Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Tillandsia Gift Cards: Darling or Dreadful??

Lowe's recently began selling small Tillies strapped to plastic cards. They seem to be grown/made by Altman Plants....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz-i7SRrT18

Most of the plants were totally squashed by the bungie straps that held them to the card. There were instructions on the back. They directed the proud owner to mist the plant twice a week (the video shows a tiny little mister, ah!), and to fertilize once in a while. No mention of fresh air circulation or light. Hmm... The plants I saw were about 50 percent dead from rot. Not impressed, but what do you think??

Personally, I think it's best to buy Tillies from a reputable nursery (Paul Isley is shown right after the Tillie card advert- I don't think he's connected in any way to Altman.) and make your own habitat for them, based on what's good for them, not convenient for the big box store or giftee.Well, hey, at least they didn't spray paint them obnoxious colors and glue little straw flowers on them....


2 comments:

  1. Hi Marla,

    I have not seen these tilly gift cards from Lowes. I wonder WHY? Why not just sell the plant by itself - in good condition? To be fair to the folks at the local Lowes, I did see some lithops (that had been around for awhile) actually blooming in the store and most of their plants seem to be healthy. Also, they are no longer carrying the spray painted cacti.

    Best wishes for a lovely Thanksgiving day on your sand bar!

    Gail

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  2. Hi, Gail! My local Lowes are selling an expanded line of spray-painted succulents, argh!! That can only mean that people in my region actually buy them, a thought too scary to contemplate.... Tillandsias are so flexible and easy to care for, they really don't need gimmicks, you are right, WHY? Last week my house was renovated by a crew of about a dozen guys and I ended up teaching a "mini-class" on Tillies, they were so fascinated with them. I really think Tillies sell themselves, but they need to be housed and cared for properly, like any living creature....

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