ARE HOME-MADE “PESTICIDES” LEGAL?

Turn foods into helpers in the garden? The operation was successful, the patient died! Thus, we can describe many times the results of such doing.

Mixing food and to hygiene dedicated productics to help in the garden is becoming a national sport. This is probbanly more or less the case in many parts of the world.

Even such rudiments as salting the soil are becoming popular experimental practices. Soil salinization causes the plants to become thirsty at most, because after consuming the brine from the soil, they become increasingly thirsty, draw more and more of it, and therefore become fatter. Salt water disrupts the osmotic balance, and with it the ability to feed cells and the ability to excrete cellular metabolites. But, people are quickly impressed by the first results and there is a flood of all kinds of advice on social networks.
First of all, I want to raise the question of what is the real reason why plants are attacked by pests and plant diseases. Any problem can only be solved by eliminating its real causes. Then the symptoms themselves gradually disappear. Anyone who has carefully observed the natural order in the garden has probably already seen that plant diseases and plant pests do not attack all plants at once. This is true, those plants that have a sufficiently strong own vitality, consequently have a sufficiently strong own resistance to plant diseases and plant pests. Such plants will not be attacked, eaten, sucked or destroyed by plant diseases and plant diseases. Because according to the natural order, the task of pests and diseases is to destroy, kill what is weak and sick among the plants. So, it does not make sense to attack plant pests, to try to kill them in every way, because this does not save our plants in the long term.

Anyone who thinks that everything that is natural is safe for consumption is seriously mistaken. Natural plant extracts also contain active substances for which chemical formulas can be written. They are nevertheless significantly different from those that are made artificially in factories. Living matter radiates biophotons, i.e. natural life energy in the form of very small energy packets. Factory-produced chemicals are dead, without life energy, because they do not have these life qualities, they do not emit biophotons.

When we mix different substances together, their mixtures or some new substance with different properties are formed. It can be e.g. toxic, harmful to soil, microorganisms, plants or possibly even humans.

Everything that is written on Facebook and other social networks is not true. Even some of these instructions from an agricultural consultant are such that he should at least blush with shame for spreading them.

So, to summarize: Not everything can be put into the molds of legislation. Human legislation is infinitely too narrow, too shallow, too low for the Natural Order.
It is also true that even in the field of preparations for controlling plant diseases and pests, we recognize the fear of the profession leaving out something essential. He must have safe food and the health of ecosystems in front of his eyes. The energy balance of ecosystems should also be kept in mind, as the health of ecosystems and related biodiversity depend on this. But, in my opinion, this is part of the new story, the old story is conceived differently.
Both extremes – too little and too strict legislation are pointless and can quickly become absurd.

It is good that more information gets to the lay public as well. With good intentions. This contributes to general awareness, and to greater order, many watchful eyes can also notice possible absurd extremes in the application of legislation in the field of plant protection. Legislation Authors should be properly warned about possible such things.

“Pests of all shapes and sizes have vexed humanity since our earliest days. From disease-carrying mosquitos, to weeds and insects that reduce crop yields, to disease in well-manicured rose gardens, pests often require some level of management. UF/IFAS recommends an integrated pest management (IPM) plan that seeks to utilize all available management tools to effectively mitigate pest problems.

slika uzi - ARE HOME-MADE "PESTICIDES" LEGAL?

Figure 1. Pests (aphids) feeding on citrus tree. Credit: Brett Bultemeier, UF/IFAS

One of the tools in the IPM toolbox is pesticides. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2018) defines a pesticide as:

Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest
Any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant
Any nitrogen stabilizer

Though pesticides are thoroughly tested and pose little risk to the applicator or environment when used according to the label, many individuals are not comfortable with chemical pest management options. There are gardening newsletters or social media posts that discuss “do-it-yourself” pesticide mixes that can be made using common household ingredients. This can be viewed as a great alternative to conventional pesticides, but before using the homemade mixes, we need to address some fundamental questions:

Are these homemade pesticides legal to use?

and

If so, can I request my lawn contractor to use these mixtures?

pesticides photo 1 - ARE HOME-MADE "PESTICIDES" LEGAL?

Figure 2. Example of ingredients often listed for “homemade” pesticides.
Credit: Brett Bultemeier, UF/IFAS

Are homemade mixtures “pesticides”?

According to the definition above, if a substance is meant to kill, repel, or reduce the impact of a “pest,” be it a weed, bug, or animal, it is a pesticide. Furthermore, many home remedies will label themselves as “organic” or “natural.” Although these mixes might be “organic,” like vinegar and salt mixes, they are still classified as pesticides if they are used to manage a pest. In short, if you are making and using a substance with the intent of reducing a pest population, you are using a pesticide.