Garden Column for the Salisbury Post

Darrell Blackwelder

April 6, 2006

   A lady brought me an article from the paper last week about using borax to control weeds. I was amazed that the person in the article used household cleaning products to control weeds. Unfortunately, people think just because they use cleaning and other household products everyday, that they must be safe and for some reason a good pest control agent. Borax detergent not a recommended way to control weeds; it is a cleaning agent, not a herbicide.

    Environmental and health concerns have many gardeners resorting to homemade pest controls as an alternative to chemical pest controls.  Often, home gardeners confuse the use of household items and remedies as a safe and inexpensive method to control insect pests, diseases and repellants and fertilizers.  Homemade pesticides other concoctions made from household products such as mouthwash, ammonia, medicines, alcohol and detergents are often dangerous to both man and the environment.

    Use of homemade remedies for pest controls is untested based on little or no scientific evidence.  Most of the homemade potions are actually more dangerous than the pesticides. For example, chewing tobacco is often recommended for insect control. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is a lethal pesticide, which is more dangerous than pesticides you buy at the store. Homemade concoctions kill many insects both good and bad. Killing good insects is not healthy for the environment.

     Those with pecan trees often call to ask me how much Red Devil lye to put around pecan tree. Years ago some one buried cans of lye in the ground around the tree to help the tree produce more pecans. Lye is not a nutrient necessary for pecan production.

     Often, home garden remedies are mixed in bottles and cans used for food. This is a very dangerous and illegal practice especially with presence of small children. Accidental poisoning is a leading killer of small children.

     After World War II, development of pesticides provided both home gardeners and commercial producers with viable methods of controlling pests. Pesticides go through years of testing before released to the general public.  Manufacturers spend millions of dollars closely monitoring both hazards to both man and environment. Homemade remedies using soaps, cleaning supplies, medicines, etc. have no place in garden or around the house. These agents easily pollute and are a danger to our environment.

Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. For archived garden columns or other information, visit the Rowan County Master Gardener web site at www.rowanmastergardener.com , e-mail Darrell_Blackwelder@ncsu.edu