The Garden Plant Guarantee

I just ran across a receipt from the nursery. The receipt for six items was 10" long, but the separate 'Plant Guarantee & Return Policy' was 7" long!

"Plants 1 gallon or larger are guaranteed for 1 year except for seasonal and frost sensitive plants or plants killed or damaged by acts of Mother Nature."

This leaves a loophole.

You see, I love buying plants. The problem is I have a hard time getting around to planting them. My yard has, in the past, been littered by 1 gallon pots full of dead plants (okay six-packs and 4-inch pots, too).

Oh, I buy them with the best intentions. I would NEVER deliberately kill a plant. But when I get home, it's the height of afternoon and I don't want to fry. Then it starts to cool off, but I have to get dinner started. By the time it's all done, it's either dark, or I'm too pooped to plant. Next morning it's another round of "must do" chores and tasks...and the plant eventually dies.

Which leaves me with my new credo: I will NOT buy a plant for which the HOLE IS NOT ALREADY DUG!

No, I'm not going to take advantage of the nursery return loophole. I have to take responsibility for my own mistakes. I'll compost the dead plants, donate the empty pots to the local community garden, and stick to my promise, even if it means two trips to the nursery.

Oh, like THAT'D kill me! LOL