Are we being had?

[bobbin]

Hi All.
I've just posted a thread on Allotment Advice regarding an amusing observation of a gardening item. Just awaiting ok from moderator. (Is that because I uploaded a photo...or tried as I've no idea how to do it?)
Anyhow if it doesn't turn up I'll redo it.. It was basically highlighting another example of companies taking us gardeners for a ride,
I do realise any interest or hobby that is specialist will generate revenue for specific manufacturers. We have a passion,they provide the goods to persue it. We spend too much, they benefit. I get that! However as a very passionate gardener and allotmenteer
I feel of late I'm being taken advantage of big time. No ones twisting my arm to buy anything but even the bog standard stuff of my hobby is becoming ridiculous in price.
Garden centres have massive overheads ( I understand that too) but as an example I've just bought new canes and paid nearly £7 for x10 2.4 mtr canes.
I usually try to buy at Wilko but they can't stock everything. They are very good though.(as is the pound store)
I recycle and "invent" beg and borrow all I can but some stuff you need to buy and the prices are crazy. . I just think manufacturers/ garden suppliers have got greedy on the gardening scene. That includes plants too and seeds.
You see some great items but their price tags put them out of reach.
What say you?

[Nicos]

This one bobbin?
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1445059

You'd accidentally put it in a 'mod view only site'....see VC's post...and she moved it fir you last night

[Mr Bones]

I heard bamboo canes were shooting up in price because of the shift in the Chinese economy. Don't know how true that is but maybe it presents an opportunity for someone else to source and supply at a cheaper rate or perhaps to plant, grow and market their own canes.

[Cadalot]

When I was a boy we went camping in Cornwall and the farmer has a field of bamboo behind the camp site so it can be grown here but I'm guessing historically it's been cheaper to import from China.

But I know what you mean the Brother Label Printer in green plastic and sold for use by Gardeners is much more expensive than it's white plastic counterpart, and at the end of the day it takes the same tape to make the labels!

[gardening_gal]

This is just a business like any other imo. I think there are very few things in life that have a true reflection of cost to value.

I don't blame manufacturers for trying to make as much profit as possible, I blame consumers who provide the market opportunity for this to happen.

It's supply and demand, consumers are the problem imo. Unfortunately I have to count myself in that group, it won't be the first time I've gone 'shiny shiny' instead of cheap and practical.

If I were a manufacturer would I be kind and deliberately sell cheaply so people could keep more of their money in their own pockets? Not sure I would tbh.

[bobbin]

No me neither gardening gal. I did point that out too. I realise the manufacturer isn't there to leave money in my pocket at their expense. As I also said any specialist interest is the same. Gardening a massive market and I think therefore more scope for price loading. I was simply saying a good product for a fair price is often difficult to find. Shop around..I know (not dim,honest.) I know the answer is don't be seduced by the hype.
It was only an observation. That's all.

[muddled]

Sometimes I look in the shops and I am amazed at the ridiculous gadgets they sell, things clearly designed just as another way for us to spend money.

What saddens me is that, purely from kindness, I often receive these items as gifts!
I work in elderly care and so share gluts at work.
The fact that I have an allotment is usually the only thing my clients know about my home life. Later, bereaved familiy members sometimes buy me a 'thank you' gift and if they don't garden themselves it tends to be some garden centre 'chichipoopoo' totally useless but terribly pretty thing that I know cost them far too much money and that I will never use.
Such a shame.

Re canes; My lottie neighbour grows his own.
Harvests them every second year at ten to twelve foot.
They grow in foot wide row, the width of his plot and cast surprisingly little shade. I wondered if they depleted the soil but he says not and he grows his rhubarb at their feet.
Excellent use of space actually.

[Thelma Sanders]

Beware of planting bamboo, though - it's a thug and spreads rapidly and is almost impossible to get out

[bobbin]

Yes muddled. The gardening gifts are often,sadly not fit for purpose but always given with kindness. Of course manufacturers know this but then new gardeners are swept up in the excitement of it all too and buy "shiny shiny" as gardening girl said. We've all done it.
On a brighter note, my allotment has a palette where folk leave stuff they don't want from their lottie.
This year I've had, chitterlings spuds, red onion sets, a large planter, three plant pot saucers, a perfect and large wall planter......destined for my. tumbler toms. Ohhhh there's nowt like a freebie. Love it!

[bobbin]

I won't be planting bamboo Thelma but the posts are interesting aren't they?
I used my canes until they rotted. Nothing worse than trying to push a cane into the ground to have it snap and propel you into next doors veg bed. You don't half feel a nit!

[bearded bloke]

Find a friendly tree surgeon, bung him a few quid & ask for some hazel bean sticks, that's what the old boy in the 'big house' in our village did when I was a lad

[gardening_gal]

On a brighter note, my allotment has a palette where folk leave stuff they don't want from their lottie.
This year I've had, chitterlings spuds, red onion sets, a large planter, three plant pot saucers, a perfect and large wall planter......destined for my. tumbler toms. Ohhhh there's nowt like a freebie. Love it!

Now that is a good idea! I'd happily swap stuff or leave it for others.

I'm just back from the garden centre, it's a lovely place to walk round but it's expensive (more expensive than other places I think). I would normally look there and buy elsewhere but there's always a long queue of people happy to shell out at the tills.

People need to stop buying I tell ya! Prices would soon come down when the manufacturers were left with shed loads of stock.

[Kirk]

Bamboo comes in 2 "sorts", clumping and rampaging.
Get a cluming variety and you will get canes and it will stay wherever it was planted.

To the original of are we being had, I recall when working in Holland they often said that the English are too polite. And I suspect that this is part of the problem.

Presently looking for a new mountain bike and the garbage I get told is amazing, and it seems I am supposed to accept it. Frame size being the big one.

Seems I am supposed to stand with both feet on the ground and my rear over the saddle. When I asked why I would ever want to do that I was given a puzzled look. So I asked how they rode a bike, did they not sit on the saddle and not stand above it, and use the peddles instead of pushing themselves by their feet along the road, as that was how I have always ridden one.

One person said one bike was an 18" frame, bit too big, but didn't look it, until I read the specification and converted mm to inches, when it turned out this 18" frame was actually a 17" frame. My "old" one is a 17.5" frame. So it seems this new one that was too big for me by their recommendation was actually smaller then the one I had.

I recall once being refused a £300 item as it was the last one, and they would not sell it but wanted to keep it for show so that people could see it and buy one. When I said well here is £300 I want to buy it/one I still got told we cannot sell you it as it is the last one.

I would say we are too polite, we talk of brash Americans and others but they get what they want, they also get treated more like customers, not potential victims.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^Sitting on the saddle with both feet flat on the ground was the way of sizing a bike for road use when I were a lad, supposed to be a safety thing for staying upright when you stopped.

Can't see it being much good for a mountain bike though where you spend most off your time standing on the pedals.

[Snadger]

As has already been mentioned,supply and demand sums it up.