ST. PAUL — As the weather warms, regional nursery inspectors are preparing for the 2017 inspection season. Some early inspections of retail locations have identified dormant packaged plants at area stores that have significant growth. These packages contain no growing media, and are not designed to be watered. They are meant for early season planting and must be kept in conditions to maintain dormancy. Once growth begins plants must be potted to restore normal vigor or must be removed from sale.

Another issue that is important for plant retailers to remember is that Minnesota law (M.S. 2016 18H.14) prohibits advertising plants as pollinator friendly if flowers of those plants contain insecticide concentrations greater than levels identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as causing adverse effects to honeybees. You can read more about how this law is enforced and the Nursery Inspection Program at the MDA website.

— Minnesota Department of Agriculture

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