Neonics in your garden
At high levels neonics kill bees, butterflies, and a host of beneficial insects that feed on plant nectar, pollen or leaves; and recent research suggests that very low sub-lethal doses may significantly impair their reproductive and behavioral health. Many nurseries use these pesticides routinely.
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is at the forefront of evaluating neonics research; here is a link with both a summary and longer article. And here is a nice short summary of what neonics are.
Some of us in the Garden Club have become very concerned about the use of neonicotinoid insecticides on the plants we buy. Briefly, neonics are absorbed into plant tissues, nectar, and pollen, and may persist for months or even years. They kill or sicken ALL insects who feed on nectar or any plant parts during their life cycle—and that includes endangered pollinators and the natural enemies of the very pests we are trying to control.
How you can make a difference.
If you share our concerns, check out our Neonic Free Buying Guide below. This list shows whether local suppliers do or do not sell neonic-treated plants along with any additional information that the seller provides. The list is far from complete, so please share the results of your inquiries to improve the list. And, consumer pressure can work wonders, so the more people expressing concern, the better.
Local supplier directory
American Beauties Native Plants
These are sold by many nurseries and are easily identified by the large American Beauties label.
No neonics are ever used on these plants.
Babikow
This wholesale plant nursery in NJ subscribes to IPM (Integrated Pest Management) policy and rarely if ever uses neonics.
Behmerwald Nursery
Located in Schwenksville, PA. Uses no neonics, and practices IPM. Their rep also said, “We use very few chemical controls at all, we only would resort to them if faced with a major problem.”
Bell Nursery
A wholesaler who supplies Home Depot and others. They say they use no neonics.
Black Creek Nursery
East Earl, PA. Does not use neonics on plants they raise.
Bluestone Perennials
Located in Ohio. Mail order plants. They sell no neonic treated plants.
Mail Order. The nurseries they use do not use neonics.
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
In Bucks County near New Hope, runs a native plant nursery and uses no neonics. Most plants are grown on site.
Clearview Nursery
Souderton, PA. Here’s what the owner says: “We do use neonicotinoids, but only early in the season as an initial knock-down, and not on blooming material. We host bees here at the nursery, and are very careful about what we spray after the hives arrive.”
Collins Nursery
Glenside, PA. They say: “As far as I know, none of the plants at the nursery are treated with neonics. I don’t use anything more than neem oil and dish soap and I only use those on rare occasions.”
Conestoga Nursery
East Earl, PA. They say they don’t know whether the nurseries they purchase from use neonics, so you will need to check plant tags and contact the wholesalers. See also the entry for Quality Greenhouses, below.
Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery
Orefield, PA. Their website says: “We limit the use of chemicals, hand weeding our plants, and managing many pests with organic or natural methods. Our plants are not forced with growth hormones, we use minimal pesticides in the nursery, and practice Integrated Pest Management. We do not use systemic pesticides or “neo-nics”. Our plants are safe for visiting bees, insects and wildlife.”
Groff’s Nursery and Plant Farm
Pitman, NJ. Some of their plants are treated, some not. The ones in the blue pots with “bee friendly” tags are not treated. Other plants are not labeled, but the manager will be able to tell you which are not treated if you ask about a particular plant because she knows which suppliers use neonics.
Groff’s Plant Farm
Kirkwood, PA. Groff’s says: “We do not treat herbs, or vegetable transplants with anything except insecticidal soap. We do not use any neonics on milkweed, chelone, or other larval plants for butterflies.” Neonics may be used on other plants.
Home Depot
Requires that all neonic-treated plants it sells be labeled.
Lowes
Sells neonic-treated plants but is phasing them out and planed to be neonic-free by the end of 2019. We have not confirmed whether this was done.
Miller’s Greenhouses, Inc.
Landisville, PA. This is a wholesaler that supplies local plant sellers. The owner says he does not know what a neonicotinoid pesticide is, but he does use “lots of different pesticides.”
Mostardi Nurseries
Newtown Square, PA. Says “our grower is 100% organic and uses no neonicotinoids.”
New Moon Nurseries
Bridgeton, NJ (wholesale only). Native plant nursery, uses no neonics.
North Creek Nurseries
Landenburg, PA (wholesale only): uses no neonics.
Northeast Native Perennials
Quakertown, PA. Uses no neonics on the plants it raises, but it does sell plants raised by other nurseries that may use neonics.
Octoraro Native Plant Nursery
Kirkwood, PA uses no neonics. (It is wholesale only, but check their website for a list of local retailers that carry their plants).
Pleasant Run Nursery
Allentown, NJ (wholesale only). Subscribes to IPM (Integrated Pest Management) policy and rarely if ever uses neonics.
Prairie Nursery
Westfield WI (mail order) uses no neonics.
Prairie Moon Nursery
Mail order nursery in Minnesota, uses no neonics.
Produce Junction
We could not reach Produce Junction for a reply on neonic use on the plants they sell.
Quality Greenhouses
Dillburg, PA, wholesaler. Discontinued use of neonics in 2019. Major perennial supplier of Conestoga Nurseries East Earl, PA, and many other local nurseries.
Rarefind Nursery
Jackson, NJ, retail and mail order nursery. Sells no neonic treated plants.
Redbud Native Plant Nursery
Media PA, retailer and nursery, uses no neonics on plants it raises. We have not confirmed whether plants bought from other nurseries and resold may have been treated.
Trader Joe’s
Ardmore, PA. They say they don’t know whether their plants are treated or not.
Add more…
If you gather info from additional plant sources, please let us know so we can update this list for the benefit of everybody.