Kelly Chashai, owner of Down to Earth Gardens and Nursery, says enforcement at the municipal level is not enough. She hopes the province bans the sale of pesticides altogether, as several other provinces have done, including Ontario. The B.C. government set up a Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides last year and its members are expected to submit their recommendations this month.
“Banning the use of pesticides is one thing, but if people are still allowed to sell them, then it sends a mixed message,” she said.
Victoria city staff also try to lead by example, using two environmentally sensitive products to adhere to the bylaw.
Topgun “looks like soap,” said Bernard Hopcraft, the city’s horticulture supervisor. He and his crews also use Ecoclear, a mixture of acetic and citric acids that are the components of vinegar and lemon juice. The product is sprayed onto the weed directly and will only kill what it touches.
It “smells like fish and chips,” said Hopcraft. “At one time, we relied on herbicides like Roundup. It’s not a particularly dangerous pesticide, but it’s one that we’re not allowed to use.”
Planning a garden properly can help prevent weed problems before they start, said Michelle Gorman, integrated pest management co-ordinator for the City of Victoria. Tips include using healthy soil that is fertilized with organic compost; strategically placing plants in dry and sunny areas, rather than in wet and shady areas; and using raised flower beds to avoid clay, which makes growing a challenge.
Gorman’s staff regularly hold workshops to teach people a range of techniques to reduce weeds, including pruning, watering and mulching.
Hopcraft and his crew select drought to lerant plants, which reduces the need for watering. That’s important, because the overall workload has increased, since they can no longer use pesticides to get rid of pesky weeds. Now they have to ensure plants are strong and healthy to help fight off weeds.
“We realize this is the way things are done now and we have to adapt to gardening in a world where we can’t use the pesticides that we’ve come to depend on,” Hopcraft said.
Eco-friendly landscapers say that extra work puts them at a disadvantage next to competitors who can offer lower prices because they still use chemicals, especially without an outright ban throughout the region.
“Guys who aren’t organic usually win, if it’s all about the dollars,” said Chashai. “It would be nice to have everyone playing the same game. [A provincial ban] would even out the playing field.”
Despite the municipal bans, Chashai still sees other landscapers still using pesticides, which allows them to keep costs down and get more contracts, because organic methods take longer and cost more.
Scott Jackson, who owns Scott’s Gardening and Landscaping, is also frustrated by the rules in different municaplities, although he’d prefer to be able to use pesticides throughout the region.
His employees are well trained in chemical pesticide use, but when they do jobs in any of the four communities that banned them, they have to pull weeds rather than blast them with chemicals.
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