Herbicides.

[Trailoftears]

All that being said, I've come to terms with my extra leg now-I fondly call him Sid....

[Trailoftears]

The issues I see with the 'modern' technique of membrane+gravel ornamental stone-or indeed membrane+bark is

1.the stone is generally dredged out from somewhere-estuaries? so filthy and being organic/silty will grow weeds with gusto,and so presumably not hugely environmentally friendly either.As to membrane-when I've been asked to remove it from areas over the Years-when stripped off,the soil beneath is in a truly,truly shocking dead state.The worm population is zero-no opportunity to cast?The soil surface beneath is shiny,polished and undulating,tbh it resembles some sort of lunar land deadscape.

[scbk]

What part of the world are you in trailoftears?

 

Up here in the Highlands we have all modern conveniences - the local quarries sell washed stone!

[Peasgood]

I have used all the chemicals mentioned so far and worse over the years. I guess Cymag was the worst, produced cyanide gas and put down rabbit holes.

In the past I have assumed they were safe as we were told they were, I now question it a lot more but there are plenty of instances where there is no viable organic methods applicable on a commercial scale. Have to say I actively choose any chemicals that are kindest to natural predators and that pays dividends.

Yet to be convinced glyphosate is a baddy and wonder what on earth will happen when that gets banned as it surely will.

[Peter 1955]

1 hour ago, Peasgood said:

I have used all the chemicals mentioned so far and worse over the years. I guess Cymag was the worst, produced cyanide gas and put down rabbit holes.

In the past I have assumed they were safe as we were told they were, I now question it a lot more but there are plenty of instances where there is no viable organic methods applicable on a commercial scale. Have to say I actively choose any chemicals that are kindest to natural predators and that pays dividends.

Yet to be convinced glyphosate is a baddy and wonder what on earth will happen when that gets banned as it surely will.

I always regarded Glyphosate as one of, if not the safest chemical. Cymag per se ( or the gas it produces ) is dangerous, but not persistent, not like the only one I haven't used, Strychnine. The ones which worry me most would be the Organophosphates, basically nerve agents. 

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Peasgood said:

I guess Cymag was the worst, produced cyanide gas and put down rabbit holes.

I always developed a headache on days I used it, from the anxiety I suppose. Can't say it was humane way of killing but a lot better than phostoxin.

 

I didn't like strychnine much, watching the worms squirm and die as you dipped them in it before sticking them in a mole run.

 

However these are simple, albeit highly reactive, chemicals that were fairly soon neutralised in the environment.

 

Now I mustn't confuse cause and effect but the rise of glyphosate and  auxin mimicking complex organic molecules seems to match the decline in insect populations.

 

Look at the time it took to show DDT in our fat or dieldrin as a cause for loss of raptors.

[Grassyass]

The biggest thing to remember is look after yourself,I am just recovering from bladder cancer that the specialist said was due to the exposure to chemicals, I thought I was just unlucky to get it at 45 but after speaking to an old coworker who had the same thing told me 8 other guys at the council had the same cancer , ?..? The amount of farmer friends of mine who suffer from Parkinson’s is unbelievable,if I had my time again I would let the weeds grow six foot high.🤣

[Peasgood]

I put a lot of the decline of insects down to a correlation with the decline of livestock, particularly cows, in the fields.

Could also be down to the removal of many of the organophosphate and neonicotinoid insecticides resulting in extra reliance on more broad spectrum chemicals like pyrethroids. Dursban worked well on the target pests and didn't seem to harm the beneficial insects too much, same goes for Aphox which is an organophosphate aimed specifically at aphids. Calypso was a neonicotinoid that they claimed could be sprayed when apples were in blossom as it was harmless to bees ( I never did). The alternatives left are pyrethroids that will wipe out everything, good or bad. I don't use them as they do more harm than good in an orchard.

 

As for cancer, I am hoping they will tell me this coming Monday that my throat cancer has been controlled by the chemo and radiotherapy I went through earlier this year. 

My cousin worked with me all my working life, both of us exposed to all the chemicals mentioned and both of us diagnosed with the same cancer at pretty much the same time.Was that down to chemicals, drink or smoking? Who knows.

One of my tests apparently had markers for HPV so it is just as likely due to excessive muff diving which I prefer to pin it on.

Given my time over I'd do most of it all again, probably more recreational drugs as I never really bothered with them (too pissed).

[Peasgood]

I put a lot of the decline of insects down to a correlation with the decline of livestock, particularly cows, in the fields.

Could also be down to the removal of many of the organophosphate and neonicotinoid insecticides resulting in extra reliance on more broad spectrum chemicals like pyrethroids. Dursban worked well on the target pests and didn't seem to harm the beneficial insects too much, same goes for Aphox which is an organophosphate aimed specifically at aphids. Calypso was a neonicotinoid that they claimed could be sprayed when apples were in blossom as it was harmless to bees ( I never did). The alternatives left are pyrethroids that will wipe out everything, good or bad. I don't use them as they do more harm than good in an orchard.

 

As for cancer, I am hoping they will tell me this coming Monday that my throat cancer has been controlled by the chemo and radiotherapy I went through earlier this year. 

My cousin worked with me all my working life, both of us exposed to all the chemicals mentioned and both of us diagnosed with the same cancer at pretty much the same time.Was that down to chemicals, drink or smoking? Who knows.

One of my tests apparently had markers for HPV so it is just as likely due to excessive muff diving which I prefer to pin it on.

Given my time over I'd do most of it all again, probably more recreational drugs as I never really bothered with them (too pissed).

 

There is a chap called Ed Straw on twitter that posts a lot of research into the effect of glyphosate on bees, he claims it is harmless to them but the surfactants/wetters used alongside the glyphosate are the harmful element. Worth a squint if you are interested

[Grassyass]

😂 good luck, I will check him out 👍