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Picked a native wildflower mix over the fancy imported seeds...
I was torn between two seed packs for my backyard patch. One was this colorful exotic blend from Europe, the other a local native mix for $12 less. I went with the natives and after 6 weeks the bees and butterflies showed up like crazy. Has anyone else had better luck with local plants over the flashy stuff?
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ben66219d ago
Wait, have you noticed how the imported stuff just sits there looking pretty while the native plants actually do something? I had the exact same experience in my yard. I planted this wildflower mix from a big box store one year and got nothing but a few confused bumblebees. The next year I swapped to a local prairie blend and it was like a flipping nature documentary out there. The monarchs showed up, the finches started eating the seeds, and I didn't have to water it after the first month. It really makes you wonder why we spend so much on the fancy stuff when the cheap local options work better.
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paulschmidt20d ago
Honestly, "the bees and butterflies showed up like crazy" is exactly what happens. I've seen it with my own yard. Exotic seeds look nice on the package but local bugs don't know what to do with them half the time. You made the right call, the native stuff is just built for your soil and climate. Plus, once it's established, you barely have to water it compared to the fancy imports. They're tougher and need less babying, plain and simple.
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