Garden Care Chemical Products
Garden Care Chemical is a term to describe a group of chemical products that control the pest organisms that are a problem in the garden and in and around the home. These products control weeds, moss , insects, fungal diseases, rats, ants and slugs.
The chemicals used in the products are either synthetic chemicals approved for the amateur user or naturally occurring chemicals like acetic acid that can be used in ‘organic’ gardening.
These chemical products are specifically formulated for the amateur user as lower strength formulations that can be applied without any protective clothing.
Products are either Ready to Use (RTU) or concentrates requiring dilution.
RTU products, as the name implies are ready for immediate use and can be used several times until finished. There is no waste or need for disposal and the products are usually either powders (ants), pellets (slugs, rats, mice), trigger spray guns (weeds, fungi, insects) or impregnated fertiliser granules (lawn). In recent years the RTU formulation has dominated the amateur market because of its ease of use and the generally small size of gardens in UK.
Concentrate products are more cost effective for larger areas and are generally available as either weedkillers, insecticides or fungicides. Again concentrates are specially formulated for the amateur user as usually water based low strength formulations.
All these products have been tested for many years to make sure they work and are highly regulated by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD). Used according to the label instructions , Garden Care Chemicals are safe to the user and the environment.
Product labels indicate any potential risks that need to be avoided for example application near a garden pond.
Garden Care Chemicals used according to the label are designed for sustainable use in the garden and will not cause any significant adverse effects to the wildlife in the garden. Gardens are a natural space but gardens are not completely natural. They contain plants from all over the world and need to be managed. Leave a garden untended and it will disappear. Garden Care Chemicals are one tool amongst many to help you manage your garden.
With sensible use these products enable a garden to support more plants in a healthier condition –more nectar, fruit,and berries. A well managed garden will have more biodiversity than a garden left to go wild.
Some useful terms to understand:
Systemic means the chemical can either move through the plant from the roots to the foliage or within the plant when applied to the leaf. Systemic weedkillers are good at killing underground roots of perennial weeds. Systemic insecticides can kill insects hidden from contact with the spray.
Contact means that the chemical does not move but stays where it is sprayed. Contact products need to be carefully sprayed to get good cover of the target weed or insect infested plant.
Harvest interval is the time between spraying and picking an edible plant. Where a product is approved for use on edible plants the label will give a harvest interval if it is required.
For more information
WEED CONTROL
SLUG PELLETS