The big boxes typically negotiate deals where they don't even pay for the
plant until it crosses their scanners while being sold. [And the grower
gets zinged if the plant re-crosses the scanners, being returned. That part
of the problem is negligible at big box volume, but there are a small number
of people who actually hold onto their receipts and thoroughly abuse that
one-year guarantee.] In general, what doesn't sell isn't worth being picked
up by the grower to attempt to rescusitate, but not getting them back leaves
the door wide open for pilferage. I suspect the growers supplying your
local HD have decided to find out for themselves how many of their plants
are just "not selling" and how many are walking out the back door. Kenni


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...
I was at the local HD yesterday afternoon and asked if they were going to
mark down the orchids without blooms as they usually do. Well, no more
marking them down. They now say the venders will give them credit for the
dead and bloomed out plants. They didn't even mark down the 1/2 dead
flowers in the garden section.