The Curse of the Persistent Weed

Homeowners have struggled with ridding themselves of the common weed for years. Many of us resort to the use of domestic pesticides, while others take the hard labour root and attempt to dig them out. I will admit that I have tried both methods and can honestly say I’m not sure which accomplishes the goal, because each year more of those pesky dandelions seem to emerge.

As a homeowner myself, I understand the urge to just grab that bottle of herbicide when you are confronted with a yard full of weeds. Take a look at my own scenario: my fiancé and I recently purchased a house in Summerside, PEI.  The house is wonderful, but the lawn and garden had been severely neglected for years. Weeds are taking over, especially in the front flower bed. I am faced with the task of getting rid of a very hardy weed called Field Horsetail. This weed spreads very quickly and is hard to eradicate because it has a root system that spreads beneath the ground and can go as deep as six feet underground. Last summer, I attempted to dig up sections of the garden and it looked like I had accomplished something, until this spring when I realized that I had actually achieved nothing, judging by the mass population of Field Horsetail now taking residence on my lawn. So what to do? Spray the whole garden with pesticides and kill everything? For me, that is not the solution I want.

The Problem with Pesticides

Over the years, research has found that women, and especially pregnant women, are more vulnerable to health effects from the exposure to pesticides. The Pesticide Literature Review Paper released by the Ontario College of Family Physicians on April 23, 2004, examines the results from various studies on pesticide exposure. Some of these studies targeted the harmful effects on pregnant women. Although many studies focused on the outcome, rather than the exposure time, the paper states that significant increases in risk were seen in a number of congenital anomalies including birth defects, limb reduction defects, urogenital defects, central nervous system defects, orofacial clefts, heart defects, and eye anomalies. One study in particular tracked families trying to conceive, month-by-month, and related fertility rates to pesticide exposure. Researchers  found a decrease in fertility of 20 % or more in women who were engaged in pesticide activities, specifically when exposed to the pesticide active ingredients dicamba, glyphosate, and 2,4-D, or the pesticide classes phenoxy herbicides, organophosphates, and thiocarbamates. The Pesticide Product Information Database available through the Health Canada lists various products and their active ingredients. Examples of some of these products are Roundup, containing glyphosate and Killex, containing dicamba. Check out the product list and see for yourself the many pesticides we use everyday around our homes.

Municipal/Provincial Pesticide Bylaws

Many of us worry about what repercussions the pesticides we use will have on the environment. It seems that the Prince Edward Island government does too. The government is proposing a ban on pesticides for use on lawns and gardens by the year 2010. This is not a new concept. Since 1991, the Town of Hudson, located west of Montreal, passed a bylaw that restricted the use of pesticides to specific locations and applications. Many other cities, including Toronto and Halifax, have adopted similar bylaws since then due to public concern and possible health risks.

While these bylaws are difficult to enforce, and really what we need are the retailers getting on board by not offering these products for sale in the first place, it is a step in the right direction.

Combating Weeds Naturally

Over the course of the summer, I have decided to dig out the perennials I want to keep and attempt to erase this survivor from the dinosaur age by continually digging it out of the garden, no matter how long it takes. Our lawn is another dilemma, which needs to be leveled and reseeded, and is covered in dandelions. Many home supply stores are now offering lawn care products with natural ingredients. I worry though that they are marketing gimmicks, but I would rather give them a try over the traditional products.

Beneficial uses of Weeds

Some of the plants that we consider to be weeds have beneficial uses. The common dandelion is a good example of that. The leaves are edible and good for digestion. When I was a child, my grandmother had me pick her dandelion leaves in the early spring so she could fry them in a pan with some pork scraps. Dandelion flowers can be used to make wine, and the roots can sometimes be used as a coffee substitute. Dandelions are also an important plant for bees, which we need to pollinate flowers. Not only is its flowering an indication that the honey bee season has started, the dandelion is also a source of nectar and pollen for the bee early in the season. Other examples of helpful weeds are the milkweed, used to repel wireworms, and the goldenrod, which attracts beneficial insects and contains rubber naturally, but is not produced from it.
I’m not saying I’m going to let the dandelions and other weeds take over my yard, but maybe it is time we took a step back and considered whether pesticide use is a necessity for our homes. We should not wait for the government to ban them, but take it upon ourselves to make the steps to reduce their uses. This is one homeowner who is going to at least try.

Photos courtesy of Nancy Thompson.

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