Chooseday’s Choice! ~ Herbicides – yes or no?

Herbicides, such as those formulated with glyphosate, are non-selective. Non-selective herbicides kill ALL plant types, including grasses, perennials and woody plants not just weeds. Improper application or wind drift can kill non-targeted plants. Because it gets absorbed into the plant mainly through its leaves, and also through its soft stalk tissue, the entire plant will be affected. Glyphosate travels through the plant, affecting its metabolism and killing the entire plant slowly. Once sprayed, plants display stunted growth, loss of green coloration, leaf wrinkling or malformation and finally, tissue death.

You Choose!

Herbicides can contaminate the soil and pollute waterways, negatively affecting wildlife and the environment. Herbicides can affect plants that are important to wildlife survival. Killing weeds and vegetation on road verges removes seed producing plants important for many species, and destroys cover and travel corridors for wildlife. Bees, our most important food pollinators are in decline, so too are butterflies, birds and many insects and this is due directly to the over use of herbicides. It’s not just the wildlife that is affected by spraying herbicides it is also known to cause cancer, birth defects, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and more.

We need to start thinking about the damage we are causing by spraying herbicides along the verges and in our gardens. More and more of us need to start shouting to get our voices heard with the focus on the banning of harmful Glyphosate herbicides.  The Dutch parliament are banning the sale of Glyphosate herbicides to private persons from the end of 2015.  If the Dutch can do it well then why can’t we follow suit?

There’s nothing nicer than walking along a country road with the lush green foliage gently swaying in the breeze and  the scent of wild flowers wafting through the air. The photos above were taken on a 1km stretch of road in two different locations. Which would you prefer – the lovely green verges full of wildflowers or the dead and dreary verges?

Trimming  the verges to neaten them will encourage native wild flowers to grow and if spraying is necessary there are organic sprays available. Think before you spray – the bees will thank you for it!