Monarch Butterfly on Blue Aster Above Image
Updated: 6/21/2026 The Summer Solstice
To summarize: The free seed packets from Missouri Department of Conservation were problematic. Bayer included undesirable clovers that are actually a lawn weed. Clovers sprout as lawn weeds and rabbits eat them. They do not attract pollinators to my garden. However the sunflowers included were some of the best I’ve ever found. Not only were these sunflowers multi-branching but they also actually succeeded in creating seeds that I was able to use to feed squirrels. Subsequent sunflowers that I have shopped and bought have not rendered seeds, they just render attractive flowers. They are giving away the free seed packets any longer. The webpage were archived.
8/30/2023
The Missouri Department of Conservation was giving away free seed packets in 2022. These seed packets are supposed to help pollinators by encouraging people to plant these seeds. I got one of the seed packets at an event last year 2022.
At a Butterfly/Moth Event I overheard one of the people in charge saying how great these seed packets were. I got the feeling that they had too many of them and people aren’t taking them. MO Conservation also gave them away at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. They had a lot of great ideas for the environment including using aluminum cups that can be recycled rather than plastic solo cups for large summer time parties at Lake of the Ozarks or Pool Parties where you can’t have glass.
I planted the seeds but the only thing that germinated were sunflowers. The issue could have been drainage as I was just starting out in a new bed.
Bayer is a company that makes a insecticide for roses called Rose and Flower spray. I used this product when I was growing roses because it was the only thing that would save them from Spider Mites. Spider Mites aren’t spiders. They are mites. They are invisible to the naked eye but sometimes you can see tiny bits of webbing. Most Rose sprays do not include a miticide which kills mites, but the Bayer Product does. The mites suck the moisture out of the rose and can be fatal. Extra water will not help roses with spider mites. Not many roses are grown in Missouri. The climate is not favorable and deer eat them.
I’m not growing any roses in Missouri at all because I’m focusing on plants that are more harmonious for the environment, although I did really enjoy my time as a rose grower in Ukiah California. Click here to read about which roses I grew.
Transcript of the seed packet text:
go.bayer.com/biodiversity
ABOUT BAYER FOR BIODIVERSITY Bayer recognizes the importance of biodiversity. Through our Bayer for Biodiversity initiative, we’re focused on preserving and enhancing wildlife and plants on agricultural and other landscapes. Learn more at:
PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS Clear existing vegetation and prepare a bed of loose soil. Compress seeds into the soil surface. Do not bury. Keep soil moist. Plant in spring when the risk of frost has passed or plant in fall after first hard frost for early spring sprouting. For best results, control competing vegetation throughout the first year. Each packet contains approx. 200 seeds, enough to cover 10 sq. ft.
WILDFLOWER MIX
| BOTANICAL NAME | COMMON NAME | LIFE CYCLE |
|---|---|---|
| Chamaecrista fasciculata | Partridge Pea | Annual |
| Coreopsis tinctoria | Plains Coreopsis | Annual |
| Rudbeckia hirta | Black-eyed Susan | Biennial |
| Asclepias tuberosa | Butterflyweed | Perennial |
| Coreopsis lanceolata | Lanceleaf Coreopsis | Perennial |
| Dalea purpurea | Purple Prairie Clover | Perennial |
| Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower | Perennial |
| Helianthus maximiliani | Maximilian Sunflower | Perennial |
| Liatris pycnostachya | Prairie Blazing Star | Perennial |
| Monarda fistulosa | Wild Bergamot | Perennial |
| Penstemon digitalis | Foxglove Beardtongue | Perennial |
| Ratibida pinnata | Gray-headed Coneflower | Perennial |
| Solidago rigida | Rigid Goldenrod | Perennial |
| Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | New England Aster | Perennial |
Side text: AmericanMeadows.com | 877-309-7333, 2438 Shelburne RD., Shelburne, VT 05482 Net Wt. 300 mg | Lot# 202212_BCM_AMI | Packed on: 9/2023 – Plant by: 8/2024
Footer: © 2022 Bayer Group. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer and the Bayer Cross are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www. CropScience. Bayer.us. Bayer CropScience LP, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63167.
Bottom banner: Did you know? We can all help pollinators by providing diverse blooming habitats.
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