Tools and Chemicals
Roundup – Health Concerns
Good gardeners try to minimize the use of pesticides but one weed killer that has shown a good environmental record since it was introduced is glyphosate (Roundup, KleenUp, KillzAll, etc). Therefore it is troubling to read a newspaper headline that...
Garden Watch Camera
Recently I was sent a Garden Watch Camera by the Brinno Company to try out in my garden. It has been much more fun than I first thought. My first subject was my front yard, where it was interesting to...
Treated Wood – Sodium Silicate
Radio caller Phil answers his own question! “A few weeks ago, I asked if you had heard about a wood product that was treated with glass for use in raised beds. You didn’t have any information on it, but I...
Fertilizer – Using Old and Lumpy
If you have partially filled bags and boxes of fertilizer in your garage or garden shed, there is no need to throw it away. Even though the almost-dissolved label reads “Azalea/Camellia Food”, your fescue lawn will appreciate having some next...
Messenger (harpin protein) – For Plant Protection
When scientists at Cornell University investigated the response plants have to disease, they discovered an interesting fact: if a plant “thinks” it is about to be attacked, it can thicken its cell walls and concentrate its defensive reserves… and thus...
Pesticide Misuse – “People Dumber Than Us”
In a great example of public service, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation collects and releases example of people mis-using pesticides. Some typical cases: In Los Angeles, a woman borrowed a half-cup of pine oil disinfectant from a neighbor and...
Basic Tools for Beginning Gardeners
Here is my list of basic tools for beginning gardeners. Give it the once-over and email me if you think I’ve left something out. DIGGING TOOLS Round point shovel – I like a long handle more than a short handle....
Pesticides – Disposing
When my father died a few years ago our family faced a situation familiar to many: disposing of his pesticides. In his sixty-five years of small-time farming he had accumulated multiple sprays for his orchard, dusts for the cows and...
Pesticides – Dissipation Rate
If you’re concerned about how long various pesticides stay in your lawn, this excerpt from HORTIDEAS gives a good, scientifically-based comparison. Only the active ingredient chemicals are listed…you’ll have to do a bit of research to figure out which brand...
Spinosad – New Insecticide
Gardeners are always on the lookout for insecticides that are made from natural sources. Spinosad is a nerve toxin derived from a naturally-occurring bacterium, Saccropolyspora spinosa. It is available as a general-purpose insecticide in Green Light Lawn and Garden Spray....
Chlordane – Gardening Nearby
For many years, homes were treated with chlordane to kill termites. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency banned its use due to health concerns. If you grow edible plants near your home’s foundation, you might be concerned about the possibility...
Bird Mites – Pesticide Mis-use
Beware of free pest control advice; it can be very expensive. A client called Dr. Paul Guillebeau with a serious problem. Upon the advice of a sincere retail clerk, they applied so much pesticide that their house was uninhabitable. When...
Vantage Herbicide – Label
It is difficult to keep up with all of the situations in which herbicides can and cannot be used. Sethoxydim (Vantage, Poast, etc) is irregularly available but can be a useful herbicide. Here is its label. Vantage...
Image Herbicide Products – Labels
It is difficult to keep up with all of the situations in which herbicides can and cannot be used. Here is the label for the Image Kills Crabgrass II (containing quinclorac and sulfentrazone) product. Here is the label for the Image...
Green Light Product Chart
The Green Light Company distributes many useful garden pesticides. The document below lists their products and their active ingredients. Green Light...
Fertilizers – Confused When Buying
I recently saw a description of a fertilizer in a newspaper. It said that a 12 ounce bottle of the stuff provided the same level of nutrients as a 25 pound bag of 20-8-6! Intrigued by the narrative, I called...
IPM – Defined
I value the opinion of Dr. Paul Guillebeau, entomologist and pesticide specialist at the University of Georgia. He tries his best to see both sides of the pesticide question without preaching too loudly. Below are his thoughts on Integrated Pest...
Homeowner Pesticides – Active Ingredients
As if gardening weren’t complicated enough, the subject of pesticides adds another layer of complexity. Beyond all of the plant names to remember, there is a whole new spectrum of insecticide, fungicide and herbicide product names. To make it easier...
