wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:51:46 +1000, Polly the Parrot wrote:

Bought some poppies in Bunnings.

Planted facing westerly sun, carp fertiliser (smelly brown stuff mixed
with water).

Trouble is, either the flowers are very small, or they only half open,
or the stems snap, and the stems are very short.

Any ideas to improve the situation?

Don't buy from Bunnings. They source the cheapest stock they can find at the sacrifice of quality.


Oh, I do beg your pardon, but I have to differ there! Just recently, I
determined to replace all my old, decrapit gardening tools to prepare
for my budding veggie garden. I thought to support local business by
buying from a local nursery, but their goods (same brands and all) were
*multiples* of Bunnings' prices. When I searched about, I found the same
was true for most of the garden supply places excepting the
supermarkets. Honestly, I couldn't afford to buy the stuff I needed from
the nurseries! The price of a shovel alone would've bankrupted me!

Instead, I toddled over to Bunnings and got everything I needed in quite
decent quality (you do get what you pay for, of course). As well, I got
four Bunnings employees, all keen veggie gardeners, brainstorming with
me over the best way to plot my garden beds. They were so helpful and
clearly *not* trying to sell me stuff - I came away feeling quite
chuffed and determined to buy all my gear from there in the future. Just
as an example: a garden fork costing $39 at Bunnings was $72 at the
nursery! Same brand, same size, same everything. Vastly different price!
A simple steel hook for hanging a planter that cost $1.79 at Bunnings
was $8.00 at the nursery!

I've got no affiliation with Bunnings (well... I s'pose I do now, since
I feel so pleased with my purchases from there), but I don't think it's
fair to dismiss them out of hand. We all have to shop around to find
what suits us and it might be at Bunnings or it might be elsewhere. It
probably depends on your own local circumstances. Maybe I'm just lucky
to live near a good Bunnings?

--
Trish {|:-} Newcastle, NSW, Australia

"Trish Brown" wrote in message
node...
Just
as an example: a garden fork costing $39 at Bunnings was $72 at the
nursery! Same brand, same size, same everything. Vastly different price!

that really only means the fork is worth $72 but you got it cheaper. by this
point everyone knows that bunnings (and so forth) do that. bringing down the
public's expectations of what things are actually "worth" is part of the
problem.

if i want cheap tools, i buy second-hand anyway. my forks were a few dollars
each :-) (probably that's all they're "worth", too g)
kylie

0tterbot wrote:
"Trish Brown" wrote in message
node...
Just
as an example: a garden fork costing $39 at Bunnings was $72 at the
nursery! Same brand, same size, same everything. Vastly different price!

that really only means the fork is worth $72 but you got it cheaper. by this
point everyone knows that bunnings (and so forth) do that. bringing down the
public's expectations of what things are actually "worth" is part of the
problem.

if i want cheap tools, i buy second-hand anyway. my forks were a few dollars
each :-) (probably that's all they're "worth", too g)
kylie


ROTFLMAO! Let me tell you, I had no problem at all paying $39 instead of
$72!

Yes, I understand the supermarket mentality as well as anyone, however
I'm not silly enough to stand on ceremony and fork out (Hee! I did a
pun!) almost double the amount of money for an item.

It has been my experience that things are 'worth' what the market will
bear. For example, I started working in the computer industry 'way back
when it was a pretty rarified atmosphere and needed consultants such as
my good self to ease people into their first computer purchase. We used
to make 32% in retail sales. When I left the industry in the mid-1990s,
all we could make was a bare 8% and struggled to earn extra with
value-added services. Today, I shudder to think what small businesses
make compared to the huge buying power of the chain stores. But we, the
consumer, want cheaper prices and ease of access and one-stop shopping.
We certainly do get what we pay for, I find.

--
Trish {|:-} Newcastle, NSW, Australia

"Trish Brown" wrote in message
node...
0tterbot wrote:
"Trish Brown" wrote in message
node...
Just
as an example: a garden fork costing $39 at Bunnings was $72 at the
nursery! Same brand, same size, same everything. Vastly different price!

that really only means the fork is worth $72 but you got it cheaper. by
this point everyone knows that bunnings (and so forth) do that. bringing
down the public's expectations of what things are actually "worth" is
part of the problem.

if i want cheap tools, i buy second-hand anyway. my forks were a few
dollars each :-) (probably that's all they're "worth", too g)
kylie
ROTFLMAO! Let me tell you, I had no problem at all paying $39 instead of
$72!

