5 Things You Should Know When
Using Pesticides in Your Garden
Maintaining a sprucing and luscious garden is no plain sailing. Even though most homeowners reckon that mowing the grass and trimming the hedges will do the trick, it takes much more than that. Using pesticides is one of the most effective ways to keep your backyard and garden immaculate. Using pesticides in your garden may not be that safe for the environment, however, they can help deter nasty pests, and make your garden bloom more efficiently if applied adequately. Hence, here are the top 5 things you should know when using pesticides in your garden.
1. Safety first
When handling pesticides, you have to put safety in the first place. Therefore, before you even start using pesticides, you must get acquainted with a few basic safety measures. Firstly, read the labels and get familiar with all safety precautions. Secondly, wear the right protective clothing or gear. This means that you should wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, non-absorbent rubber glowers, and rubber footwear. It would be even more eligible if you were to wear goggles or some dust mist filter as pesticides can easily enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, and skin or eye absorption. Once you have secured yourself, you can start mixing and applying pesticides.
2. Mix pesticides cautiously
To make sure everything would run smoothly, read the labels carefully. Before mixing and applying the pesticides in your garden, don’t smoke or eat as you could easily carry traces of it to your mouth. Never double the amount, but only mix the amount that you need at the time, as you won’t kill more pests if you stir more pesticides, but you might end up harming yourself. Keep children, toys, and all other commonly used amenities away from the mixing area, and whatever you do, never try to mix different products as many pesticides are flammable and you might create a hazardous chemical reaction. In the end, if you fail to adequately mix and apply pesticides, you could always call professional Pest control who would help you remove or exterminate all the nasty, tedious pests once and for all.
3. Secure the garden’s surrounding
As pesticides are generally some type of toxin, you need to make sure that they won't harm other surrounding things in your garden. Again, security and precautions are of utmost importance when using pesticides in the garden. Close all the doors and windows, and don't use pesticides on rainy or windy days as they may spread all around and harm people and animals. Cover fish ponds, barbecue, and vegetable garden before using the pesticide. Don't water the garden and plants after applying the pesticide, but rather observe the plants a few days after the application to see whether the pesticide isn't causing any unwanted harm. Furthermore, you must inform the neighbours that you are about to use pesticide so they could close their pests, or remove the beehives if they have some, for instance.
4. Applying outdoor pesticide
After you have dressed and covered yourself properly and read the labels meticulously, you can proceed to the next step. When you are about to apply the pesticide, the most important thing is to spray the pesticide as close to the target as possible. In this way, you won't harm other plants and flowers, and when you stay still and focused you would avoid drifting which will ensure good coverage. Don't spray too much, as an excessive application of pesticide could leave harmful residues and affect other plants and wildlife. Avoid applying pesticides on hot, rainy, and windy days as already mentioned. In the end, to ensure the overall safety and to get the desired results, you must read and follow all label directions for both the pesticide and application equipment.
5. Disposal and storage
After using pesticides in your garden, wash your hands. Then, to remove excess residues, use a bucket and thoroughly rinse all the tools and equipment used for mixing and application of pesticides. Wash the gloves, rinse your boots or shoes before entering your home. Throw any contaminated clothes into the washing machine and don't mix them with other laundry. In the end, store the leftover pesticide in its package and leave it somewhere out of children's reach. If you want to throw away the package, use a plastic bag, seal it, and dispose of it as directed on the pesticide product label
Whenever you are uncertain of how to handle pesticides, hire professionals to assist you. It's always better to be safe than sorry when working with hazardous matters.