One gardener learned the hard way what can happen when using store-bought perennial pollinator seed mix and posted their woes on r/gardening.
"It's 90% basil," the caption said with a picture showcasing their claim.
The OP revealed in the comments that the mix was purchased from a Tractor Supply on clearance.
The intentions were in the right place, and gardening is always a good idea. While there will be some trial and error, the results are worth it.
Keep in mind that incorporating and focusing on native plants in your garden will be beneficial to you, the plants, pollinators, and, without trying to sound dramatic, the entire planet.
Rewilding your yard with native plants from the area will save you time, lower your water bill, and require less fertilizer and pesticides. It also creates a healthier ecosystem for pollinators that are crucial to our food supply.
Other low-maintenance lawn replacement options are clovers, buffalo grass, wildflowers, tapestry lawns, and xeriscaping. If you aren't ready for the big switch, you can always start with a small patch of lawn and build from there to gauge the benefits firsthand.
As with any marketing, the wording on labels, such as wildflower and pollinator, can be intentionally misleading and vague to promote sales. Just because the packet claims to be native doesn't necessarily mean it's native where it's being sold.
Be careful where you purchase your seed mixes, or you might end up with a yard full of basil, too.
The post was greeted with hands to the forehead. Luckily, basil is an easy plant to take care of, especially if you like pasta. Bees are also huge fans.
"Same thing happened to me," one comment claimed.
"Random perennial wildflower mixes are famously crap. I recommend mixes from specialty native plant nurseries," advised a Redditor.
"Sounds like pesto making time!!" another exclaimed.
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