Organic gardeners feel good about protecting the environment when they use organic pest control and weed control products. However, like chemical pesticides and herbicides, organic garden products have safety and usage instructions on the label that gardeners must adhere to in order to prevent problems in the landscape, in the environment, and to people and pets. Learn about some of the elements the Environmental Protection Agency requires on garden product labels, and how this information protects us.
Type of Pesticide
The first step in controlling pest and disease outbreaks in the garden is to identify the pest or disease affecting the plants. Gardeners should note on the label if the product is a pesticide, fungicide, or herbicide, and use the product accordingly. An organic fungicide can’t treat a plant virus or damage from aphids.
Concentration of Pest Control Product
Some garden pesticides and herbicides are sold in a ready-to-use formulation; others require dilution before they can safely be used in the garden. The packaging may provide a clue to concentration: ready-to-use products are often packaged in a spray bottle, but those that require dilution don’t have a sprayer. Failure to properly dilute concentrated garden products can lead to loss of plants or the unintentional injury of animals or beneficial insects.
Restricted Pesticides and Household Pesticides
Gardeners may believe that organic garden products are safe and inert enough that they are all available for residential use; this is false. Anyone can buy general use organic pesticides and herbicides, but restricted and limited use products require the user to have a license or special permit. These regulations protect the user from excessive exposure and toxicity, so gardeners should ask any landscape contractors using restricted products in their garden to provide proof of proper licensing and insurance.
Garden Product Warnings
The EPA requires garden products to list words that indicate the risk to the gardener of using the product. From lowest to highest risk, the signal words are caution, danger, warning, and danger: poison. The EPA formulates these warnings based on the risk of injury from skin or eye burns, lung injury from inhalation, or even death. The label will provide an accompanying list of recommended personal protective equipment, like goggles and gloves, to help the gardener minimize risk.
Storage and Disposal of Pesticides and Herbicides
Just because the product labeling describes a pesticide or herbicide as 100% organic doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to dump old or unwanted product into the gutter. This can lead to contamination of local streams and groundwater, causing the poisoning of aquatic life. Gardeners should follow the disposal requirements on the product label, and can contact their city to see if they offer a service to dispose of hazardous waste.
Sources:
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association
Jamie McIntosh - Jamie has written hundreds of garden articles for the web, and is your guide to Flowers on About.com.
