Weedkiller on Allotments?

[peter]

A random plotholder has asked our Town Council why they allow plotholders to use weedkiller.

Now I have no issue with people who want to avoid synthetic chemical application on their own plot, but a considerable disike of those who seek to impose their view on everyone else. Showing prospective tenants a plot I always check they know about couch, buttercup and bindweed.and the time required to manually remove them, aso that chemical control can be first year only, or individually targeted e.g. bindweed in soft fruit. Emphasis on personal choice and understanding weed control commitment.

We have no specific clauses abut chemicals as it's covered under not being a nuisance. e.g. don't spray on a windy day.

All site agent replies to Town Council consulting us have been along these lines, but I thought I'd research a bit further afield.

Does your site have any restrictions on weedkiller beyond the good practice ones?

[Pa Snip]

Couldn't agree more Peter, it is a personal choice thing.

I try to avoid using weed killer whenever possible. Usually resort to digging and handwork.
However there are occasions when the location of the weeds is such that as I wont be planting or sowing there for some months, if at all, I then use whatever I consider will be quickest and most effective.


Those random plot holders are a pain in the arris, trying to impose their will on everyone else. We have two who have tried that this year, both failed in spectacular fashion.

[Pa Snip]

and no we do not have any restrictions other than as you suggest, good practice and common sense.

[Stephen]

As above in Berkhamsted. Some people may choose to eschew weed-killer entirely, but I certainly reach for the glyphosate when neccesary (bindweed, couch grass) but do a lot of straight-forward weeding.
I would be happier if more people got rid of more weeds (choose your own definition) by whatever method they choose.

[robo]

Our allotment is surrounded by wild fields that are covered in weeds it is impossible to keep the weeds under control with out using weed killer on a summers day it very often looks like it's snowing there are that many seeds blowing over and through the outer fences

[Cider Boys]

Surely it is quite simple, if you do not want to use any weed-killers then don't and if you want to use them then do so. I have and do use weed killers but do not impose my practices on other people and I would hope that other people don't impose their no weed-killer methods on me. In my experience it is often people that have recently taken up gardening and their only experience is from reading too many books that preach sanctimonious drivel about gardening in an ideal world.

Barney

[Monika]

We have no rules on weedkiller on our allotment site. Like robo, we are surrounded by fields (pasture) which carry a lot of nettles and thistles, especially around the edges. So we have to use glyphosate on the very edges of our allotment to create a 'cordon sanitaire', because the weeds come under and through the dry stone walls as well as seeding themselves, but we don't use any weedkiller on any growing ground.

[Pa Snip]

As a point of interest, seeing as Glyphosate has been mentioned. Mrs Snip and I were reading one of the 'Smallholder' type magazines earlier this year in which there was an article saying Monsanto brand, and probably others, Glyphosate had been banned in France because it was/is carcinogenic

Monsanto is a well known company and I can't see them standing for it if it is inaccurate.

[peter]

Bacon is carcinogenic.

The organisation that made that public deals in binary states, is it carcinogenic, yes or no?
Not real world statements like, you'd need to eat a kilo a day for ten years to increase the chance of stomach cancer from 1 in 10000 to 1 in 100, or similar sort of thing.

[Pa Snip]

Peter, it emanates from a ban in France, guess that says it all really