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Old 13-07-2015, 03:15 PM   #1
JerryMaffz
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As someone who has planted an outdoor enclosure for the first time this year I have encountered good advice regarding the purchase of garden centre plants.
The standard stance seems to be that they are full of pesticides and fertilizer and that these should be given a period to dilute and for new growth to appear before feeding...sound common sense advice.
However, I also see (sometimes the same) people advocating the use of Florette Crispy salad as a supplimentary, or even staple (winter) feed.
Now as far as I can see Florette Crispy isn't organic so one would assume that it is also full of pesticides and fertilisers.
With this is mind, surely the above advice is contradictory.
Is Florette organic? Or is this a case of repeated advice becoming correct advice?...or am I barking up the wrong tree?
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Old 13-07-2015, 04:08 PM   #2
Ozric Jonathan
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Hi Keith

Florette Salad is for human consumption and as a result various tests are carried out and there are rules about the use of pesticides. Plants bought from garden centres are normally not for human consumption and might have been sprayed with products that wouldn't be allowed on food plants or with higher amounts. Maybe something a bit like this is the basis for it.

I do think there is a bit of a contradiction at least though. Is the 'bad stuff' on the outside of the leaves, where it can be washed off? Or has it been absorbed into the plant in which case washing won't help? I think one of the problems is nitrates - winter lettuces etc all have to be given nitrates to grow but nitrates are definitely taken up into the plant. Nitrates are not a poison, but equally they are not a food for humans.

I think what hapenned with Florette was that by accident a mixture was put together which contains only leaves that tortoises are reckoned to eat. Other mixes on the market often have spinach or something else in it that is not recommended.
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Old 13-07-2015, 04:09 PM   #3
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go by your own judgement I used to put plants straight into my enclosures be they pansies or larger shrubs and never had any problems if you have any doubts then why not ask where you're buying them from. Mine used to mostly come from markets and carboots and as the torts don't eat the roots I assume that any amounts of 'extras' would be very small and can't we also eat some flowers/plants anyway go by what you think. I used to buy cheap trays of pansies and edibles all the time I think you can be to careful.
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Old 13-07-2015, 04:29 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JerryMaffz View Post
As someone who has planted an outdoor enclosure for the first time this year I have encountered good advice regarding the purchase of garden centre plants.
The standard stance seems to be that they are full of pesticides and fertilizer and that these should be given a period to dilute and for new growth to appear before feeding...sound common sense advice.
However, I also see (sometimes the same) people advocating the use of Florette Crispy salad as a supplimentary, or even staple (winter) feed.
Now as far as I can see Florette Crispy isn't organic so one would assume that it is also full of pesticides and fertilisers.
With this is mind, surely the above advice is contradictory.
Is Florette organic? Or is this a case of repeated advice becoming correct advice?...or am I barking up the wrong tree?


Your correct, but I for one never feed florets, as it's junk food for tortoises, it has become too easier way to feed tortoises:0)
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Old 13-07-2015, 05:35 PM   #5
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I've never fed Florette either but I do bulk out the weeds with romaine and radicchio through the winter months.
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Old 13-07-2015, 06:26 PM   #6
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Florette (pre washed I think) but probably says ready to eat on packet is the difference! I try and grow rocket but I am useless at it. And my iceberg looks like a piece of string but appreciate nothing of substance in that for torts just experimenting. I do sometimes use Florette for my tiny ones over wintering because as mentioned it doesn't have spinach in but I prefer packets of rocket for value and look and tastes better (for me too!). I worked in a well known traditional garden centre for a couple of years in my younger days and they never used pesticides so not sure it applies everywhere. You could say similar about carrot and other food stuffs - too many tannins but at one time that is all one of mine would choose.
The telegraph book of weeds is a good one btw ! CB
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Old 13-07-2015, 10:27 PM   #7
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My tortoises hibernate so still I need for floret, any I might have to keep up still have weeds, as I can still find enough to feed mine.
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Old 13-07-2015, 10:58 PM   #8
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Thanks for the replies. Personally I don't feed Florette as I can usually find a good variety of weeds quite close to home at any time of year. It's not the 'junk food' aspect that bothers me. In fact it consists of Lambs Lettuce and two chicory variants which would seem fine, though I appreciate that they would have been modified somewhat for human consumption. The pesticide issue (absorbed into the leaf, rather than on it) is what deters me and I was just interested in what appears to be one of quite a few contradictions one stumbles upon in the tortoise world.
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Old 14-07-2015, 08:19 AM   #9
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I agree Keith for a newbie it is a minefield of conflicting info and all of it convincing you that their idea/info is definitely the right way! I suppose with florette it is perhaps a case of it being better than some alternatives and I did use it during the winter as about the only things I could find were buddleia and plantain. This year I will possibly hibernate and will also have more established planting and a better knowledge of weed identification
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Old 14-07-2015, 08:42 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JerryMaffz View Post
Thanks for the replies. Personally I don't feed Florette as I can usually find a good variety of weeds quite close to home at any time of year. It's not the 'junk food' aspect that bothers me. In fact it consists of Lambs Lettuce and two chicory variants which would seem fine, though I appreciate that they would have been modified somewhat for human consumption. The pesticide issue (absorbed into the leaf, rather than on it) is what deters me and I was just interested in what appears to be one of quite a few contradictions one stumbles upon in the tortoise world.
I think a lot of mis information happens because keepers take the easy option rather than what's good for tortoises. So others just follow, disregarding the health and welfare of tortoises.
Just because it's eaten by tortoises does not make it good for them.
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