Live and let live in your garden!
I’ve seen a number of people lately cheerfully promoting ‘environmentally friendly homemade weedkillers’, which, as an eco-conscious gardener, I find worrying. The idea is to mix ‘safe’ household substances such as vinegar, salt and washing up liquid and apply them to unwelcome plants – overlooking the fact the concoction kills them because it’s toxic. Not only does it get rid of plants, it also poisons wildlife and invertebrates as certainly as any other chemical. Many detergents even carry warnings declaring they’re harmful to aquatic life and have longlasting effects, and these will apply to delicate garden creatures, too. Instead, be kind and tolerant, handweed as necessary and otherwise live and let live.