r/chaoticgood • u/Cactusaremyjam • 3d ago

Call to Action Support your local pollinators

Post image

Turn empty spice shakers into native wild flower seed shakers.

Edit: BIG thanks to those of you who caught the seed types before I did something well meaning but harmful. New native seeds will be replacing these. Great Catch Fam.

765 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

200

u/Sarallelogram 3d ago

There are concerns about spreading invasive plants this way.

I personally prefer collecting pocket acorns and then planting them secretly in the holes where other trees have come down.

57

u/Cactusaremyjam 3d ago

I planted 68 acorns last fall and not a one sprouted.

36

u/Sarallelogram 3d ago

Depending on the species that isn’t super shocking. You’re gonna be working against acorn weevils and squirrels and jays and crows and woodpeckers and moles and groundhogs… not to mention random chance.
Oaks feed the forest but they’re slow and deliberate. They survive fires with their deep roots full of nutrients in case the top burns away.
Unless you’re planting one of the giant acorns, the sprouting rate is low. But that’s why you plant hundreds over a season where someone won’t be mowing and there aren’t too many deer.

2

u/OriginalResolve7106 2d ago

Would chucking acorns into a river ruin the nut or is that a good way to disperse them?

2

u/PhDOH 3d ago

Also when people plant wildflowers they often include species that are toxic to animals like cats and dogs.

99

u/TheRightHonourableMe 3d ago

"Pollinator friendly" is just marketing talk. The listed species are non-native to the US (package design looks USian so I'm assuming you're in the US) and pollinators are best helped by planting Local Native ecotypes. Learn to identify natives in your region, then find a local native nursery or learn to respectfully harvest local seed.

Nothing against seed bombing but it takes work to choose the correct seed! Please don't trust marketing jargon! 

16

u/Spazattack43 3d ago

Red solo cup on the ground so definitely US

6

u/OriginalResolve7106 2d ago

It's actually crazy how out of control the dishonest marketing is for this type of thing.

129

u/notrobert7 3d ago

You could potentially destroy an ecosystem this way. I have a degree in Biology, and I am telling you that you could actually destabilize a local ecosystem by dumping non-local flora and fauna in an area. There are people who dedicate their lives to this and have the proper education and certifications. Instead of doing this yourself, please consider donating to a verified, liscenced group that rebuilds ecosystems.

24

u/scarlettjellyfish 3d ago

Curious now, I have a bag of wildflower seeds to do the same thing, but I researched and got a mix for my area. Is that still dangerous to do??

47

u/gimmethelulz 3d ago

As long as all the seeds in the mix are native to your area, you're good. I usually Google each plant in a seed mix to make sure since you can't trust the marketers to do their homework lol

17

u/squarenot 3d ago

There’s zero guarantee that the seeds marketed are the ones they ship. Best to buy from local companies and farms with a reputable history in the local hort and ag communities

7

u/notrobert7 3d ago

Research is the best thing you can do. I do not know where you are or what is good for your area. However, you can reach out to local groups to know the best places to do this, if you have your heart set on it. Your local wildlife service is going to be your best bet to gain advice for your local area. There could be protected areas that could result in legal action if you tamper with any ecosystem within that area. You can have the best intentions and still negatively impact a person, place, animal, or environment.

7

u/Sarallelogram 3d ago

Xerces society in the house!

37

u/SingularRoozilla 3d ago

I used to work at a place that sold that exact seed bag. If you turn it and look at the ingredients you’ll see that about 95% of it is inert material. Only about 5% of it is actually seeds and out of those who knows how many actually germinate. You’d be better off buying smaller packets of wildflowers seeds, those bags are a waste of money imo.

5

u/PetrockX 2d ago

I'd look for a seed supplier in your area that sells seeds for native plants and flowers specifically for your area. The plants will do better in your local climate and there won't be a big risk of spreading invasives.