Redditors were up in arms after learning how a company's massive mixup ruined a homeowner's vegetable garden.

The original poster shared their aggravating tale in the r/gardening subreddit.

"This morning we caught a guy spreading fertilizer containing herbicide in our yard," the OP wrote. "His company had sent him to our address by mistake."

In the process, the unwitting employee "managed to get our front lawn and flowerbeds" as well as the vegetable garden and "grassy areas where our children play," according to the OP.

The company told them that the herbicide in question was dithiopyr, which is used to control crabgrass on established lawns and ornamental turf, such as golf courses, per the Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA-approved product label for dithiopyr warns that the chemical is known to be unsafe for humans, animals, and plants, instructing that long sleeves, pants, and gloves be worn when handling the product.

Without authorization, the employee had spread this toxic chemical everywhere. 

"I just don't know what to do," the OP lamented. "How bad is this?" 

Redditors expressed their outrage and offered condolences.

Even if it were the wrong address, "the guy should know better than to spread weed and feed on anything except" lawn grass, one Redditor responded, adding that the company had the duty to "mitigate the damage."

What's the worst thing about taking care of your yard? The time it takes ⏰ How noisy it is 🙉 It's too expensive 💸 I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Others agreed, with one user saying that the company should have to pay for "a complete exchange of the soil and new plants."

In the comments, the OP explained that, when they reached out to the company about the error, "they offered to rake our garden beds for us." 

"RAKE?" one incredulous commenter wrote. "Find out what governing body issues them their herbicide licensing, and threaten to escalate there if they refuse to do the right thing."

This situation highlighted the number of problems herbicides and pesticides cause in the environment. 

Like many other herbicides, dithiopyr is susceptible to runoff, meaning it can easily spread beyond the original application area and end up in bodies of water, where it is toxic to fish and other wildlife, according to the EPA. 

Researchers also have detected dithiopyr in underground aquifers, showing it can leach through soil and contaminate these essential pockets of water, which are used for everything from agriculture to drinking water, per the EPA.

To help reduce herbicide pollution, you can purchase organic foods, which are by definition grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers, per the EPA.

To avoid the need for lawn care services that use chemical herbicides, you can replace your monoculture lawn with a natural lawn, saving yourself money on water and landscaping costs in the process.

Similarly, planting a native garden or rewilding your yard will eliminate the need for synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers while benefiting local wildlife such as birds and pollinators.

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