Yes, I understand the supermarket mentality as well as anyone, however I'm
not silly enough to stand on ceremony and fork out (Hee! I did a pun!)
almost double the amount of money for an item.

It has been my experience that things are 'worth' what the market will
bear.

no. that's just one way (of several) of setting a sale price; generally used
in conjunction with other factors. it's no reflection of "worth". bunnings
advertising insinuates they're actually performing some sort of public
service.

For example, I started working in the computer industry 'way back
when it was a pretty rarified atmosphere and needed consultants such as my
good self to ease people into their first computer purchase. We used to
make 32% in retail sales. When I left the industry in the mid-1990s, all
we could make was a bare 8% and struggled to earn extra with value-added
services. Today, I shudder to think what small businesses make compared to
the huge buying power of the chain stores. But we, the consumer, want
cheaper prices and ease of access and one-stop shopping.

well i'm a citizen & human being, not a "consumer", so apparently i don't
:-)

We certainly do get what we pay for, I find.

yes and no. further to my second-hand fork experience, i have two
second-hand ones (several dollars each) and a new one dh bought. the first
thing i did to my new fork was bent one of the tines on a hidden rock. i
suppose now it's only worth as much as its two fellow forks, isn't it?
seeing as i have no preference for any of them over the others, they are all
"worth" the same anyway, notwithstanding bent tines or not. in 5 years'
time, i'll have used the old ones as much as the newer one with the same
result (forked ground, one hopes, not bent tines!), therefore there can be
no drop in "worth" in any of them unless they become unusable.

so i would say, if you don't think a fork is "worth" wholesale cost plus
ordinary retail markup (i.e. $72), by all means don't pay it - get a second
hand one for $5. that's more clever than giving $39 to a company whose
policy is to drive out all competition (up to and including coffee & cakes,
for heaven's sake), thus enabling themselves to sell $39 forks to people who
are currently unemployed because their workplace folded under the pressure
of bunnings existence. :-)
kylie

0tterbot wrote:
"Trish Brown" wrote in message
node...
0tterbot wrote:
"Trish Brown" wrote in message
node...
Just
as an example: a garden fork costing $39 at Bunnings was $72 at the
nursery! Same brand, same size, same everything. Vastly different price!
that really only means the fork is worth $72 but you got it cheaper. by
this point everyone knows that bunnings (and so forth) do that. bringing
down the public's expectations of what things are actually "worth" is
part of the problem.

if i want cheap tools, i buy second-hand anyway. my forks were a few
dollars each :-) (probably that's all they're "worth", too g)
kylie
ROTFLMAO! Let me tell you, I had no problem at all paying $39 instead of
$72!

Yes, I understand the supermarket mentality as well as anyone, however I'm
not silly enough to stand on ceremony and fork out (Hee! I did a pun!)
almost double the amount of money for an item.

It has been my experience that things are 'worth' what the market will
bear.

no. that's just one way (of several) of setting a sale price; generally used
in conjunction with other factors. it's no reflection of "worth". bunnings
advertising insinuates they're actually performing some sort of public
service.

For example, I started working in the computer industry 'way back
when it was a pretty rarified atmosphere and needed consultants such as my
good self to ease people into their first computer purchase. We used to
make 32% in retail sales. When I left the industry in the mid-1990s, all
we could make was a bare 8% and struggled to earn extra with value-added
services. Today, I shudder to think what small businesses make compared to
the huge buying power of the chain stores. But we, the consumer, want
cheaper prices and ease of access and one-stop shopping.

well i'm a citizen & human being, not a "consumer", so apparently i don't
:-)

We certainly do get what we pay for, I find.

yes and no. further to my second-hand fork experience, i have two
second-hand ones (several dollars each) and a new one dh bought. the first
thing i did to my new fork was bent one of the tines on a hidden rock. i
suppose now it's only worth as much as its two fellow forks, isn't it?
seeing as i have no preference for any of them over the others, they are all
"worth" the same anyway, notwithstanding bent tines or not. in 5 years'
time, i'll have used the old ones as much as the newer one with the same
result (forked ground, one hopes, not bent tines!), therefore there can be
no drop in "worth" in any of them unless they become unusable.

