Why? Because they do more harm than good
KILLER FACT
This month, Bayer has paid c$11bn to settle claims that its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer...
Here we are at the height of gardening season, grass green (well currently parched), veggies ripening, flowers in bloom. A beautiful picture until…the slug, the aphid, the weavil, the weed and other creeds…
But wait, let’s not reach for the killer spray too soon! Killers are killers.
They can kill our unsuspecting bees and butterflies.
They poison wildlife. The granular pesticides can be mistaken for grains of food...just a granule is enough to kill a small bird.
There’s a killer domino effect. A slug pellet kills a slug, a bird eats the slug, the pellet harms the bird. Ditto when birds eat insects and worms that have consumed pesticides.
They mess with the soil, leaching it with toxins. Hidden heroes like soil microorganisms and earthworms are poisoned, leading to soil infertility.
And then there’s us. Spray our veggies and the toxic chemicals go straight into us.
All of this dangerously messes with ecosystems, food chains, wildlife populations, etc. and this is not a comprehensive list!
So what should we do?
Don’t use them! It’s official. Total pesticide use in the UK must be at least halved to reverse terrible losses to insect populations and boost the natural world that depends on them. Action is needed from every section of society, and we’ve got to go the whole 100%.
How to do it is an exhaustive subject though, we’ve distilled best we can!
Here are our alternatives for the top culprits:
Slugs:
Basically you’ve got to the nab them, put them in a container and transport them off to a field, hedgerow or patch, well away from your garden. There’s always the fling-them-over-neighbour’s-fence strategy too, ha ha. Sorry Enid, what slugs?
During the day, slugs congregate in moist dark places. An over-turned half orange, grapefruit or melon skins work well to lure them in. On mild evenings, especially when the weather is damp, torchlight searches catch them out. Or get small children on the case for 10p a slug (do kids do anything for 10p these days??)
If you must use slug pellets as a last resort, use these sparingly - the ones made from ferric phosphate are the least damaging. Any with metaldehyde are the anti-christ. (Metaldehyde was due to be banned by government due to it’s toxicity to all life, but the manufacturer managed to get it over-turned…wot)
Eggshells, coffee, copper tape, etc. DON’T work.
Bugs and mould:
We’ve discovered a killer solution! Neem Oil is an amazing natural pesticide and everything we could possibly want. It deals with a slew of pests, including aphids, whitefly, mites, black spot etc. repelling them as well as disrupting their reproductive systems. Safe for everything else, including food and the soil. Win. Win. Win. You can even make your own (we did) and it works.
Weeds:
Remove them by hand with a sharp knife or trowel. Spare the dandelions.
Carefully pour boiling water over them (or use a flame or thermal weeder). Not sure about this one, it’s a bit brutal, we know.
General rules of thumb:
Encourage natural controls such a beetles, frogs, birds and hedgehogs (let us know if you have a hedgehog and we’re visiting immediately!)
Mix flowers with vegetables to attract beneficial wildlife, such as caterpillar-eating birds and aphid-eating insects.
Good soil and timely watering. Plants can fight things off, if they’re healthy.
For comprehensive guides:
Will it cost me money?
Time really. It takes a wad of vigilance, persistence, and resilience, it will test you! Worth it for a happy bee, a robin safe in a tree. If you like fast and furious? Check out this pesticide free weeding gadget.
Got a question to ask, a tip to share? Tell us! And…is there something you’re proud of, big or small (birdbath installed, happy sponge bought)? Email us, so we can feature you on our Weekly Shout Out. Everyone loves it, don’t be shy.
We…
Aimee: Leather jackets (the insect, not clothing...) ruined my lawn a few years ago. I wasn’t that chuffed. Hopefully by putting out food and water for the birds, they can become my leather jacket bodyguards. I’ve been growing my veg in pots so they’re quite well protected. I’m quite tempted by a thermal weeder gadget…!
Sonia: Sod pesticides, I’ve been tempted to take to nuclear warfare in my garden. The weavils got my tomatoes, the slugs got my courgettes (the first, then the second) and, judging by the teeth marks, a giant rabbit is eating my radishes. The good news is that neem oil actually managed to bring my tomatoes back from the jaws of death, took a while but we made it. I’m working on the radishes, will report. As for slugs well…let’s just say plans are being hatched for deportation.
“Shoo, fly don’t bother me!”
Photo: Walter Sturn