Glyphosate

[Snadger]

I have just been sent this by Mother Earth News.

The Dangers of Glyphosate Herbicide - Nature and Environment - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Haven't read it all yet and probably won't as I've already made my mind up about how I feel about glyphosate!

[andy_j]

Ive been using Roundup and other glyphosate products for over 20 years. Although i use mine on a decorative area, i wouldn't hesitate to use it on my allotment.

if you use roundup at the correct time, you only need a fine spray.....not to "run-off" as previously thought. the amount of chemical hitting the soil is so negligable that it's not worth thinking about. In areas of high ornamental planting, i will either carefully spot spray or paint the leaves with a paint brush....virtually zero spray gets on the ground.

I prefer to use my own experience and observations and would advise that it's completely safe to use where common sense is applied.

[Snadger]

Each to there own Andy. It appears your mind is made up. As is mine.

[zazen999]

Ive been using Roundup and other glyphosate products for over 20 years. Although i use mine on a decorative area, i wouldn't hesitate to use it on my allotment.

if you use roundup at the correct time, you only need a fine spray.....not to "run-off" as previously thought. the amount of chemical hitting the soil is so negligable that it's not worth thinking about. In areas of high ornamental planting, i will either carefully spot spray or paint the leaves with a paint brush....virtually zero spray gets on the ground.

I prefer to use my own experience and observations and would advise that it's completely safe to use where common sense is applied.

What about when you put the trimmings in the compost and it kills the plants that grow in the compost?

[Glutton4...]

Ive been using Roundup and other glyphosate products for over 20 years. Although i use mine on a decorative area, i wouldn't hesitate to use it on my allotment.

if you use roundup at the correct time, you only need a fine spray.....not to "run-off" as previously thought. the amount of chemical hitting the soil is so negligable that it's not worth thinking about. In areas of high ornamental planting, i will either carefully spot spray or paint the leaves with a paint brush....virtually zero spray gets on the ground.

I prefer to use my own experience and observations and would advise that it's completely safe to use where common sense is applied.

So, when the plant is dead, do you remove it? Burn it? Dig it in?

[andy_j]

Yeah got no problem with that Snadger. What i do have a problem with is an organisation called "mother earth nature" giving this advice over the proper authorities such as the RHS etc.

Of course "mother earth nature" just by the very sound of the name is going to condemn glyphosate as they would every other chemical and artificial plant food. As a profesional gardener for over 30 years, i tend to make up my mind on experiences and using a lot of judgement. To test if chemicals such as glyphosate is harmful to the environment and to us, i would've thought at least 10 years of comprehensive research would've been needed to get anywhere near a result

I have used roundup successfully on everything from decorative horticulture to clearing water lillies in overgrown and fully stocked fishing lakes

I do however, respect your descisions not to use it....of course we all strive to be totally organic. However, there are times when that pesky patch of bindweed or those nasty thistles just wont go away and that's when gylphosate can be a help

[Glutton4...]

No offence, Andy, but you have a great deal of reading to do.

[zazen999]

Yeah got no problem with that Snadger. What i do have a problem with is an organisation called "mother earth nature" giving this advice over the proper authorities such as the RHS etc.

Did you read any of it? I thought they had just collated other people's reports?

[andy_j]

What about when you put the trimmings in the compost and it kills the plants that grow in the compost?

What trimmings....the weed just dies to nothing. I can see where you're coming from......"surely the roundup is still residual within the dead plant!

But glyphosate is biodegraded when in contact with the soil. The weed dies and rots to nothing and the chemical is biodegraded.

Ok, i hear you say, why should you believe what the makers of Roundup claim ??? Well why shouldn't i ? they've gone through years of vigorous testing to get the product to a marketing stage....and believe me, it does take years of testing. If i had concrete proof from a proper horticultural body...such as the RHS or NT, then i'd think again. All the time "mother nature earth" are throwing this stuff at us, well, i'll happily carry on.

Just my humble (and profesional) opinion and would love to be corrected if the right advice was given by proper people.

[zazen999]

What trimmings....the weed just dies to nothing. I can see where you're coming from......"surely the roundup is still residual within the dead plant!

But glyphosate is biodegraded when in contact with the soil. The weed dies and rots to nothing and the chemical is biodegraded.

Ok, i hear you say, why should you believe what the makers of Roundup claim ??? Well why shouldn't i ? they've gone through years of vigorous testing to get the product to a marketing stage....and believe me, it does take years of testing. If i had concrete proof from a proper horticultural body...such as the RHS or NT, then i'd think again. All the time "mother nature earth" are throwing this stuff at us, well, i'll happily carry on.

Just my humble (and profesional) opinion and would love to be corrected if the right advice was given by proper people.

What do you mean proper people?

I can never fathom why people think that something that kills weeds [and after all a weed is just a plant in the wrong place] won't have effects on other plants [without the weed label] and other living creatures around it.

[andy_j]

What do you mean proper people?

I can never fathom why people think that something that kills weeds [and after all a weed is just a plant in the wrong place] won't have effects on other plants [without the weed label] and other living creatures around it.

Proper people = the correct authorative bodies who are set up to monitor these things.

As for your second part, i'll give you a classsic example if you'll bare with me.

2 years ago, in the garden where im head gardener, we had a bed that had a huge tree (Cercidiphyllum) that was taking up a large area and it shouldn't of been planted there. I took the descision to remove the tree and plant up the area with hot coloured herbaceous perennials.....monarda, rudbeckia, sanguisorba, heleniums, phlox, echinacea, geraniums and some eryngium. Unfortunately, the area was also plagued with a huge leaved weed which was taking over.

As a result, on a calm day, i decided to spot spray the weed using a small 1.5 litre pressure sprayer held close to the weed. The weed dies withing a month and the bed was an absolute revelation.

Not only did it look good but it was frequented by many species of butterfly, bee, hoverfly and other pollenating insects. of course, the ornamental plants all thrived.

[zazen999]

Proper people = the correct authorative bodies who are set up to monitor these things.

Who are the correct authoritative bodies who monitor these things? I'm honestly asking as I don't know if there are any...

[andy_j]

Who are the correct authoritative bodies who monitor these things? I'm honestly asking as I don't know if there are any...

I don't know but i know all chemicals are constantly reviewed and monitored. I'll try to find out for you next week.

[Glutton4...]

Uh-oh.

Here we go...

Tin 'At ready.

[andy_j]

Uh-oh.

Here we go...

Tin 'At ready.

Why should it be like that ? it's about opinions. Ive given my profesional opinion based on experiences and zazen etc haven given theirs....which i totally respect. until something concrete comes up, ill continue using glyphosate. I respect others descisions not to.