so i would say, if you don't think a fork is "worth" wholesale cost plus
ordinary retail markup (i.e. $72), by all means don't pay it - get a second
hand one for $5. that's more clever than giving $39 to a company whose
policy is to drive out all competition (up to and including coffee & cakes,
for heaven's sake), thus enabling themselves to sell $39 forks to people who
are currently unemployed because their workplace folded under the pressure
of bunnings existence. :-)
kylie



Geez, Otterbot, did you have a punnet of Bunnings seedlings die on you
or something? You sure don't like 'em! ;-D

By all means, go ahead and choke Bunnings out of the marketplace by
purchasing your forks for $5! Until you succeed, however, I'll be a
happy customer and purchase mine for $39. The one I've got seems to be
quite stout and it'll be a while till I need to replace it.

Just for my info, where *does* one get a good second-hand garden fork?
I've never seen one! The only ones I've seen second-hand have had bent
tines or needed their handles replacing (these can be had from Bunnings
for a few dollars...)

I don't quite get your point in this discussion. You seem to be offended
by my shopping at a chain store. If I'm satisfied by my purchases, then
- erm - what are you trying to get across?

--
Trish {|:-} Newcastle, NSW, Australia

On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:03:27 +1000 Trish Brown
wrote:

Geez, Otterbot, did you have a punnet of Bunnings seedlings die on
you or something? You sure don't like 'em! ;-D

Back on Topic! ;-)

My poppies have flowered!

At least one, anyway.

Beautiful deep rich red.

I think all they needed was a good drink.

Which reminds me - I am getting a hard earned thirst!

"Trish Brown" wrote in message
...
Geez, Otterbot, did you have a punnet of Bunnings seedlings die on you or
something? You sure don't like 'em! ;-D

ha! that must have sounded rantier than i intended, because i do go into
bunnings from time to time!

but having said that, no, i don't like them, & you'll find many people
don't, so i'm not some sort of freak or anything g. if they stuck to
selling hardware & tools & big garden things, and without a neurotic
commitment to "underselling" everything on earth to rout their less-funded
competition & persuade people who aren't very bright into leaving with bags
of stuff they never even wanted, i wouldn't have a problem (in fact, i still
recall my first trip to the first big hardware i ever went into - which was
home hardware btw - what a wonderland! i had to be dragged out bodily!!) but
i dislike any organisation which is only all about product creep (WHY
exactly do they have coffee shops, craft aisles and so forth?), flogging
crap you didn't come for (bunnings are big indulgers in "would you like
fries with that?", and, as alluded to, people who become unemployed because
they lost their business to undercutters have only the satisfaction of
buying garden forks for less-than-wholesale at bunnings to ease their pain.

By all means, go ahead and choke Bunnings out of the marketplace by
purchasing your forks for $5! Until you succeed, however, I'll be a happy
customer and purchase mine for $39. The one I've got seems to be quite
stout and it'll be a while till I need to replace it.

Just for my info, where *does* one get a good second-hand garden fork?
I've never seen one! The only ones I've seen second-hand have had bent
tines or needed their handles replacing (these can be had from Bunnings
for a few dollars...)

many places. most people probably start out in the second-hand-way-of-life
g via garage sales, land clearance sales, trash & treasure markets, op
shops, finding stuff on the street (still my favourite method, i must
admit - the price is absolutely right ;-) but once you start looking you
discover the second-hand builders' supplies yards & warehouses and general
household warehouses. we get this sort of thing in canberra so i can't
comment about newcastle, however since canberra has at least 3 huge general
household/building ones, at least two for building supplies only, etc etc,
you must have something there & if you find a good one you won't be sorry.
we know many people now who will offer us stuff, (which is probably taking
the whole thing a bit far - sometimes i wonder if i am perceived as a
second-hand industry all on my own!!!) there is the trading post, local
newspapers, and these days things like freecycle and e-bay. an increasing
number of municipal tips will either allow you a discreet bit of foraging or
(more commonly now) they sell all the good stuff seperately nearby -
sometimes only the really good things, antiques & whatnot, but oftimes
anything that's perfectly good but was taken to the tip by someone lacking
care & imagination. there is a whole massive second-hand economy that you
just tap into & it's all there somewhere.

