So what on earth is DOTH (daughter of the house) up to now?!
Well, let me explain:
In April 2009 the Ontario Government issued an edict.
They "banned the use of more than 250 pesticides, and over 80 pesticide ingredients for cosmetic use. The ban, which is now law across the province of Ontario, bans the sale of pesticides 'for cosmetic purposes on lawns, gardens, parks and school yards, and includes many herbicides, fungicides and insecticides'".
DOTH, who is also GOTH (gardener of the house), has been simmering over this for a whole year. "You mark my words," she's been saying, "by next spring you will begin to see the downfall of our beautiful neighbourhood."
It's not that we don't understand the seriousness of using pesticides, when it comes to the health of humans and animals. It's more the double standards in this edict. Guess what are some exceptions to the ban? Golf courses and sports fields.
Golf courses and sports fields? That's not cosmetic?? And don't tell me (or DOTH, because you will REALLY get her going) that someone goes across the golf course, inch by inch with a little spray bottle in hand spraying dandelions. Of course not! Pesticides are spread, en masse, across those huge areas of grass -- and on a breezy day, isn't that a whole lot more hazardous than, as she puts it, DOTH going from dandelion to dandelion with her little spray bottle of pesticide, spraying directly on each of the few dandelions in her garden preventing them from spreading?
One could say (and DOTH does) that this is so typical of governments -- over-reacting as usual. One can receive a fine and prosecution for breaking this law. Not sure if that will prevent Ontarions from going over the border to bring back some pesticides from the States. Even DOTH had this fleeting thought about taking over some empty Windex bottles to fill up... it was only a FLEETING thought.
The opening paragraph on the government's website reads:
"The McGuinty government believes the use of pesticides to control weeds and insects for purely cosmetic reasons presents an unnecessary risk to our families and pets, especially when we can have healthier lawns and gardens without chemicals."
The problem is, that getting a healthy lawn without chemicals takes an awful lot more work, and for busy families -- well, they are just not going to bother.
DOTH's prediction? Well, this is what we found on our walk this evening:
To prevent boring you, I won't post the rest of the photos I took of dandelions in an otherwise beautifully kept neighbourhood:
Those who can -- and there are many retirees in this neighbourhood with more time -- are doing their best, but you have to laugh at one of the government's suggestion for weed control: "pull weeds by hand." Tell that to the guy who owns the weed-covered lawn above.
So anyway, having ranted a little on behalf of DOTH, this is what she was up to: horror of horrors! She had found a dandelion in the back garden:
She was threatening, "Oh no you don't -- you go this far and no further..."
and out it came! I have a feeling this is going to be a familiar sight around here.
Now -- how about those ants....
We've already seen many, many more anthills this year than we ever have before. Potato peels help, but without insecticide, I think by this time next year we will be inundated.
On a brighter -- much brighter note, isn't this a pretty picture?
Left uncontrolled the whole of Canada will be inundated with Dandelions. They spread really easily and are very difficult to pull up by hand. The roots go down and down. Chopping off the top and rubbing salt into the cut stem works, but only useful if you have a very few around. That picture would be like tackling the Forth Bridge, as soon as you finish you would have to start over again. At least you can eat the leaves as salad but other weeds are not so user friendly. Incidentally my mother always used to say, if you pick a dandelion you will wet the bed, so the sales of rubber sheets in Canada will rocket. Buy shares...
ReplyDeleteReally laughing out loud here,Snafu! Don't mothers say the darndest things! I think that's a good one to put on a petition to the Ontario Government. Unless they cease and desist with this edict, Canada will go down in history as having the highest number of bed-wetters in the world (it's actually better than some of the things we are known for)
ReplyDeleteThat's bureaucracy for you!
ReplyDelete