A Redditor recently shared their gardening woes with the r/gardening community, lamenting about a mistake made when applying "Repel-All" (likely referring to Repels-All) granules directly onto their garden instead of just around it.
The post, accompanied by a photo of the sparse garden presumably where the granules were sprinkled, has garnered attention from experienced green thumbs.
!["What do I do?"](https://www.thecooldown.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/i-think-i-made-a-huge-mistake-v0-b6v6l0sloh9d1-1.jpg)
The Redditor expressed their concern, asking, "What do I do? Is my whole garden no longer edible? Can I simply wash it off? I am tempted to just go spray everything heavily to wash it but am thinking, wouldn't that just cause it to seep into the roots?
"I am so sad that I made this mistake if it's made my garden inedible."
While this gardening mishap is unfortunate, it's important to gently redirect new gardeners in the right direction when they make a beginner's mistake. After all, by simply having a garden in the first place, this Redditor is on the right track toward creating a more sustainable ecosystem.
Eco-friendly alternatives to traditional lawns, such as native plant lawns and gardens, can save money and time on maintenance, but they also conserve water, lower your water bills, and create a healthier ecosystem for pollinators, which ultimately benefits humans by protecting our food supply.
Consider replacing your traditional lawn, even partially, with native plants, clover, buffalo grass, or xeriscaping to reap these benefits while reducing your environmental impact. These low-maintenance options can help you create a thriving outdoor space that's beautiful and sustainable.
In response to the Redditor's post, more experienced gardeners offered reassurance and advice, suggesting the gardener may have had a close call but to be wary of using chemicals.
One user noted, "You need to read the ingredients, especially the active ingredients. I don't know the type you bought, but I think Repell All [Repels-All] is mostly clove and garlic which are fine. I still would wash your veggies before eating them though."
Another added, "The active ingredients are rotten eggs, cloves, and garlic… so if you applied it in granular form and its not actually on the plants you plan on eating, I think you're ok."
A third commenter pointed out, "Looks like it's going to be a long time before you harvest from that garden so by then, whatever you put on it will probably have washed away."
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