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To start, you should not use pesticides to control garden weeds, because the term "pesticides" includes all applications that control pests: insects, weeds, rodents, etc. Specifically, one should use herbicides to control weeds; I make this distinction at the outset to underscore my point, that use of pesticides in general is safe and effective when they are used properly. The title of this debate automatically fails in this regard, since it would imply that one could apply an insecticide to one's garden in an attempt to tackle some weeds. Obviously, this wouldn't work and it could unnecessarily introduce an insecticide into your garden.

The only time it makes sense to resort to herbicides is when the potential damage caused by the presence of weeds would exceed the expense of making the application. Generally, this only is a consideration of commercial farmers, not the backyard hobbyist. To hobby gardeners, it is a question of aesthetics and time trade offs - is the sight of the weeds unbearable to you, or would the time an energy spent pulling weeds make selective herbicide use a better option?

If the decision is made by you to use herbicides in your garden, you must be careful to select the proper types and use them according to their label instructions. The two main types of herbicides are "pre-emergents", which stop weeds from growing in the first place, and "post-emergents", which kill existing plants. Beyond that you have selective herbicides that target only broad-leaf plants, and general herbicides that kill all plants. You must be careful to select the one you need to control what you want controlled, but that would allow other plants to flourish, such as your rows of prized peas.

Finally, one must pay attention to proper use and disposal of herbicides (or any pesticide for that matter). The vast majority of environmental problems that come from any sort of pesticide use result from misuse of the products. The pesticide products available today are engineered to be safe and cause little to no environmental or human health impact, but only when they are utilized properly.

Learn more about this author, Paul E. Zimmerman.
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