Now that The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided that
the pesticide chlorpyrifos (widely marketed as Dursban) no longer meets
safety standards, consumers must seek alternative products to kill insect pests.
At the time of the EPA’s announcement, chlorpyrifos was
the most widely used chemical pesticide in the United States
found in more than 800 consumer products ranging from ant
and roach sprays and wasp killers to lawn insecticides and
flea collars for dogs and cats. Yet the EPA’s ban on chlorpyrifos
didn’t come as a surprise to the millions of gardeners in the U.S.
who already use organic methods. These gardeners shun chemical
pesticides in favor of natural and less toxic alternatives
for controlling pests in their homes and gardens.
George Wagner of Mission Viejo, California, who at age63
already has nearly 50 years of gardening experience under
his belt, says he doesn’t buy any chemical insecticides or fertilizers.
I don’t want to expose myself to chemicals in the garden, he stated.
Concerned about the safety of pesticides, Wagner has been an organic
gardener for more than 15 years. Experience has taught him that
Mother Nature tends to take care of insect pests in a healthy organic garden.
But sometimes even Mother Nature and her
organic gardeners need a little extra help Wagner admits.
DURSBAN AND DDT
Dursban isn’t the first popular pesticide to be banned in the United States.
In 1972, the EPA banned DDT after receiving intense pressure from
environmentalists. Brought to public scrutiny by the publication of
Rachel Carson’s ground breaking book Silent Spring, the widely used
insecticide was linked to wildlife deaths and tumors in laboratory mice.
Even before the DDT ban, Joy Bell’s allergies and chemical
sensitivities had convinced her to use earth-friendly
solutions for her yard and garden in Clayton, New Mexico.
I prefer organic products because each one of us needs to do
what we can to preserve the environment, said Bell, now 77 years old.
With organics, I don’t feel like I’m bathing myself in
chemicals everytime I go out into the yard. It’s comfort to
me to know that I’m not exposing myself to that.
Plus, she reasons, if you’ve got beneficial insects
such as ladybugs and praying mantises working
for you in your garden, why kill them?
ORGANIC METHODS TAKE TIME
While advocates of organic pest controls maintain that
organic methods are very effective, they also point out
that organic pest control can often take more time to work
than powerful, broad-based chemical insecticides.
Chemical pesticides kill quickly and indiscriminately,
said Niles Kinerk, CEO of Gardens Alive! Natural methods
of insect control can be very effective, yet nature’s
system of pest control can take a little longer and
involves a little more effort than spraying a chemical
pesticide that kills everything in its wake. The natural
alternatives are worth the extra time and attention to
protect yourself, your family, your pets and your environment.
Kinerk also reminds gardeners that, until the introduction
of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers after
World War II, virtually all farming was done organically.
Organic methods have proved to be very effective for many,
many centuries, he said. In many cases, we’re
simply rediscovering and improving upon pest-controlmethods
that have been successfully practiced for hundreds years.
NATURAL INSECTICIDES
According to Kinerk, it’s best to examine your plants
regularly so you’ll notice when insect pests arrive.
If an insect infestation is severe and immediate action
is necessary, check with your local county
extension agent for the least invasive pest-control product.
Sally Cassell, 58, of Branford, Connecticut, also
points out that applying common sense to gardening can
also help reduce insect pests. Cassell, who says
she’s not on any bandwagon but thinks that organic
pest-control methods just make sense, had a problem
with insect pests on her stand of kale plants last year.
Her solution: separate the plants. She reasoned
that putting all of that tasty kale together
made it too easy for insects to find it. When she
spaced the plants throughout her garden, her insect
problems became much more manageable.
So much of gardening is getting in touch with the
natural cycles of plants and insects, said Kinerk.
The more observant and more knowledgeable gardeners
become, the more they find they don’t need to use
Dursban or any other chemicals in their gardens.
Article is fromCare2.com