In late May my husband, Chris, spent hours potting up 15 tomatoes in 18â wide containers. He set them around the edge of our patio and began to dutifully care for the plants. By early June, I noticed that the leaves on our tomatoes looked different. Upon further inspection, I noticed that the plants were growing in a curly cue fashion and the leaves were disfigured. Unfortunately, I had seen this before and suspected that the plants were suffering from herbicide drift. I texted the person who sprays our lawn for weeds and yes, unfortunately when he sprayed our lawn a few days earlier, some of the herbicide had been carried by the wind and was absorbed through the leaves of our tomatoes. While the weeds in our lawns did die as a result of the herbicide, thankfully our tomatoes did not. They were young enough that they were able to grow through the damage. This is not always the case with herbicide drift. I have seen tens of thousands of dollars of damage done by herbicides that were incorrectly applied.
Plant care chemicals are strong and often very effective. They are a powerful tool in the arsenal of products that keep our plants disease and insect free as well as our lawn and planting beds weed free. With their use comes the responsibility to apply them only when needed and exactly as directed. They can cause more harm than good when not used or applied correctly. The correct use of plant care chemicals begins even before they are purchased. It is imperative that a correct diagnosis or identification is made first, before you head off to the store to purchase what seems like the solution. Solutions only work if the problem is accurately identified. The Kane and McHenry County Cooperative Extension Services have programs that assist consumers in identifying weeds, pests and diseases. I have walked around many yards that have almost perfectly round circles of dead grass. This is often the result of a broad-spectrum herbicide (such as Roundup) being used to kill one dandelion that was growing in the lawn. Yes, the dandelion died, but so did all of the grass around it.
As basic as it sounds, reading the product label should be done prior to purchasing and using any pesticide, fungicide or herbicide. These labels contain very important information regarding the intended use and suggested application of these products. Safety information such as any hazards to humans and domestic animals, environmental hazards and sometimes a statement of practical treatment should dangerous exposure occur. Plant care labels represent years of research and millions of dollars spent to put together the most accurate information for the consumer.
When determining which plant care product to use, consider purchasing the least toxic product that will achieve the desired results. Look for words and phrases such as caution, warning and danger. These words are used on pesticide labels. Caution is the least harmful to humans, while the products labeled with the word danger have the potential to be the most harmful by burning your eyes or skin. Herbicides that kill a wide range of plants are labeled broad spectrum, while those labeled as selective kill a smaller set of plants.
Determining the correct amount of a plant care product to use can be a bit tricky. I have often found myself getting out a piece of paper and pencil to make sure I work out the math correctly. For example, if the directions on a concentrated insectide include âMix 12 ounces of fluid into 1 gallon of water.â If I am only spraying 1 shrub, I wouldnât need 1 gallon of insecticide. Since 1 quart should be enough I divide 12 by 4(4 quarts to 1 gallon) and mix 3 ounces of the insecticide into 1 quart water.
Dress appropriately when using plant care products. The product label may give you information about the suggested PPE. Long sleeved shirts, long pants, non absorbent gloves, and closed toed shoes are usually recommended.
Always mix chemicals in a well ventilated space and store them in their original containers. Make sure to keep your pets away from the areas that you mix and apply chemicals for the length of time suggested on the label. Texas A & M researchers found that âunfortunately, whatever it lethal to a pest or weed will usually cause illness in human adults and even more severe symptoms in children and pets.â
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
