Novice gardener seeks advice to correct mistake after planting store-bought seed mix: 'It's a costly lesson learned'

In r/NativePlantGardening, a forum for gardeners who are passionate about growing native plants, one Reddit user posted asking for advice after realizing they had planted a wildflower seed mix that contained both native plants and invasive species. 

"It's a costly lesson learned, but I'd rather correct it now than have to deal with the issues that can arise for the area if I leave it unchecked," the original poster wrote regarding their three pounds of planted seeds. 

Luckily, the Redditor displayed a keen awareness of how damaging invasive species can be to one's garden, or even an entire ecosystem, and wanted to rectify the situation in any way they could.

The user even considered starting over with their wildflower garden to prevent any invasive species from growing in their yard and to allow the native plants to thrive. 

Rewilding your yard with plants that are native to your area is a fantastic way to benefit your local pollinators while also saving time and money on lawn maintenance. 

By switching to a natural lawn with resilient species that are already accustomed to your climate and weather patterns, you can easily save thousands of dollars that would have been spent on water, pest control, and fertilizers. 

As a bonus, these pollinator-friendly yards filled with blooming flowers or lush clover are uniquely beautiful and stand out from traditional grass lawns. 

Many responses to the post simply advised that the budding gardener clip any invasive plants that end up growing, just like any other weeds that could germinate in one's garden. Some in the online community had even made the same mistake in their own gardening journey. 

"You'll just have to let it grow, see what comes up and then clip anything you don't want before it goes to seed. No biggie. Lesson learned on your path of becoming the local plant expert," one user recommended. 

"There will always be weeds or invasive seeds that either already exist in your seedbank, blow in from neighboring yards, etc. Don't stress too much about what you did. Learn from it," another Redditor encouraged. 

"I think the important thing is that you're trying! We're all going to have missteps along the way. You will slowly correct it, don't worry too much," a third commenter chimed in. 

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.

Cool Picks

How the Expedia of solar panels helps homeowners save money and avoid a common trap: 'Giving you confidence in the systems'

How much could you save with the Inflation Reduction Act? This interactive tool will tell you

This simple bag lets you make money by recycling your old stuff — here's how it works and where to get one

This startup could save you thousands with the first 'intelligent' hot water heater of its kind: 'You can get up to 500% efficiency'