the mid-west) in the garden center and most growers do use chemicals on most things.

 

[Seiryu]

I went into lowe's today to get some supplies to make tula her outdoor enclosure (I was trying to hold off until we moved but mannford is just such a small town and no one's selling!!!!) And I saw something that I thought I'd never see...

A whole section of succulents! And for a moment I almost succumbed to my daughter's influences and peed my pants, I was so excited! I ended up spending almost $60 just on succulents, all priced under $5. That's a lot of succulents... I'm so excited! My babies are going to be so happy at breakfast tomorrow morning!

Yay!

Yes, please do wait to feed them for at least a couple of months. The plants need time to get rid of all the fertilizers/chemicals.

You need to replant them in soil that doesn't have any fertilizers in them.

We should really sticky a thread about buying plants, repotting them in correct soil and waiting the correct length of time before using them. So more people realize they can't go out and buy a plant (from ANY store that sells plants) and feed them to their animals without waiting the proper time (usually at least a month after repotting in un-fertilized soil).

 

[moswen]

Well, I don't want to throw around names here but someone else on this forum whom I trust whole heartedly does the same thing, and so do several others on this forum! Thanks tho for your concern guys, it's comforting to know we love our pets so much! I've researched and thought about it a lot though and I believe that this is no different than buying spring mix at the grocery store, that has been sprayed and grown with chemicals as well and I'm pretty sure everyone on this forum has fed spring mix at some point! -

 

[preston897]

what exactly are succulents? im probably going to feel stupid after i get the answer.....

 

[Seiryu]

Well, I don't want to throw around names here but someone else on this forum whom I trust whole heartedly does the same thing, and so do several others on this forum! Thanks tho for your concern guys, it's comforting to know we love our pets so much! I've researched and thought about it a lot though and I believe that this is no different than buying spring mix at the grocery store, that has been sprayed and grown with chemicals as well and I'm pretty sure everyone on this forum has fed spring mix at some point! -

In the end it is your call yes. I am curious though. Your spring mix isn't organic? I've been to 6-7 different groceries here and all the Spring mixes are actually organic here, so no fertilizers or pesticides. I have never seen a spring mix that wasn't organic actually.

As far as other greens though that are bought in bundles (radicchio, turnip, collard etc etc), those usually have misters hitting them that will eventually clean off most of the chemicals or pesticides used (if any). And then I wash those ones thoroughly before feeding too.

 

[Missy]

I grow spring greens in the summer but when I buy them I buy organic. Like I said I work at a garden center and talk to growers and I have told them about my tortoise and they said not to feed there plants to any animals for one season to be safe. I bought a Hibiscus and repotted it and will over winter it then its far game. Thats just me i'm an organic person anyway.

 

[Jacqui]

I am one of those people who tho most of my plants do get bought months before I need them, have bought new plants and used them within a week or two. It's a judgement call, much like using plants that different lists will say are toxic, yet folks use them with no problems.

It makes a big difference, if these are going to be the eaten or are they going to may be just nibbled on or even ignored. Helps if you know your animals and how they will react. As a general rule, mine ignore most of the plants they have in their enclosures and only do a few walkby nibbles. My Russians are my main pig out tortoises.

Like most things be ready to pull them out, if your seeing your tortoise making a meal out of them. Also make sure you have grasses or have planted seeds of greens to give them other things besides the nursery stock plants to chow on. Also as advised, as quickly as possible remove the dirt (which contains pellets of chemical fertilizer, ect). Lots of watering (but not over watering ) and trimming down plants also help. Think also about trimming up the plants, so more of the bottom leaves are out of reach.

Another fact is it also depends on what type of plant your getting as to how much chemical additives there are. Nonblooming plants or ones that grow slow, tend to be given little if any.

It's just that most folks don't plan ahead. They build their enclosures and then need plants to put in there. I am going to risk the plants, rather then place a tortoise into an empty bare pen. Consider too, many folks have significant others or landlords who aren't too sure or pleased with the idea of building this enclosure. Face it, not only does the enclosure need to fit the needs of the animal, but the visual appeal needs of the humans.

