Hello from South Minneapolis , where we have eventually find some rainwater and slight alleviation to our drouth condition . This calendar month ’s Ask the Master Gardener query is about neonicotinoids , a class of pesticides commonly used in the nursery industriousness as well as home garden .
motion : Where can I buy neonicotinoid - free plants for my curtilage and garden ?
resolve : First of all , we commend you for seeking out neonic - loose plant . Here are a few concerning breaker point from a Xerces Society report :
Bumblebees on goldenrod.
snap here for the full Xerces society report .
So , what ’s a gardener to do ? I ca n’t recommend enough that you buy plants , whenever potential , at a baby’s room versus a big boxful store . baby’s room staff will be better cultivate to do your questions about whether their suppliers use neonics .
second , take some time to familiarize yourself with the common neonicotinoids out there . The main neonicotinoids sold in stores are imidacloprid , thiamethoxam , clothianidin , thiacloprid , dinotefuran , acetamiprid , nitenpyram and sulfoxaflor . They are marketed under names like Bonide , Dominion , Wondercide , GrubGONE , Optigard , BioAdvance Complete Insect Killer , Safari , Ortho germ Be Gone and many more .
A lone bee keeps busy on a coneflower.
Concern for pollinators is just one of the reasons that Master Gardeners always recommendintegrated pest management strategiesbefore going out and buying something that might do more harm than good .
Now for the good word ! We have several neonic - costless nurseries and plant gross sales in the Twin Cities region . Here are several - please note that “ Prairie ” nurseries might not ply vegetable and yearly plants . For those , seek out leap plant gross sales that are consecrate to constituent growing .
Minneapolis :
Bachman ’s on Lyndale has been neonic - free since 2014 .
Mother Earth Gardens , with locations in both NE and Longfellow , Minneapolis .
St. Paul :
The Friends School Plant Sale , annual issue in May
Greater Minnesota :
Prairie Restorations , with locations in Princeton , Scandia and Cloquet
Online , ship to the total Midwest :
Prairie Moon Nursery , Winona MN
Prairie Nursery , Westfield , WI
If you are purchase aboriginal perennials to make pollinator gardens , Wild Oneshas a wealthiness of information aboutlocal plant sales and neonic free native plant glasshouse .
Another scheme is to look at any baby’s room for flora grown by Minnesota wholesalerGlacial Ridge Growers , who are neonic spare .
bestow your remark below if you get it on of more neonicotinoid - costless baby’s room or cultivator and rent ’s crowdsource some more ideas , especially in great Minnesota and the Midwest .
The friendly folks at the hort society and I will check in and serve as many questions as we can about this stake through Aug. 31 . If we do n’t get to yours or you do n’t want to wait for next month ’s installment , you canAsk a Master Gardenervia our online kind anytime ! Or call the M and garden line at ( 612 ) 301 - 7590 .
Other helpful resources :
Yard & Garden Home
What ’s incorrect with my plant ?
What insect is this ?
Master Gardener Volunteer Program
Jennifer Rensenbrink is a University of MN Extension Master Gardener for Hennepin County . She grows native plants , vegetables and fruit in her south Minneapolis yard . you’re able to follow her gardening adventureson Instagram .
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