Reading those labels

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Terry Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a) Apr 05, 2002

Do you read the labels on fertilizer or pesticide (insecticide, herbicide, miticide, etc.) before you buy? If so, this thread isn't for you - like the game Monopoly, proceed to "Go" and collect your $200 ;0)

To be honest, I know I have not always paid attention to labels. For starters, the lettering is often tiny, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be. And secondly, reading all those scary-sounding chemical names makes plant names look easy.

But recently I learned that determining the percentage of active ingredients is very important for a number of reasons - financial as well as safety.

Good words to live by: "All RoundUp is not created equal." If you just glance at the front of the bottle, and pick up the cheapest one, you may be getting far less than you bargained for. Same holds true for other products, whether liquid, powder, granule, etc.

Just a tip I thought I'd pass along, because it sure opened my eyes when I was shown the huge variations in products sitting next to each other on the store shelf.

And this holds true for organic products as well - understanding what they contain, and how much to use (and how/when to use them) are very important, and can be the difference in success and failure in our gardening.

If you're not sure what the active level should be, or how to compare products? Try your county extension agency - they usually have lots of good pamphlets, brochures, handouts (some of them are online now, too) that will help you understand how to accurately compare products.

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Legit Porterfield, WI(Zone 4b) Apr 07, 2002

I am always breaking new beds out of lawn, horse pasture or something, and I can second that one when it comes to Roundup! I wasted time and money on a "Generic" Roundup, and was very dissappointed when the grass began to return. I will gladly pay the price and know I am getting what I expect. L

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gardengal se qld, Australia Apr 08, 2002

..... and the 'ready to use' products in a spray pack? They're reeeeallly poor value-for-money. That bottle of concentrate next to it on the shelf that costs a couple of dollars more will make up a zillion bottles of the made up stuff.

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