I don't quite get your point in this discussion. You seem to be offended
by my shopping at a chain store. If I'm satisfied by my purchases, then -
erm - what are you trying to get across?

well, as i said - that implication that bunnings is performing some sort of
public service more holy than st vincent's, and that every other outlet is,
by implication, robbing innocent customers and rubbing their hands with glee
whilst at it. it simply is not this way at all.

first world people (or "consumers" as you called us) have a MASSIVE
multi-faceted and increasing problem that stems from overconsumption.
bunnings (amonst others, obviously!) actively participates in and
facilitates peoples' overconsumption in a particular way, and that is
ethically wrong. so i said so.

really, it's 2008 & this is all a common public debate now. i'm kind of
surprised you are even asking me. the same ethical questions lurk around
woolies, coles, mcdonalds, and so forth. it's not a question of "chain
stores" - i'm on the record as loving spotlight, for example. but i think
one thing (of many) that home gardening (esp food) does for you is to throw
a light on ethical production and gets a person thinking about wider related
issues. it's related to, for example (back on-topic) "ownership" of f1
hybrid seeds or g.m. terminator technology, and so forth; and how some
people allow themselves to become disempowered to the point where
corporations & the state literally run their lives for them. it's a very big
topic & this post is long enough as it is!!! (sorry about that). i didn't
mean to appear to be having a go, what i was doing is asking the question.
you have to answer the question for yourself like everyone does. (now that
the question is hopefully clearer! :-)

i'm glad you're enjoying starting up your veggie garden which i think is
marvellous - like i said i'd be surprised if it does not lead to bigger and
better things & a slightly different way of thinking - it does in most
people. veggie gardening has the power to change everyone's life for the
better. (really!!)
kylie

0tterbot wrote:
"Trish Brown" wrote in message
...
Geez, Otterbot, did you have a punnet of Bunnings seedlings die on you or
something? You sure don't like 'em! ;-D

ha! that must have sounded rantier than i intended, because i do go into
bunnings from time to time!

but having said that, no, i don't like them, & you'll find many people
don't, so i'm not some sort of freak or anything g. if they stuck to
selling hardware & tools & big garden things, and without a neurotic
commitment to "underselling" everything on earth to rout their less-funded
competition & persuade people who aren't very bright into leaving with bags
of stuff they never even wanted, i wouldn't have a problem (in fact, i still
recall my first trip to the first big hardware i ever went into - which was
home hardware btw - what a wonderland! i had to be dragged out bodily!!) but
i dislike any organisation which is only all about product creep (WHY
exactly do they have coffee shops, craft aisles and so forth?), flogging
crap you didn't come for (bunnings are big indulgers in "would you like
fries with that?", and, as alluded to, people who become unemployed because
they lost their business to undercutters have only the satisfaction of
buying garden forks for less-than-wholesale at bunnings to ease their pain.

By all means, go ahead and choke Bunnings out of the marketplace by
purchasing your forks for $5! Until you succeed, however, I'll be a happy
customer and purchase mine for $39. The one I've got seems to be quite
stout and it'll be a while till I need to replace it.

Just for my info, where *does* one get a good second-hand garden fork?
I've never seen one! The only ones I've seen second-hand have had bent
tines or needed their handles replacing (these can be had from Bunnings
for a few dollars...)

many places. most people probably start out in the second-hand-way-of-life
g via garage sales, land clearance sales, trash & treasure markets, op
shops, finding stuff on the street (still my favourite method, i must
admit - the price is absolutely right ;-) but once you start looking you
discover the second-hand builders' supplies yards & warehouses and general
household warehouses. we get this sort of thing in canberra so i can't
comment about newcastle, however since canberra has at least 3 huge general
household/building ones, at least two for building supplies only, etc etc,
you must have something there & if you find a good one you won't be sorry.
we know many people now who will offer us stuff, (which is probably taking
the whole thing a bit far - sometimes i wonder if i am perceived as a
second-hand industry all on my own!!!) there is the trading post, local
newspapers, and these days things like freecycle and e-bay. an increasing
number of municipal tips will either allow you a discreet bit of foraging or
(more commonly now) they sell all the good stuff seperately nearby -
sometimes only the really good things, antiques & whatnot, but oftimes
anything that's perfectly good but was taken to the tip by someone lacking
care & imagination. there is a whole massive second-hand economy that you
just tap into & it's all there somewhere.

