Lesson 4: A Labor Of Love
Chemical Safety
The usage of any garden herbicide or pesticide, chemical or organic, requires taking precautions. Emergency rooms deal with the end result of the casual handling of these products. Burnt eyes or skin, nausea, vomiting and rashes are common. Take a few moments to read the product's safety and handling instructions. Make certain you understand what the product is used for. It is very important to apply these controls at the recommended rate. Exceeding them can create great damage to your plants.
Any solutions you prepare should be used the same day, and the remaining solution discarded according to the directions. The container should be thoroughly washed in hot soapy water and dried before storing. Make sure you store these products in a safe place. Check the ideal temperature range for a particular product before storing it.
Never spray on windy days. The danger of getting backspray on your skin is extremely high. Plus, wind drift makes it next to impossible to confine the application to the intended plant. Insecticides and soaps should not be applied in hot summer temperatures. I just had to tell a reader her 50 year old sequoia died as a result of doing just this. It will burn the plants and destroy tissues.
If you get a product on your skin or in your eyes, go immediately into the shower and thoroughly wash your hair and skin. Flush your eyes out under the running shower with plenty of water. Don’t rub your eyes. If the burning or pain continues, seek medical help immediately. Hair, being porous, can absorb a surprising amount of chemical residues. Thoroughly washing your hair and scalp will minimize this effectively. This is why many gardeners wear hats.
If you have pets or small children try to use organic solutions as much as possible. Read the labels to make sure they say "safe around children and pets." Granular baits can be surprisingly tempting to a child or small pet. Don’t use them. It is simply not worth the risk. There are gel type snail and slug baits that are much less dangerous and highly effective.
Understanding how to safely use and store chemical controls will help you have a much healthier garden.
