Safer ? For what ? For whom ?

[bobm]

Whether you use an organic gardening product or a synthetic chemical one, you are always using a chemical. The point is some organic products that one finds on nursery shelves are safer to use and easier on the environment than some synthetic products, and vice versa. Some synthetic chemicals found on nursery shelves are more in keeping with sustainability or safer for the environment than their organic counterparts where the labels state " For Organic Gardening" . Case in point ... the organic products with Copper Sulfate are the most environmentally dangerous / hazardous product being sold in stores, while the synthetic Glyphosate ( Roundup ) is among the safest. For your reading pleasure to see for yourself ... Google : "Environmental Impact Quotient" ( EIQ ) Cornell University, 1992.

 

[Smart Red]

Whether you use an organic gardening product or a synthetic chemical one, you are always using a chemical. , , , , , Case in point ... the organic products with Copper Sulfate are the most environmentally dangerous / hazardous product being sold in stores, while the synthetic Glyphosate ( Roundup ) is among the safest.

Again I want to add this caveat about "Round Up". The original "Round Up" was all and only Glyphosate. As such, it is not the worst thing on the block where chemicals are concerned. However, the current varieties of "Round Up" have many other added chemicals. I don't know how safe or desirable these additions are. They are being added because many consumers expect instant results from their weed killers and Glyphosate can take several weeks for the effects of a spraying to show. Check to see what type of "Round Up" you are getting. If it promises results in half an hour, half a day, or a few days, it isn't the Glyphosate that's doing the killing.

I consider myself pretty durned close to organic and I seldom use anything on my veggies, but I do use Glyphosate from time to time -- Just the pure stuff -- usually with an artist's brush on individual weeds in the flower beds or with a sprayer against the garlic/mustard in and around the woods.

 

[baymule]

I am against glyphosate. Not on my food-at least what I grow myself. I try to minimize what I buy, but........sigh...... If you are not bothered by it, then by all means use it as you see fit. I don't use the copper sulfate either. The "organic" rules have been adjusted for big ag. No thanks.

 

[seedcorn]

I will spare the newbies my "organic" rants and their selective chemicals.

Red, u r correct. Original Round-up was pure and $120/gallon. You needed to add your own pH and safeners. People were using too much round-up. First, we added AMS or citric acid to lower pH to allow it to work. Then we added a soap to cut the weed's wax to make it more effective-thus use less. Then additives to stop drift. Now it's advertised as quick and effective on dandelions. Plus has residual. I suspect they've blended in 2-4D or a dicamba product into it for the home owner. Dandelions laugh in the face of glysophates.

Don't ask about generic glysophates and the stuff in them. Monsanto's is a much safer product.