Continued from “Can We Do Without Pesticides in the Garden?”, where we examined their effects on the environment. If you missed the earlier articles in this series, catch up here:
This pictogram tells the story: a dead tree beside a lifeless fish. Many phyto products—even those authorized for garden use (EAJ)—feature this warning. Labels often prohibit treatments within 5 meters of water points, basins, ponds, rivers, or ditches, particularly for common weedkillers.
Reminder: Ditches should never be chemically weeded!
Bees, beneficial insects, microorganisms, birds, and rodents bear the brunt of phyto products. It’s a myth that herbicides only target weeds.
Even “organic” options indirectly harm ecosystems.
As a seasoned gardener with decades of experience observing soil health, I’ve seen the toll of copper (like Bordeaux mixture). It decimates soil microorganisms—bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi—and earthworms. Copper doesn’t leach; yearly applications accumulate, acting as a powerful bactericide and fungicide.
Instructions like “authorized during flowering, without bees present” during exudate periods are nearly impossible to enforce. Pollinators roam widely, with no assurance they’ll avoid freshly treated blooms.
Chickadees thrive on caterpillars, but treatments—even organic Bacillus thuringiensis—empty their pantry, driving birds away or to starvation. Ladybugs suffer similarly.
Plant protection products don’t stay where sprayed. Heat vaporizes them, wind disperses droplets and vapors, and rain rinses residues—fueling widespread, indirect pollution.
Phyto products have a profound environmental impact. Must we ditch all treatments for hit-or-miss harvests? No extremes needed. Informed gardeners, aware of these effects from real-world practice, can shift habits for healthier gardens. Stay tuned for practical steps ahead.
To be continued…
