Packaged seed mixtures are not necessarily beneficial to pollinators, scientists in Sweden have warned.
Ready-to-use flower seed assortments are widely regarded as an ideal way to support bees and strengthen suffering ecosystems. Now biodiversity experts from Lund University are urging customers to check the content description of such products.
Biologist Lina Herbertsson admitted: “A lot of misunderstandings have emerged.”
She explained: “Take for example meadow flowers. On many planned meadows, species have been sown that absolutely do not belong in a traditional meadow.”
The Lund University researcher criticised that some producers were incorrectly labelling their ready-mixed seed assortments as an ideal assortment of meadow seeds.
Herbertsson warned that the little bags could feature species that were unsuitable for meadows in the vicinity of the respective customers.
In this regard, Herbertsson’s colleague, conservation science expert Maj Rundlöf, mentioned foreign grassy weeds and ornamental plants.
Rundlöf emphasised the importance of healthy ecosystems and the crucial role pollinators were playing in this concern.
However, she also said: “We need efficient food production. Farmers need the land for crops and as gardeners, we rarely have the opportunity to offer larger areas.”
Established in 1666, Lund University is one of the oldest higher-education institutions in Scandinavia. It is located in the city of Lund, Scania Province, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) northeast of Malmö where further campuses can be found.
