Updated: 6/21/2006 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 have too many of them and people aren’t taking them. They also gave them away at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. They have 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 and clover and I consider clover to be an invasive. The picture on the package shows a purple coneflower. I definitely did not get any of those. I’m not sure exactly what seeds are in the packet. There might be a list on some of the packages. I did recall reading clover and then I noticed a bunch of clovers springing up. It’s hard to tell if those clovers were actually weeds or if they came from the packet. But the seeds are not all purple cone flowers. I think they cost too much so they don’t give those away. Its free so who is complaining?
I believe the seeds were donated by Bayer which is a company that makes a insecticide for roses called Rose and Flower spray. I used this product all the time 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. Not very many roses are growing in Missouri because of 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.
My relationship with the Missouri Department of Conservation is somewhat nebulous. I keep reading about how they intend to give away money to help people transform their land into places where animals and plants could live. I’ve not been able to figure out how I could apply for that money. Every time I ask I always get the run around. I even drove down to the main office in Fulton. They didn’t have any ideas and then they said they would call me back. We will take your number and call you is the Midwestern way to say, we won’t call you back. I am financing this project entirely with my own money until I find out how to apply for funding.
Macy Makes Magic 