Help, the cane fields around are going to be aerial sprayed with 24d !!!
Wednesday, 18 Apr 12 Cloudy 31°C / 88°F
- 8
- 2
We received a phone call from the local airfield to notify us that as soon as the weather conditions are right the cane field across the road from us will be aerial sprayed and that we are within the drift path. The roadway – basically one car width and perhaps a metre or two of grass is all that separates us from the cane field.
My husband took the call, and had the foresight to ask just what was going to be sprayed – 24d broadleaf herbicide. Being an ecologist he voiced his concerns rather heartily, but unfortunately this horrific herbicide with a statistical correlation pointing towards it being a carcinogen, has not been outlawed here.
Every time the cane fields further away are sprayed I’ve had pawpaws (papayas) in my garden die. On these occasions we were not supposed to be in the drift path but a safe distance from the spraying. The only pawpaw that ever survived did so only by my going outside and throwing buckets of water over the plant once the plane left. I also have not been informed in the past when spraying would take place or what chemical was being used as there is no legal requirement to do so here unless the house is within the drift path. We have only been notified this time because we are likely to be covered in the stuff!
We plan on closing all the doors and windows and not being home at the time. However, as 24d is a broadleaf herbicide I expect that most of my garden will suffer rather badly. I’m not sure how many hours can pass before damage starts, and if I have to go into Ingham with my husband that day I won’t get back until after 4pm when he finishes work. Spraying usually starts around 6 or 7 in the morning. I’ll get out the hose and drench everything as soon as I get home, but I am concerned, for the plants, our health and that of the ducks. I’ll have to flush out their pond completely and upturn all water dishes.
Any suggestions to help the garden to survive.
Previous Journals
-
Acalypha 'Firestorm' and [26] Propagation Area 2: Rainwater Tank Container garden
-
[22] Rainforest garden
-
[24] Verandah garden , Tahitian Spinach , [04a] Duck Pond garden , and Tahitian Spinach (divided)
Later Journals
-
Chilli pepper 'Jalapeno' and [24] Verandah garden
-
Brahmi and other plants and the new plant stand.
Brahmi and [24] Verandah garden
-
Tahitian Spinach Disappears then Reappears Once More
Tahitian Spinach Sprouting and [04a] Duck Pond garden
Comments
Bernieh wrote:
I just don’t know how they continue doing this. It’s just so short-sighted! I’m not going to be helpful with suggestions I’m afraid, other than suggesting you try to cover as much as possible with tarps or groundsheets. I’m not sure that would make a whole lot of difference though … in the end.
Posted on 19 Apr 12 (about 1 year ago)
seeingreen wrote: I am so sorry to hear this. I agree with Bernieh, it is just so short sighted and narrow too, just focussing in on one crop to the detriment of the whole ecosystem.
Main thing is to keep you and your family safe from harm. I don’t know anything about 24d but if it was me I’d be taking high dose Vitamin C over this period and drinking lots of water to help flush out anything absorbed and boost your immune system. Hosing everything off sounds about the best you can do outside – I’d include all hard surfaces too. Hope the ducks come through okay.
Posted on 19 Apr 12 (about 1 year ago)
Tralamander wrote:
I wish I had suggestions, but I can only offer sympathy here. This seems like such an archaic thing to do. I’m really sorry to hear this. ):
Posted on 21 Apr 12 (about 1 year ago)
Carol wrote:
Thanks for your kind thoughts.
Unfortunately, I received a phone call on Friday morning from the air field to tell me the cane fields were going to be sprayed that morning. I asked how long before they would be starting as it was after 7.30 and my husband had already left for work. I was told the plane was being loaded as we spoke, which meant, as the bird flies, they were probably about 10-15 minutes away after take off. I was home without a vehicle. I phoned my husband but we decided that by the time he got back to pick me up I would be exposed to the chemical just getting to the car. Safer to stay indoors. No time to cover anything in the garden either. All I had time to do was turn on the hose in the back yard to keep the ducks occupied with some mud to play in where hopefully they would be somewhat protected by the house. I then went inside and shut up the house, even laying a towel at the foot of the front door. When it was safe to go outside again I hosed everything in sight, then came in and showered! I’ll be trying some vitamin C, too, it sounds like good advice.
Posted on 21 Apr 12 (about 1 year ago)
Bernieh wrote:
Now that is just ridiculous … giving you such short notice! Fingers crossed everything is fine.
Posted on 21 Apr 12 (about 1 year ago)
LillyPilly wrote:
Unbelievable. 15 minute warning? Isn’t there any regulation in place that will allow you to lodge a complaint?
While 2,4-D is pretty bad for honey bees, birds don’t appear to be especially sensitive to it, thankfully.
Sorry to hear this has happened to you.
Posted on 23 Apr 12 (about 1 year ago)
rainymountain wrote:
Dreadful, so stupid and short-sighted, what can one say. I think that I would begin phoning around every government rep and department I could get hold of. I still have dreadful memories of the fear in the village when I started teaching in New Brunswick in the 1970s. The previous year, before I arrived, a spray plane spraying for some forest beetle went over the two schools on the campus during break when all the kids were outside. That Fall 3 children inexplicably died of a kind of meningitus. The medical conscensus was that the deaths were linked to the spray chemicals, getting information from any government department was impossible, sueing the mega-corporation involved proved impossible many because they had the kind of money that could employ high-powered lawyers.
Posted on 23 Apr 12 (about 1 year ago)
Carol wrote:
Update: I got another phone call at 7am this Monday just gone (30 April). They hadn’t finished spraying earlier and were notifying me that they were coming again. They arrived within the half hour.
I had a medical appointment to get to so no time to hose down the garden after spraying finished. I didn’t get home until mid afternoon. Some potted citrus at the front gate were wilted so I tossed lots of water over them them and they look better this morning. I’ve noticed the edges of the leaves on a gardenia appear to be burned as well. I’ve given all pot plants on the verandah a good dousing with water. Here’s hoping they survive. I had a massive migraine attack this morning, I wonder why?
Posted on 01 May 12 (about 1 year ago)
Like to add a comment? You'll need to sign up for a free account, or log in if you're already a member.