Getting Ready for Spring

Getting Ready for Spring. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

Now that there is more daylight and the weather will hopefully begin to turn warmer, homeowners are ready to do some work in the yard and garden. If pesticides are part of the plan, they need to be used safely and properly. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has some good advice to homeowners when it comes to using pesticide products.

BABBITT:  Pesticides, as we know, are very valuable tools. They are very powerful tools. Anything that powerful makes it incumbent upon the user to exercise some responsibility whether they are licensed or not- whether anybody is looking or not.

Michael Babbitt is a pesticide investigator with ODA. He says the most important advice when it comes to pesticide products is contained in three words- read the label.

BABBITT:  Read it before you buy the product or while you are researching it, read it at the store to make sure that what you are buying is what you read about in your research, then read the product before you mix it and before you apply it. Then it's good to go back and read it again next time you apply it maybe some weeks later and not assume that you remember everything.

Babbitt says people should always do some homework even before purchasing a pesticide product. Identifying the pest problem and researching the best ways to treat it is a good first step. Also making sure to buy only the amount needed will help avoid storage and disposal problems down the road. Babbitt says homeowners need to use extra caution when using pesticide products and make sure to read the label.

BABBITT: Neighborhood areas are full of a lot of people, a lot of children, pets, a lot of potential sensitive sites and people need to keep these in mind- make good determination that the pesticide really is necessary and that they get the proper one and use it properly.

Babbitt says following label directions closely will maximize the pesticide's effectiveness and ensure its safe use.

BABBITT: If you use more than what's called for or use it someplace where it's not intended or the wrong time of year, it may well be that all bets are off, you are on your own, no guarantees of effectiveness or safety.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.