Using Caution When Buying Plants at Garden Stores
With spring just around the corner large retail and garden
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Seed packets at a local retail store
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stores are beginning to set up the yearly stands with an assortment of flower seeds to plant in your garden. Many times "wildflower" and "native" seed mixes are among those seed packets and a popular purchase among gardeners. These gardeners are excited about planting native plants and seeing the benefits they can provide like erosion control and habitat for wildlife. However many of these seed packets contain wildflowers that are not found in Minnesota, but actually can be from all over the world! These species are acclimated to different climates and at best die off after a few years and at worst become annoying weed issues that can be hard to eradicate for years.
Gardeners should be aware that fully grown invasive plants can also be sold at large retailers. Not long ago,
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A dense monoculture of escaped purple loosestrife around a pond.
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Purple Loosestrife was extremely popular for consumers at garden centers for its flashy pink flowers. It quickly escaped gardens to cause huge ongoing detrimental effects to our natural ecosystems. Today, Purple Loosestrife is illegal to sell at gardens stores in Minnesota but there are more invasive species that are still available for shoppers today. These species, no matter how pretty, should be strictly avoided to prevent their spread. Visit our blog to learn more about the invasive plants and seeds sold at garden centers and what you can do to avoid them.
Another issue of concern when buying plants from large
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Bees and other pollinators can be killed by visiting plants pre-treated with pesticides.
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commercial growers and retail stores is their use of pesticides on the plants that can cause harm to native bees and other pollinators. These are neurotoxic pesticides called neonicotinoids. Gardeners that are trying to provide food for bees and other pollinators are unknowingly providing them plants pre-treated with these pesticides that are known to disable and kill pollinators.
Natural Shore grows native plants from reliable and local seed sources. We sell Minnesota Native Plant Brand which means all plants come from our region. In our greenhouses no pesticides or herbicides are used on the plants, making them safe for pollinators. Visit our online catalogue to learn more about the large variety of beautiful native plants we sell.
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