amicide

[treequip]

Fertiliser (high in nitrogen) and diesel makes explosive! Could be interesting.

 

Unfortunately it has a flame retardant in it now. The powers that be are determined to stop all our fun.:sad:

[Dave.G.]

I think you mean herbicide, not pesticide.

 

I'd recomend that you read 'Silent Spring' by Rachel Carson (from memory) published in about 1960. You might decide to get of your high horse with regard to whats approved or not, and the commendable, IMO use of salt as a stumpicide by members of this forum.

 

 

No I definitely meant pesticide.

Sorry if I appear to be on my high horse but from a legal point of view if we are found to be using pesticides off label then we are opening ourselves open to criticism or possibly prosecution.

[Albedo]

Appology accepted, I'll get off mine as well then. Gets me posting away like crazy when people make strong statements, stated as fact and often unreferenced, especially if they are poorly researched or debatable.

 

Why did you mean pesticide when the thread is about herbicides?

 

The book I quoted is about the damage done in the states by the use of legal pesticides and herbicides. Some of those subsequently banned in the states remained in use here for a long time, and possibly to this day. Lindane was one such case but don't know if still in use.

 

Salt is used on the roads in winter. If it works as a stumpicide my guess is that there won't be any legislation covering its use as its not a controlled substance. So hopefully nobody will be prosecuted.

 

Glyphosate/ Roundup does have one adverse effect which is to kill off mychorhyzall root fungi (Don't have references for this but am prepared to have a look and see what I can dig up). I have seen evidence of it as you can see it in the growth rings, ie less growth. So caution when applying to stumps, not to hit rootzones of other trees.

 

I also read somewhere that amcide is toxic to birds etc, as you stated. Surely this is an argument for using a relatively harmless substance such as salt, and not blindly following the rules.

 

p.s I did my thesis on organo phosphate pesticide residues in marine mammals (dolphins) found dead on the Portugese coast. So I've done some science on this using a gas chromatographer to find out levels of said residues.

 

One of the harmful effects is believed to be damage to the immune system. These (lipophilic) chemicals bioacumulate in the fat. Mothers use the fat to make milk for babies which in turn receive a concentrated dose (of pesticide residue). We are also mammals and thats one of the reasons why there is cautious gov't advice not to eat too much fatty fish when pregnant. Cautious advice, in order to protect the fishing industry

 

The dolphin story told here, to make the point that all that is legal is not necessarily good. So I posted to encourage the use of a less harmfull substance.

Edited November 15, 2008 by Albedo

[Will Hinchliffe]

 

Glyphosate/ Roundup does have one adverse effect which is to kill off mychorhyzall root fungi (Don't have references for this but am prepared to have a look and see what I can dig up).

 

I would be really interested in knowing more about this. I dont want to go around killing fungi.

[Paul Smith]

Glyphosate

 

Just got 25Lt Free!

Edited November 15, 2008 by Paul Smith

[Albedo]

I would be really interested in knowing more about this. I dont want to go around killing fungi.

 

Hi Phenom, I've seen you in the fungus threads, in tree health care so I know you have an interest. I'll have a trawl around and see what I can come up with re - mychoryzae / glyphosate.

 

I did read something the other day on relationships between trees and fungae. As always in science, it was questioning everything that we currently believe to be true.

 

The reference is Dr Elaine Ingham. She's an american authority on composting and soil science. If you google her name you'll get a site called something like 'soil food web' or something like that. You can trawl around and find all sorts of interesting articles for free, although she is a commercial business as well.

 

I have her CD's about thermophilic bacteria in composting. When you add a nitrogen source like manure to a compost pile, they feed of the nitrogen and produce the heat through respiration and other bits of their lifecycles. they are also the culprits in our chip piles. wood is high in carbon and green stuff high in nitrogen, so the green bits help to kick off the compost process.

 

anyway I digress.

[Gordon]

Yeah Stantons still sell it - but only as 'compost accelerator'. Not really much good when filling in the ol' COSHH assessment. In fact its a bit naughty cos its in un marked bags with no MSDS or chip info on it.

 

Have you had any problems with salt leaching and killing everything around it? Had considered it as an alternative but gone for Timbrel instead - yet to see its efficacity.

[David oakman]

Forgive me if this has been said but for glyphosate mix it up in a large jar and when you fell your tree or elder paint it on with a paint brush to the fresh cut, no more regrowth and no spraying everywhere. As i work for a large estate i would not use amcide anymore i have to keep tight records of everything i use amouts ect and the HSE checks the store:001_smile:

[Pro Gard]

Roundup 450 Biactive to the dilution on the label for cut stump treatment, or timbrel and red derv.

[Pro Gard]

If roundup was of the hazard implied the use as a cut stump treatment would not be approved on the label.