Pesticide best practices for gardeners

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu

Thin lawns and lawns with bare soil are weed magnets. Manage weeds by growing a dense, healthy lawn and carefully spot-treat weeds if necessary. Read and follow product label instructions.

As spring approaches, Minnesota gardeners start thinking about what worked in their yards and gardens and what didn’t. While pests (disease, insects, wildlife, weeds) can be managed culturally most of the time, sometimes a gardener considers the need for a pesticide and how to select, use and store these chemicals safely.

You can find such resources on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) website. Created in collaboration with University of Minnesota Extension and other stakeholders, these resources include Best Management Practices (BMPs) and other guidance for using (or not using) pesticides and protecting water quality and pollinators.

Spanish and Hmong versions are available for select documents. You can request free print copies of these documents with the General Use Pesticide Outreach Document Request Form on the MDA’s pesticide BMPs page. Requests will be processed in one to four weeks.

For more information on MDA’s outreach and educational resources, please contact Naworaj Acharya at Naworaj.Acharya@state.mn.us.