Sammy the Slug
When your little brother pulls your hair, he’s being a pest or when your older sister “borrows” your favorite sweater without asking, she’s being a pest, right?
Well, first we have to find out:
1) What is the definition of a pest?
I met with OSU Master Gardner Diane Cooper to find out the answer to that question and a few others.
OSU Master Gardner
A pest is an injurious or unwanted animal or plant – so YES, it can be your little brother or your older sister but it can also be a weed out in your garden.
So, if you have a pest out in your garden, should you use a pesticide to get rid of it?
First we need to find out:
2) What is a pesticide?
It’s anything with an EPA Class IV definition. This would even include Lysol. And the EPA is considering labeling foods like vinegar and citrus oils as pesticides too.
3) If I use pesticides to get rid of the pest (brother and sister excluded), what can I do differently?
Use ready to spray bottles rather than concentrates because if we buy concentrates and don’t use all the chemicals in one year, they might sit around for too long and start to leak, plus they are so strong that some can be very toxic. And always maintain the original packaging so that you have the correct directions.
And read the labels. There are four classifications of pesticides and each has a scientific definition:
a) Caution
b) Danger
c) Warning
d) Extreme Caution
Make sure you know what you need.
And just in case, keep the Poison Control number handy: (888) 222-1222. They have trained nurses on hand to help.
4) How can I avoid using pesticides?
Be creative. Buy disease resistant plants. Make smart purchases and take care of minor problems before they grow into big ones (i.e. remedy poor drainage).
And just like people, plants don’t like to be overcrowded. Give them a little space.
5) How could one improve the quality of life in their garden without it costing an arm and a leg?
Stop buying pesticides/herbicides. You’ll save money. Instead, use alternative options like laying down black plastic over weeds. And have some patience. Organic gardening doesn’t give instant gratification. It’s a process.
6) What are some simple steps to improve one’s garden?
a) Take care of soil – compost and mulch
b) Choose plants wisely – go native (the plants will do better)
c) Use steer manure
If you have more questions, leave them in the comments section or contact your local extension service to get a hold of your local Master Gardner.
It boggles the mind to think that people still use toxic pesticides in their gardens, particularly on their edibles. Organic gardening is so easy and I still get great yields on my tomatoes, basil, etc.
The problem is that in the last 50 years people have been ingrained to expect immediate results for everything. Organic gardening and the processes take time, and you have to think long term – “conventional” gardeners have to realize this before giving up their quick-fix chemicals.
It’s so true Chris. We live in an instant gratification society, which can be good – or at least gratifying. But it can be bad too. I’m hoping people will see alternatives to fast fixes that aren’t so good – in the long run. It’s like fixing a hole in the wall with toothpaste, it fills the hole-for a minute-but you should really take the time to mix up plaster to do the job right.
Hi, Kim!
Interesting article. I am fighting some unknown pest with my lone peach tree. I don’t know who the culprit is, but it’s destroyed my entire crop of peaches this year.
Back to the Internet for more research!
Jean
I always worry about pesticides! Thanks for the article.
Is that O as in The Ohio State University? Go, Bucks.
OSU Oregon State University Go Beavers
Great article! I especially like the point about making informed plant choices to go more green.
Ducks are a great alternative to SlugDeath, or whatever that stuff is called. Ducks LOVE slugs. And of course, it’s rumored slugs love beer enough to drown themselves in it. And ducks seem to enjoy the marinated slugs. Is this how Oregon Duck fans got started drinking beer?
A slow process, to be sure, but totally worth it! Gardeners should not expect instant gratification anyway;)
Thank you for all of the great information! And, I love the sibling/pest reference in the post, too!