How to stop neighbor's pesticides from spreading to my yard? (growing, grass)
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I'm about to buy a house with some land and I hope to grow some fruit trees there. The house is right next to a hay farm that the owner & operator sprays with pesticides. Can I do something so that it doesn't spread to my part of the land, such as building a wall (and making Mexico pay for it - just kiddin') or fence from a particular material that might keep stuff from spreading?
I know people who grow veggies and sell them. They can't say they're totally pesticide free because the farm next to theirs sprays. So they state as much because they haven't been able to do anything about it.
There's nothing you can do to prevent wind borne particles of overspray from drifting down onto your property, you couldn't build an airtight barrier high enough unless you can erect a glass dome over your entire property.
Farmers try to do their spraying on days that have no wind but there is still always some air circulation that can lift minute particles hundreds of feet up into the air where it will drift down sometimes for a couple of miles around. You can't control the movement of the wind and the vapours or dust it carries.
If you don't want your property getting any farmers' various types of sprays (and dusts and other minute residues) on it then about all you can do is don't buy property close to farmers.
If that's not an option then all you can do is take remedial action - wash your property by spraying it all with water after the farmer has sprayed. Just hose everything down.
Work with your neighbor.....ensure he knows of your concern. Ask what he is spraying, and explain how that would impact you in the case of overspray. Help him identify when the winds are in your favor. See if he is willing to leave a fallow strip next to your property line, wide enough to prevent overspray. Being a good neighbor goes a long way in fostering cooperation.
When all is said and done, the neighbor was there before you. So you need to respect that, as it seems you are trying to do. Talk it over with him, as he is the experienced one. Wind patterns at the time of year that he sprays may suggest to you that your trees can be planted upwind. If not, he may be willing to be more careful when travelling next to your property as he sprays. Your idea of a fence tells me you don't know much about pesticides, so please just talk to the neighbor. It is probably a non-issue.
I'm about to buy a house with some land and I hope to grow some fruit trees there. The house is right next to a hay farm that the owner & operator sprays with pesticides. Can I do something so that it doesn't spread to my part of the land, such as building a wall (and making Mexico pay for it - just kiddin') or fence from a particular material that might keep stuff from spreading?
Check with your state's Dept of Ag. Laws vary, but some states do give you some (not much) recourse.
The other thing you can do is find out what the prevailing wind is, and site your plantings accordingly.
If the place is on well water, have it checked for contaminants before you buy. And if you do buy, have the water checked regularly.
In general, you are not going to be able to do too much, unless your neighbor does something really egregious. In your neighbor's defense, s/he was there first, and has the right to continue to make a living. And "-icides" are safer than they used to be, and applied more cautiously. Still, once in while, there is an *******, so it's good for you to understand what your state's regulations are.
And I agree with the advice to approach your neighbor, and see whether s/he will tell you what is being used, and explain that you want to plant fruit trees.
If you're moving into a commercial farming area, regardless of what your neighbor does or doesn't do, there will be farm chemicals in the air.
Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover
I'm trying to figure out why someone needs pesticides to grow hay?
Some farmers use broad-leaf weed killers to keep their hay 'clean'. Unless of course they're growing alfalfa, in which case they may use grass killers.
I'm trying to figure out why someone needs pesticides to grow hay?
To keep insects from eating their crops. A few blister beetles in the field and the entire crop has to be destroyed. It can no longer be fed to livestock. Grasshoppers can mow down acres of grass and make a huge reduction in yield.
They spray fungicides as well. And they use fertilizer.
If it is a serious concern of yours, do not buy next to a farm. You can not move in and force the farmer to change his routine to suit you. I suspect that you can not afford to erect a glass dome over your entire property.
No farmer is going to deliberately spray your property. All that spraying costs money and no one wants to spray your place for free. But there might be some wind drift and there is nothing you can do to keep it off of your neighboring property. Just save yourself some stress and buy elsewhere.
I dairy farmed all my life and have done spraying for my neighbors for many years.
Most farmers won't spray on a windy day and if it is relatively calm you have no worry about drift.
I doubt your fruit trees are planted tight up to the property line anyways.
I had corn fields planted next to oats/barley fields
The corn herbicide I used would definitely kill the oats/barley.
I sprayed right up to the last row of corn and never killed any oats/barley
I'm trying to figure out why someone needs pesticides to grow hay?
On my dairy farm ( retired now, son owns it ) the main reason you see a sprayer going across an alfalfa hay field is because of aphids.
Alfalfa fields have to be monitored carefully ( usually between 1st cutting and 2nd cutting )
If you spray with only a few aphids present, you will have to spray again when more are present.
If you spray too late, the damage is done.
Seems aphids are a constant challenge to alfalfa growers.
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