Finding an unexpected packet of seeds in your mailbox might seem like a gardener’s version of free money. Before you scatter those mystery seeds into a flower bed or tuck them into a pot, however, the U.S. Department of Agriculture wants you to stop. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says non-compliant seeds, including unsolicited seeds arriving without any connection to a purchase, can carry pests or diseases capable of threatening U.S. agriculture and natural resources. Some seeds can also be prohibited because they could spread harmful weeds or pests. If you receive unsolicited seeds in the mail, treating them like a free addition to your garden could create a problem much bigger than the cost of a seed packet.
