A beginner gardener was heartbroken after mistakenly adding harmful pesticides to their vegetable garden.
After finding hundreds of grubs in their raised gardening beds, the new gardener removed as many of the grubs as possible before adding Scotts GrubEX to the beds.
Worried about the dangers of growing produce in contaminated soil, the gardener reached out to Reddit's r/gardening forum for advice.
"I feel absolutely awful. … Did I completely mess up to the point of no return? Is there any way to fix this?" asked the Redditor.
Redditors emphasized with the new gardener and offered different ways to rejuvenate the soil.
"I suggest some pretty flowers, if you use it as a nursery bed for some seeds, you can transplant what you grow to all over your garden," suggested one user.
"Bugs are not the enemy. For every plant pest you kill, you are killing many beneficial insects and other invertebrates, and screwing up the ecology of your garden," wrote another Redditor.
When growing your own produce, it's best to avoid pesticides and opt for natural pest remedies. Pesticides contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to both humans and the environment. Adding these chemicals to the soil destroys microbial life and can delay the healthy growth of your garden.
Installing a native plant lawn and growing your own produce is a great way to save money on lawn maintenance and groceries. Unlike grass lawns, native plants require less watering, reducing your total water bill.
Each year, you can save $225 on water, $50 on fertilizer, and $50 on pesticides and weed control when you switch to a natural lawn.
Gardening is also a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint and support the local ecosystem. By growing produce and native plants in your yard, you not only reduce the demand for globally shipped, mass-produced food, but you also attract key pollinators, such as butterflies and bees.
"Plant flowers instead of vegetables for this year. At least you will witness some beauty even if you can't eat them," wrote one user.
"I think you're better off planting ornamentals for the year," responded another Redditor. "I wouldn't mess with a pesticide just because it can have fillers and other things in it that can hurt the body."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
