This new gardener was shocked to find what they've really been growing.
Gardening is full of surprises. A Redditor asked r/gardening for help in identifying a plant they'd been caring for, hoping it was the lavender they'd planted weeks earlier.
"This is my first year trying to garden, I planted lavender seeds. … After 3 weeks of nothing, I pretty much gave up and then this little guy grew. I've done a lot of research and I'm pretty sure this isn't lavender? But what is it?"
The photos show a thriving green plant, certainly well-cared for.
One user decided to gently break the news, writing: "It's crabgrass. I'm sorry honey."
Finger-grass, also called crabgrass, isn't a grass at all — it's a rapidly reproducing weed. It's great for animals to graze on, but not ideal for your yard. Not all weeds are bad, though — native weeds can provide food for insects, and some weeds (including dandelion and knotweed) can be eaten by you, too.
Despite tenderly caring for a weed for weeks, the Redditor remained in good spirits. They commented: "Let me explain that nearly every day I have been: lightly misting the leaves; speaking encouraging words to it; googling pictures of lavender growth cycles and gaslighting myself into thinking I was growing lavender."
While a traditional yard requires a lot of micromanaging, a native plant yard can simply be allowed to do its own thing. No pesticides, no manual watering, no mowing — all benefits of rewilding your yard. You'll do less work but get to enjoy a stunning yard all the same.
Many commenters warned the Redditor that crabgrass can quickly take over a yard.
🗣️ What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard?
🔘 Mowing the lawn 🏡
🔘 Controlling weeds 🌿
🔘 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️
🔘 I don't have a yard 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"I have the same plant growing in my onion pot. We're 'crabby' over here about it too. Like others have said - we are infested with crab grass," one user said.
"This is so charming, you made my night," another commenter wrote. "This is the most loved crabgrass in the universe."
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