One gardener came home to find an invasive species planted next to their container garden at the front of their apartment. Posting to the r/ContainerGardening subreddit, the gardener shared some pictures of the newly planted sprigs of mint next to their container plants.
"Drama in the garden… what do I do?" they wrote.
Someone "planted this mint extremely close to my plant tent? And in the process buried a huge chunk of my watermelon vine? Is this like…. The gardening equivalent of someone putting a horse head in your bed?" asked the original poster, referring to an infamous scene in "The Godfather."
For context, the OP had shared that many of their neighbors had complimented their garden in front of the apartment — including their landlord, who said that the garden was "a great idea."
Mint has been known to overrun garden beds and require nearly an exorcism to get rid of. If it is left to grow freely, it "will completely cover the yard," the OP wrote.
Invasive species outcompete native plants for water and nutrients in the soil, which contributes to their rapid growth. Invasive plants disrupt ecosystems as pollinators and native species that rely on native plants for food and shelter find their native plants "bullied out" of the garden.
Hand-pulling the invasive plant is perhaps the best way to completely extract the plant's root system and ensure it doesn't run wild or grow back aggressively. As many mint owners have found, planting mint in a pot is the best way to control mint growth and defend a native garden.
Native lawns and gardens, composed of native plants, attract pollinators that defend our food supply. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 35% of the world's food crops depend on pollinators for reproduction.
A native-plant lawn with low-growing ground cover will save you money and energy on lawn maintenance while requiring less water for upkeep. Consider replacing your lawn with pollinator-attracting native plants, buffalo grass, or clover, or xeriscaping with drought-tolerant plants to cut down on lawn care and spend more time on what really matters.
🗣️ What's the worst thing about taking care of your yard?
🔘 The time it takes ⏰
🔘 How noisy it is 🙉
🔘 It's too expensive 💸
🔘 I don't have a yard 🤷🏾♀️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"I'm sure neighbors were just trying to get involved and have no idea they did something offensive," one user suggested.
Another joked: "Send me the mint! No seriously, I use so much of it in my cooking I can't keep enough in my containers!"
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