I finally stopped by that native plant nursery in Austin last weekend

Everyone raves about the big box garden centers but I noticed all their stuff is from the same few growers. The little nursery on 12th Street had milkweed that actually looked healthy and wasn't covered in pesticides. Has anyone else had better luck with local places over the chain stores?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot_king10d ago

Oh, you mentioned "the little nursery on 12th Street" but I think you mean the one on 12th and Congress, right? That's the only native plant spot I know of in that area. Anyway, you hit on something that bugs me about the big box stores. They buy from huge growers that drench everything in neonicotinoids, which is basically poison for bees and butterflies. I've had way better luck with local nurseries too, even if they cost a bit more. The milkweed I got from a place off Manor Road actually had monarch caterpillars on it within two weeks, which never happens with the sprayed stuff from Lowe's.

elizabeththomas10d ago

Oh man, I actually gotta disagree a little! I think the big box stores have cleaned up their act somewhat, at least the ones near me. I grabbed some milkweed from Home Depot last spring and it was crawling with monarch caterpillars by June. Not saying all of them are perfect, but I think it depends on which location you hit and what they got from their suppliers that week. Plus, not everyone can afford the local nursery markup, you know?