I don't quite get your point in this discussion. You seem to be offended
by my shopping at a chain store. If I'm satisfied by my purchases, then -
erm - what are you trying to get across?

well, as i said - that implication that bunnings is performing some sort of
public service more holy than st vincent's, and that every other outlet is,
by implication, robbing innocent customers and rubbing their hands with glee
whilst at it. it simply is not this way at all.

first world people (or "consumers" as you called us) have a MASSIVE
multi-faceted and increasing problem that stems from overconsumption.
bunnings (amonst others, obviously!) actively participates in and
facilitates peoples' overconsumption in a particular way, and that is
ethically wrong. so i said so.

really, it's 2008 & this is all a common public debate now. i'm kind of
surprised you are even asking me. the same ethical questions lurk around
woolies, coles, mcdonalds, and so forth. it's not a question of "chain
stores" - i'm on the record as loving spotlight, for example. but i think
one thing (of many) that home gardening (esp food) does for you is to throw
a light on ethical production and gets a person thinking about wider related
issues. it's related to, for example (back on-topic) "ownership" of f1
hybrid seeds or g.m. terminator technology, and so forth; and how some
people allow themselves to become disempowered to the point where
corporations & the state literally run their lives for them. it's a very big
topic & this post is long enough as it is!!! (sorry about that). i didn't
mean to appear to be having a go, what i was doing is asking the question.
you have to answer the question for yourself like everyone does. (now that
the question is hopefully clearer! :-)

i'm glad you're enjoying starting up your veggie garden which i think is
marvellous - like i said i'd be surprised if it does not lead to bigger and
better things & a slightly different way of thinking - it does in most
people. veggie gardening has the power to change everyone's life for the
better. (really!!)
kylie


A hearty ROTFLMAO from me, Otterbot! I hope you won't be offended if I
say you're preaching to the converted? I was converted about thirty
years ago when I studied Landscape/Amtosphere systems and learned about
energy transfer. Like you, I tend to get pretty ranty about it and like
you I am the Queen of the Second-Hand Shops and Council Pickup Day.
Sadly, I have never ever seen a decent garden fork for sale in such a
place, but there's always a first time. You'll hear me cheering when I
find one!

Yes, I do take your point about Bunnings, but (and I say this in all
sincerity) they are just small fry compared to the biggies like Coles
Myers and Woolworths. I mean, people only spend a percentage of their
incomes at places like Bunnings or Home Hardware or even Spotlight, but
everyone has to eat and everyone, like it or not, has to spend their
grocery dollar at supermarkets because that's all there is.

Now, before you start telling me about local growers' markets and
independent butchers etc: I KNOW. I also know about excessive
consumerism and overservicing and energy wastage. I have extremely
strong feelings about the *******isation of our economy by petro-dollars
and competition from US growers who've been heavily subsidised by a
powerful government.

Those opinions don't belong here, though.

Someone complained about Bunnings and I simply replied that I was
satisfied with my purchases and their service. I dunno about your local
Bunnings, but ours is just a big hardware warehouse with a nursery
section. I don't know what you mean about craft aisles and coffee shops.
Again, if you want to complain about overservicing and undercutting,
then look at the supermarkets before you have a shot at Bunnings!

Don't get me wrong. I'm not defending the overconsumption/overmarketing
stance, just saying that Bunnings is simply filling a niche in the
marketplace (like everybody) and that it's much 'cleaner' than the
supermarkets to whom we look for our daily bread (which is white and
overprocessed and square usually far too sweet - because the supermarket
Said So).

Getting back toward the topic, though, can you tell me when it's time to
plant celery? I made a massive batch of celery soup last week and I'm
thinking I can't wait until I can make it from my own home-grown celery!

--
Trish {|:-} Newcastle, NSW, Australia

"0tterbot" wrote in message

an increasing
number of municipal tips will either allow you a discreet bit of foraging
or (more commonly now) they sell all the good stuff seperately nearby -

Our local tip has lots of signs saying "No Scavenging" but we still do it as
do lots of others. And, if you can't find what you want, you put in an
order with the tip attendant and he usually produces it next time you go
there.

My husband gave his bike pump away to some dopy Dutch tourist who had a flat
at our front gate (miles from the nearest garage and with no puch bike pump
on her bike). It took 2 weeks for the tip attendant to produce a pump, just
after my husband had bought a new one.