Make a decision about whether or not you will use pesticides in the garden. There is no doubt that in dealing with neglected garden chemicals make things much easier and faster. It may be that, even if you intend to maintain the garden on an organic basis later you are prepared to use minimal amounts of chemicals during rejuvenation, so that you can cope organically later. Some would say this is a cop-out. Others would call it a reasonable compromise and a proper use of science.
“Pesticide” has become a dirty word today. It is a legislator’s convenience word, used to include all garden chemicals selective and non-selective herbicides, insecticides, molluscicides, and fungicides. It is probably fair to say that the least generally harmful to these chemicals are the modern, safety-approved, non-selective herbicides available on the market. The most useful in cleaning up a garden, and least problematic of these, is glyphosate.
In garden restoration, there is rarely a cause to spray large areas because you are always working in and among plants that must not be sprayed. In almost all cases, what is required is spot treatment in putting the chemical in small amounts only on the intended plants. This is as it should be—a well-considered, minimal use of the least harmful to chemicals.
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