Buying weedkillers shouldn’t be a game of spot the difference

.When buying anything in a bottle or tin I always read the small print first even if it needs a magnifying glass! Chemical knowledge is a bonus as it can save a fortune.

Studying the labels carefully could save a lot of money, as can shopping around and buying larger pack sizes. There may be some differences in performance between products containing the same amount of the main chemicals, because of other components, so it is not quite as simple as it seems.

Weedkillers have the active components and amounts declared on the packet because they are potentially dangerous if swallowed. Some household chemicals have little or no useful information on the packet, but if you do a search that includes MSDS and the product name you should be able to find the material safety data sheet (MSDS) which will give the composition. I did this when I discovered that the kettle descaler I use seemed much less effective and found that this was due to a change in formulation. The composition of household products can vary from country to country, so it is a bit of a challenge. Like Dave, I am glad that I have some knowledge of chemicals.

For potentially hazardous garden chemicals sold to non-technical consumers, maybe it is better just to sell these products labelled and with instructions for one specific use. At least it’s clear.

Looking at some of the generic products in my garden store, the instructions need careful study. SBK, for instance – different plant groups, seasons, solvents, dilutions, application rates, etc.

An example from the laundry room:

The active chemical compound in both “Crystal White” and “Pink” varieties of “Vanish Oxi Action” fabric stain remover is Sodium Carbonate Peroxyhydrate – basically a solid form of hydrogen peroxide bleach – in identical concentrations. The only differences I can see on the labels are that “Crystal White” contains optical brighteners – also found in washing powder – and the instructions on “Pink” say you should only soak coloureds for a maximum of 1 hour as opposed to 6-12 hours for whites.

For the occasional user it is not worth having both, if it means they end up buying smaller, more expensive tubs of each.

Monsanto’s patent for Roundup (glyphosate) has expired, meaning that other manufacturers can now produce weedkillers that include glyphosate. This competition helps to lower prices and adds to the products available to gardeners.

A company marketing the same product under different labels is nothing new. When I first started work as a research scientist with a well-known pesticide manufacturer (now absorbed into a multinational) in the 1960s, I remember volunteering for a single night-shift in the packing department during a period when they were extra-busy. For part of that night I was on the bottling line of a product labelled “Liquid Copper Fungicide”. Partway through, the conveyor belt was stopped, and the labels were changed to “Rose Mildew Specific”. The conveyor belt was re-started, the new labels went on the next batch of bottles with exactly the same product inside. (I believe the company was also marketing at least one other “Mildew Specific” at the time, with the same product in the bottle). I thought at the time what sharp practice that was, and am surprised to read that even today the practice is still legal.

If you manage to have a look at the latest Which? Gardening issue, you’ll find some of your comments featured 🙂 Namely, Dave, Wavechange and Em!