A message to gardeners wanting the perfect lawn

A message to gardeners wanting the perfect lawn

Home gardeners attending to pesky weeds in their lawns need to be mindful of what they are spraying them with, especially when composting lawn clippings.

Agcarm warns gardeners that it is illegal to use the herbicide clopyralid on their lawns. Clippings from grass sprayed with the herbicide should not be used for making compost, or sent to a green waste recycling depot.

Agcarm chief executive Graeme Peters said that products containing clopyralid were banned for use by home gardeners many years ago, but composting operations are detecting residues of the chemical.

“Clopyralid products are available for agricultural weed control and commercial turf management by qualified approved handlers, but cannot be used on domestic lawns.

“There’s nothing quite like having the perfect lawn. It’s still achievable. There are many safe and effective alternatives to this chemical,” he said.

Clopyralid is in a number of products used to control broad-leafed weeds in lawns, sports grounds, golf courses, field crops and forests. It is sold under a variety of brand names, including Versatill and Archer.

Turf managers at sports fields find it particularly useful against prickly weeds and clover, and because of its low toxicity, fields can be returned to use quickly.

“It is effective and poses little threat to humans when used correctly but it can affect plants grown in composted grass clippings from lawns treated with it,” Mr Peters said.

The Environmental Protection Authority reassessed clopyralid after it was found that domestic use on lawns was affecting composting operations by both local bodies and private companies.

The reassessment resulted in requirements for the use of the substance to be under the control of an approved handler and mandatory labelling of products which warn against use in home gardens.

A label on a typical clopyralid product states clearly ‘Not for use in home gardens’ and ‘Do not use for treating turf that will be mown and the clippings used for making compost; or made available for collection for, or deposited at, a municipal green waste recycling depot’.

Agcarm is the industry association of companies which manufacture, distribute and sell products that keep animals healthy and crops thriving. Member companies are committed to ensuring that these products are used safely, effectively and sustainably

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