Pesticides Archives - Page 2 of 2

Slug Bait – Metaldehyde vs Iron Phosphate

How do you get rid of slugs? I’ve looked at a number of home remedies and although some work a bit, most don’t work at all. The most effective way to get rid of slugs is to use a chemical slug bait. Slug baits contain both food for the slug and a poison that kills them.

There are two main classes of baits; Metaldehyde and Iron Phosphate. There is a lot of controversy about which should be used. Which is safer for the environment? Which is more effective? The short answers given by many web sites are not telling the whole story.

Slug Bait - Metaldehyde vs Iron Phosphate — Slug Bait – Metaldehyde vs Iron Phosphate

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Unnatural Fear of Roundup – Understanding Small Numbers

If you spend time understanding the science behind Roundup and glyphosate, it’s active ingredient, you soon realize that this is a safe chemical compared to many other chemicals, even ones liberally used in the home. Why is it then that so many people fear Roundup?

Probably the biggest reason is great promotion by the anti-Roundup and anti-Monsanto crowd. That is one powerful force, that brings one misleading article after another to the attention of a lot of people.

I think that another reason for this fear is our inability to understand very small and very large numbers. A recent research study found glyphosate in natural water systems and I have seen it posted by several people as proof of a real problem that needs to be feared. If these people simply understood small numbers, they would not fear the report or Roundup.

Unnatural fear of Roundup in drinking water - Understanding small numbers — Unnatural fear of Roundup in drinking water – Understanding small numbers, Source; Aqua Mechanical (photo modified)

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Dish Soap Can Damage Your Plants

Dish Soap like Sunlight or Dawn is a regular addition to home pest control remedies for the garden. You use dish soap every day and eat from the dishes you clean with it – how can it be harmful to plants? It’s time to look through the bubbles and see the truth.

Chemicals in Dawn Dish Soap by GardenMyths.com

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Mosquito Repellents That Work Against Zika Virus

Many people are against synthetic chemicals and will not consider products like DEET. As I have reported before in DEET- is It Safe?, DEET is quite safe but many still do not believe the facts.

In the last couple of weeks the Zika virus has been all over the news. The World Health Organization has declared Zika virus a ‘public health emergency’ of international concern.

Which mosquito repellents work best against Zika? Are any of the organic products recommended? It is time to have another look at the mosquito problem.

Mosquito Repellents That Work Against Zika Virus

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Organic Seeds – Why Buy Them?

Lots of people are looking to buy organic seeds but as a chemist this has never made any sense to me. I started asking people on social media for their reasons for selecting organic seeds over conventional seeds or heirlooms seeds. The answers clearly indicate that people don’t understand why they want organic seeds, but one valid reason did emerge.

In this post I will look at the reasons people give for buying organic seed and discuss the validity of the reasons.

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Homemade Weed Killer – Roundup vs Vinegar vs Salt

Homemade weed killers are all the rage and vinegar or salt or a combination of the two are highly publicized. How well do they work? How do they compare with Roundup? In today’s post I will compare the three options by testing them on real weeds in my garden.

Homemade weed killer - vinegar and salt — Homemade weed killer – vinegar and salt

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Epsom Salt Myths – learn the truth about using it in the garden

Almost daily, I see a post in social media about using Epsom salt to cure all manner of plant problem. Planting a new plant; add Epsom salt to the planting hole. Are bugs your problem? Epsom salt will get rid of them. It also gets rid of diseases, and blemished on leaves. It makes tomatoes grow bigger, and produces a higher yield, with no Blossom End Rot. Roses are absolutely dependent on the stuff – you must put it in the planting hole every time.

If Epsom salt is such a miracle cure for plants, why is it that the scientific community does not know about it? Time to debunk this myth once and for all.

Epsom salt for plants – or is it best for a bath?

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How To Get Rid of Ants With Coffee Grounds

How do you get rid of ants? I have found that people use 3 common home remedies to get rid of ants; diatomaceous earth, Borax and coffee grounds. Borax does work and it is the main ingredient in many commercial products designed to get rid of ants. In this post I will look at the effectiveness of coffee grounds.

Getting Rid of Ants with Coffee Grounds, Photo Source: Charlie Stinchcomb

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Citronella Plant – Does it Really Keep Mosquitoes Away?

Mosquitoes are becoming a more important pest as new varieties move north in North America, and the incidence of diseases increases. Around here there is a big concern about the West Nile Virus so it is only natural that people try to find simple ways to keep mosquitoes away.

A very common solution is citronella. Some suggest planting the citronella plant next to your patio to keep mosquitoes away. Others rely on citronella candles. These solutions are just myths.

Pelargonium Citrosum - marketed as "mosquito plant" — Pelargonium Citrosum – marketed as “mosquito plant”, source: Chhe (talk)

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Natural Pesticides

In a previous post, What does Organic Mean, I provided some definitions of the term Organic. Most people think of Organic food as being pesticide free. The lack of pesticides is one of the main reasons for paying higher prices.

People also think Organic food tastes better and is higher in nutrition, but both of these claims have been completely disproved. Today I’d like to discuss the issue of lower pesticide levels in organic foods.

natural Pesticides ingested daily — Natural pesticides ingested daily

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Fear of Chemicals

Chemicals are those nasty man-made synthetic products that are destroying the environment and harming ourselves. This is how the general public and organic zealots in particular view chemicals. Nothing can be further from the truth – this is a common garden myth.

Nicotiana tabacum, a natural product nicotine — Nicotiana tabacum, produces natural product nicotine

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What does Organic Mean?

You see the word organic used everywhere these days so you would think that the word has a simple definition. Not so.

The word is used by different groups of people to mean different things.

image for what does organic mean — What does organic gardening mean?

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