Eurostat: Cyprus has highest increase in pesticide sales in EU

[Paphos Life]

Cyprus increased its total sales of pesticides by 101 per cent between 2011 and 2019, by far the highest increase in the EU, the latest Eurostat figures show....

Read the article and chat about it below...

[Anarita John]

When I am out on my bike, I frequently see farmers spraying their fields. Even ploughed fields sprayed with powerful chemicals. Tractor drivers rarely have masks on to protect them from the chemicals and tractors have no cab or roll bars, like in the UK, to protect the driver in case of tractor turning over.
Another thing which is common is the killing of the green foliage on potatoes before harvest. Field of potatoes can have healthy green tops and then two days later, the tops are withered and dying, making it easier for the crop to be harvested. Also, when the tops have died, the potatoes keep for longer.

[trevnhil]

Is there a difference between Weed / plant killer and Pesticides. ???????
To me Weed killer kills unwanted Green Foliage..
But Is Pesticide not a different spray that only kills unwanted insects, admittedly good and bad ones.

[Dominic]

We can't use weedkiller any more, because of the kittens. I am getting plenty of exercise doing weeding now.

[Devil]

We can't use weedkiller any more, because of the kittens. I am getting plenty of exercise doing weeding now.

You should be able to use sodium chlorate in moderation: it converts to sodium chloride (common salt) in about three days or after exposure to any herbaceous plant. You can buy it at most places that sell garden killers but you have to ask for it because it's a lot cheaper than the commercial ones. You have to dilute it, say, 25 g/L in cold or tepid water. Warning: after treatment the weeds become highly flammable until they are wetted again or a few days have elapsed. Second warning: this weedkiller is general and not selective, so keep it off wanted plants.

If your kittens like the stuff, then fence off the area being treated. Technically sodium chlorate is not toxic, in that the residues are common salt but I would never feed an animal with it in its raw state or diluted; just fence it off for a few days. It will oxidise many organic materials in a few days. Some manufacturers add a green dye as a flame retardant. Do not store it with other flammable organic materials.

[Uncle D]

We are trying a home made animal friendly weed killer
1 litre of white vinegar, add 2 table spoons of salt when diluted add 2 tablespoons of fairy liquid.
Put in a spray bottle.
We used it last weekend as a test, and it works

[Dominic]

We used to make homemade fireworks out of Sodium Chlorate weedkiller.

[Uncle D]

Perhaps you could blow the weeds up

[staffie]

after making a cuppa, left over boiling water poured on the few weeds we get soon sees them off, cats also here so weed killer deff a no no.

[Uncle D]

Scalded cats

[Dominic]

Perhaps you could blow the weeds up

Apparently they put fire retardent in them these days. As children we always had to rely on rooting around the backs of old sheds to find some suitable chemical. Ah those were the days. Good, clean, healthy activity. Going out in the woods to make bombs. Kids today, don't know they were born etc.

[WHL]

Indeed Dominic, go into one chemist to buy sulphur, into another to buy potassium nitrate or permanganate, grind burnt wood for carbon and homemade gunpowder, it was fun

That's what my wife puts on my yogurt every morning, shes been telling me how good it is for me

[cyprusmax47]

Another thing which is common is the killing of the green foliage on potatoes before harvest. Field of potatoes can have healthy green tops and then two days later, the tops are withered and dying, making it easier for the crop to be harvested. Also, when the tops have died, the potatoes keep for longer.

Haulm killing measures before the potato harvest serve not only to ensure quality (peel strength, starch content, tuber size, reduction of tuber rot) and shelf life, but also to facilitate harvesting. In particular in the cultivation of seed potatoes, killing the herb in good time is primarily intended to prevent virus transmission from the herb to the tuber, which is the most important thing....

Max
(ex farmer)

[Kili01]

I used to use little permanganate in plenty of water to wash fresh vegetables and fruit when living in Hong Kong. Which was supposed to kill germs and bacteria and make them safe to eat...

Dee

[WHL]

WHL, potassium permanganate does have a medical use but I'm not sure what, I think mix in solution of water and use as an antiseptic bath ?? But chemists knew what potassium and sulphur made and chased you out of the shop if you asked for both !

The Good old days, when shop keepers were allowed to chase kids and give them a clip round the ear ole, had my fair share, including coppers.