Spring is indeed here (even if the temperatures make us doubt it), and with spring and the arrival of sunny days, flowering in the gardens, but also the arrival of little creatures, aphids and other slugs, which attack plants and cause the first lettuces to disappear. The magazine 60 Million consumers this May, compares 40 products, but not just any products, only those that amateur gardeners can use.
franceinfo: Are the regulations strict on this point?
Sylvie Metzelard, editor-in-chief at 60 Million : Yes, amateur gardeners can only use products bearing the EAJ (for Authorized Use in Gardens) label. This corresponds to products which are not synthetic plant protection products.
This includes so-called “low risk” products, such as ferric phosphate for example, to fight against snails and slugs; these are also the products registered on a so-called “biocontrol” list, which includes in particular pheromones, micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.) and various natural substances, including essential oils or rapeseed oil, or chemical insecticides of natural origin.
And then, there are rules to also respect when using these products…
Yes, even if they are of natural origin. For example, it is prohibited to use them within 5 meters of a point of access to groundwater, and they must not be poured into manholes, gutters, canals, ditches, ponds or rainwater retention basins.
Well, the first lesson from your investigation is that the active ingredients are often the same?
Yes, and this is not very surprising because developing new innovative active substances is extremely expensive, not to mention the approval procedures, before authorization for sale, which can be long.
Does that mean that it’s not worth buying different products, even if the packaging indicates different specifications?
That’s exactly right. A multi-purpose insect product from our test, for example, has exactly the same composition as an anti-aphid product and another anti-cochineal product from the same brand.
But do the products you’ve tested all work the same way?
No, some products work by killing small animals, blocking their nervous system or sticking them, for example. Others keep them away. There are also little critters that delight in others, like ladybugs – and especially, ladybug larvae – that you can buy to combat aphids or mealybugs. Or the little nematode worms against orchard caterpillars.
Well but the problem is that we may want to get rid of certain insects but protect others, do these products represent a danger for bees for example?
Many products are not selective for a given attacker. You can eliminate slugs with iron phosphate products, for example, but also, to a lesser extent, kill earthworms, which are important for the balance of the soil in your plantations.
Oils that clog and kill scale insects and aphids, or pyrethrins that disrupt insects’ nervous systems, can also be fatal to all pollinating insects, including our beloved bees.
And for humans, should they be handled with care?
Yes, pyrethrins are not completely safe for humans, but it is rather light because for home gardeners, synthetic pyrethrins are not allowed.
The question we obviously ask is the effectiveness of all these products, is your test conclusive or not?
Most of the time, products have a good chance of being effective if used in the manner recommended by the manufacturers. As long as you put the right dose, in the right place, and at the right time.
Before buying a product, what should you look for first on the label? Is the information always correctly written?
You have to look at the components. If the active substances are identical in two products, naturally there is no point in going for the more expensive one. If you are sensitive to biodiversity, it is better not to use products with pyrethrins or abamectin, and use those based on oil, on a case by case basis. No need to buy several products to repel different insects when they have the same composition.
And in terms of price, is an expensive product necessarily synonymous with better efficiency?
No no. Prices are roughly the same elsewhere. You just need to know that so-called biocontrol products such as nematodes or ladybugs are more expensive but it may be worth the cost of trying!