Garden centers starting early with tomatoes here

[elight]

My Lowe's has some plants out, but they looked in terrible condition. I'm sure they leave them outside at night.

Meanwhile, I went to a big garden center nearby this week and they all told me that I was crazy to be thinking about planting this early, but they did have some in the greenhouse. I grabbed two tomato plants (and a cucumber and a pepper) and am hardening them off now. My plan is to plant around next weekend, and pray there's not another cold snap. If there is, then oh well--I'm out $10.

[Floridian in Chicago]

Home Depot always has tomatoes way too early here, a full 6-8 weeks before planting date. I haven't seen anybody buying them. It's such a waste because I'm sure most of the early ones just get thrown out. The first year I moved here from FL I didn't really know what I was doing, I asked the woman working there wasn't it too early to plant tomatoes. She said if they were selling them, it must be OK. Luckily I didn't listen to her.

A week or so ago I bought some 6 packs of pansies. Some were marked pansies, the others were just marked annuals. The kid at the register warned me that there was a frost predicted that night, and that the pansies would be OK but that I should bring the annuals inside!

Virginia

[Doug9345]

I have been in the Lowes near where I work to see if they have plants, but i suspect they do. I saw the Bonnie plant truck pulling out of the store Wednesday or Thursday.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by rsg2001

Since the weather has been so mild this winter, I thought, why not see if the local Home Depot had lettuce transplants? (I haven't had much luck starting lettuce from scratch.) Not only did they have four varieties, and tons of strawberry plants, they also, surprisingly, had several varieties of tomato plants (Bonnie Best), all the usual, eg, Early Girl, Husky Hybrid cherry, and other hybrids. [Disclaimer: I start 99% of my plants myself indoors, and I won't be starting them for a week or two.] I don't recall ever seeing tomatoes being stocked that early. True, our zone, formerly known as Zone 6, is now "Zone 7B" according to the new USDA map meaning only that the lowest temperatures aren't as low... but wondered if anyone else around the country has noticed differences in what is being carried by their local garden centers.

Here in AZ, I've seen Home Depot and Lowes sell the winter veggies in June when it's 105 degrees. I'm sure somebody buys them.
Lettuce is so easy to start. Just make sure the ground is relatively cool but not cold, around 60 degrees. Scratch the surface to loosen the dirt. Sprinkle the lettuce seeds on top. Lightly press down but don't cover. Water with a light spray of water daily.
I think people who have difficulty germinating lettuce are probably covering it with dirt and getting it too deep. Or, letting the soil dry out shortly after planting. Same with carrots.