University of Wisconsin - Extension

When insect pests, plant diseases and weeds threaten gardens and lawns, many home gardeners fight back with pesticides. But often, homeowners don't take the precautions they should when working around what are really some very dangerous poisons, according to Karen Delahaut, UW-Extension integrated pest management specialist.

"People have a responsibility to prevent damage or injury to themselves, to others, to non-target plants and animals, to property and to the environment when they use pesticides,"

Delahaut said, adding that homeowners should consider other ways to manage pests before they resort to pesticides.

"I encourage people to develop an integrated pest management (IPM) program for their homes, just as we encourage farmers to use IPM principles on their farms," Delahaut said.

IPM is a pest management strategy that uses all available options to provide plants with a healthy environment. These options include keeping plants healthy by fertilizing and watering them adequately; making the proper selection of plants for the site; and raking up and disposing of diseased plants and plant parts. Other options are creating a barrier between the pest and the plants and introducing beneficial insects to control the unwanted ones.

"Unlike organic methods, IPM does include the use of pesticides, but only as the last line of defense," Delahaut said.

Commonly used lawn and garden pesticides include Sevin, Orthene, Malathion and Diazinon. These are potent nerve poisons for insects and humans. The most frequently used herbicides are Roundup and Trimec. Neither is as toxic as the insect killers, but there are concerns that long-term exposure may affect immune or endocrine systems.

Sometimes people don't even know that the product they are using is a pesticide, Delahaut added.

"People may not realize that "weed and feed" products for their lawns contain pesticides as well as fertilizer," she said. "And people may assume that Rotenone is not dangerous because it is an organic pesticide. But in reality, Rotenone is many times more toxic to humans that Sevin."

If people do decide they need to use a pesticide to control lawn or garden pests, Delahaut urges them to follow basic safety guidelines for handling, storing and disposing of toxic chemicals.

• Know what you're using. Make a positive identification of the pest you want to control. Read the label carefully and make sure that the pesticide you use is effective against that pest

• Know how and when use it. Don't spray or dust with pesticides if the wind is blowing strongly enough to move the leaves.

• Don't spray if rain is expected or when the temperature is higher that what is specified on the label. It's usually best to spray in the early morning or evening when the wind is more likely to be calm.

• Make sure you know how long you must wait before eating vegetables or fruits that have been sprayed.

• Wear protective clothing. Long pants, long sleeves, and closed shoes will keep pesticides off your skin. You may want to use a breathing mask as well.

• Store leftover chemicals safely. Keep them out of the reach of children and pets. Don't let them freeze. And never store them in anything other than their original container.

• Dispose of unwanted pesticides properly. Never dump pesticides into a sewer or on the ground and don't throw them out with ordinary trash. Pesticides should be taken to a "Clean Sweep location" for proper disposal.

University of Wisconsin-Extension specialists have developed a series of informational brochures about using pesticides around the home. Called "Home Pest," these brochures are available by contacting your county UW-Extension office.