03/26/2023
I was just shopping at Walmart and Home Depot to get a few necessities to start my garden for the year. Let me tell you, retail pricing for this stuff is getting out of control!!!
I’m seeing 8oz bags of perlite now being priced at $6 per bag at both retail locations and theres no longer an option of the ultra-sized bags. Haven’t seen them in two years. Before the pandemic, you could buy a large ultra-sized 2cuft bag of perlite for $20. The smaller bags were typically $3 at Walmart anf $4 at Home Depot. Now they’re $6. That’s double or close to double what they were in 2017-2019. Ridiculous.
Secondly, and more importantly, STOP buying pre-grown tomatoes and peppers starts at these stores unless you’re able to get a good deal on them. Check to see if you have multiple plants in a pot. You can seperate them at home and save money. I just saw several “brand name” tomato and pepper starter plants being priced at $5.98 PER PLANT. There were some that were $3.98, which is normal, but $6 for the same “size” rootball (in a little black cup) is ridiculous and corporate thievery! They used to be $3.50 or 4/$10. Not anymore. With enough elbow grease I could start an entire garden for $20 at 4/$10 by being diligent and finding pots that had 2-3 plants per pot and buying them. If you’re spending $5.98 for one plant, one seedling, you’re being ripped off.
These companies are buying bulk tomato seeds at $100/lb. That’s on average 100,000 to 150,000 seeds! Average germination rate is 95%, so you’re still guaranteed more or less 100,000+ plants for $100. After trimming the strongest, you may be left with 60,000 plants. And I know this because I used to buy seed in bulk. And these big retailers get even more discounts than I could. They’re spending $100 and getting 60,000 plants and charging you $6 a piece. That’s $360,000 of revenue. MINIMUM. (If you had 150,000 seeds, and had 140,000 after germination, and trimmed to 100,000… that’s $600,000 in revenue) For a $100 investment these big corporations are price gouging regular people looking for save some money growing their own food. Just stop it!
If you want tips on how to grow your own food, saving seed, and anything else you need, please message me before you think purchasing pre-potted plants at Walmart or
Home Depot is the way to go.