---

what exactly are succulents? im probably going to feel stupid after i get the answer.....

No reason to feel stupid, they are plants like cactus or sedums. Usually the plants are full of fluids and normally found in more dry areas.

 

[dmmj]

Personally I don't feed anything I buy from a store for at least 3 months and new growth. You can decide for yourself, that's what I do.

 

[Candy]

I only by organic spring mix. I don't know how much they spray succulents though I would not think they would be a big bug plant.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Well, whether you use them now or rinse/wait, we'll need to see photos of the "new", "succulented" enclosure with happy munching torties.

 

[Tom]

Rebekah. You are a wonderful person and your torts are awesome. Please don't risk that very expensive and very beautiful tortoise on a five dollar plant. Its a well known fact that almost ALL nurseries use lots of chemicals to keep their plants pest free. Plants grown for food in a grocery store, like spring mix, are subject to a whole book of USDA and FDA rules. Ornamentals to be planted in your garden are not. Two totally different things here. Just rinse the heck out of them, plant them and patiently wait for the new growth to come up. I only feed out this new growth.

Remember. You can ingest a little cyanide or arsenic and not die. It doesn't mean its good for you. Just because somebody else did this, doesn't mean its safe and it doesn't mean your torts won't get poisoned.

 

[Laura]

Succulents are like little juicy cactus type plants.. google them. :-0

 

[Missy]

Wow just read my other post and all the bad spelling made me laugh. Like I said the growers will be more than happy to talk to you (at least Menards growers will) It is true that not all growers spray all plants but if you want to ease your mind... I would never plant annuals, they spray the heck outta them but i'm sure you already know that. Most blooming plants are forced to bloom with chemicals before the actual bloom time so that they will sell better. I bought sedge grass that the grower told me was not sprayed and planted them. Please post pics when your done I bet it will be beautiful

 

[tortoisenerd]

The plants you buy from a store that are not meant for human food and much more dangerous than the non-organic greens meant for human consumption. Succulents have many many pesticides, similar to roses in that they want them to look pretty, and they are not meant to be food. I would wait 3-6 months unless you grow from seeds or buy certified organic. I treat my tort like my own child and honestly don't like to take unneeded risks. Your call, but make an educated decision. THe chemicals are systemic to the whole plant, so replanting or rinsing doesn't help.

 

[Yvonne G]

I would feel awful if someone planted new-bought plants directly in their habitat because I said it was ok, and then the tortoise got poisoned. Its a case of do as I say, not as I do. I have never worried about not directly planting new-bought plants, however, I've usually always told people not to do it.

With succulents, its kind of a different story. Cactus and succulents are a little more tender than regular plants, in that you can't use full-strength fertilizers and bug killers on them. So that risk is somewhat minimized. However, it would be a very good idea to wash all the dirt from the roots of the plant and start with fresh, clean soil. Systemic bug killers can be used on succulents...systemic means they put it into the soil and its absorbed through the roots.

Jacqui's post was a good one. Just pay attention to your tort and if it looks like he's trying to make a meal out of a plant, rather than just a nibble here and there, it would be a good idea to block off that plant from the tortoise.

 

[motero]

All this organic stuff means that they use organic pesticides and fertilizers. Like Neem oil or insecticidal soap and manure or guano. Organic does not mean that the spring mix was grown with nothing.
Just say'n.

 

[Michael Bird]

I hope this isn't too much of a hijack, but on the subject of succulents, are all "succulent" plants OK as tortoise food, or are some good and others not?

The reason I ask is because the local garden/greenhouse shops generally sell most of their succulent plants (cactii, echeveria, etc) in very small pots as young 2-3" plants for around $5 but they also sell Jade plants (Crassula ovata) in large pots with 10-12" plants or larger for the same price. Of course, a variety is always good so I would mix in the smaller plants as well, but if Jade is OK to feed to Greek tortoises I'd like to get a few of those plants as a single $5 plant could probably keep my Gracie happy for quite a while, particularly if I can get a few of them growing well together, where she'd finish off one of the other $5 pots easily in a day and never give them a chance to grow and spread out.