On 14/05/2012 10:58, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 14 May 2012 09:06:30 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 13/05/2012 14:49, Don Phillipson wrote:
"Martin wrote in message
...

I've got a couple of pints of elderly pickling vinegar in the shed. When
the weather clears, I'll brush them on. Anyone tried it as a weedkiller?
Bertie

This particular piece of kitchen sink chemistry is harmless and won't get
you into serious trouble, nor will it kill many weeds. You would probably
get better results clubbing them to death with the bottle!

It will work after a fashion, but you would be a lot better off using a
proper chemical like glyphosate that was intended to to kill plants.

Conditions are obviously different in Ontario, Canada, where
(1) The growing season is only 8 or 9 months per year,
(2) Glyphosate has been removed from the retail market, but

That is complete madness.

Of all the available weedkillers today glyphosate is about the least
dangerous to handle that there is. The wetting agents used in the
commercial formulations are more dangerous than the active ingredient.

According to the Dutch government there is evidence that glyphosate
causes degenerative damage to the nervous system leading to things
like Parkinson's disease (The results of a study made in Shanghai

The only reports I can find of this are on Organic(TM) crank sites and
anti-Monsanto sites. Whilst there might be something in it I am more
inclined to view it as scaremongering hype by all the usual suspects.

I am no fan of Monsanto, but you do have to view these green pressure
groups with suspicion or you will starve to death organically.

University). There is also evidence of a build up of glyphosate in the
ground water.

In a country where the runoff nitrate pollution levels in groundwater
make it dangerous for to drink you would think they could at least
target the primary polluters. Glyphosate degrades in the environment
pretty fast and it is unusual for it not to bind to soils.

The only thing holding up legislation banning it for private users was
the need to tighten up the system for registering commercial users.
Legislation should be completed in the next couple of months.

It is the commercial users spraying of Roundup-Ready Monsanto crops that
are the problem with overuse of glyphosate. Domestic quantities pale
into insignificance by comparison.

Don't shoot the messenger!

Why not?

--
Regards,
Martin Brown