I was recently contacted by Roberto at Drugwatch – a free web resource providing important health information. He asked me to share information with my readers about glyphosate, which is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world by commercial gardeners. It is found to be highly toxic and can cause many short-term and long-term health effects. It can also be harmful to important pollinators such as honey bees.
He sent me links to two comprehensive guides that cover what it is used for, symptoms, and possible health risks.
drugwatch.com/roundup/glyphosate/
drugwatch.com/roundup/
I do appreciated a well cited article and found it to be very illuminating. I do want to share this but I’m afraid it might be a bit hypocritical of me. So, in the interest of transparency and sharing my experiences, I have to admit that I did use some Roundup when working in a community garden just over a year ago. This would be the only time I have used it though. There was some particularly difficult ivy with its roots in a crack behind a building and we just couldn’t dig it up. No matter how much we hacked at it we just couldn’t get rid of it. After much discussion and some reluctance (after reading on the packaging about the bees and the fish and the run off) we made one application. It was in winter, during a dry spell, in the hope that it would be less damaging.
In all other work I have done in people’s gardens I have always dug up ivy at the roots to remove it. In this case it was a last resort. So, there is no judgement here if you have used, or do use it. However, this is worth reading before you make your next application.
Not a Horticulturist 
Have never used it but I can empathise. Ivy is impossible to eradicate fully and resurrects!
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Thanks for reading. Digging up till one of us gives up is my usual tactic.
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I have some myself, although I am an organic gardener 99.9% of the time. Sometimes digging out or repeated cutting/mulching etc just isn’t working or even possble on neglected/infested sites. I have a dedicated wand sprayer, gloves, mask, wellies and overalls and only do it on a zero wind/rain day, and keep away from any possible water course. I’ve read all the advice I can, and wouldn’t use it near food crops either. Some of the issues with it I read might be due to many branded products being a cocktail of chemicals? However I’m not a chemist or scientist so cannot make a valid judgement on that. It is possible here in the UK to buy a non brand single chemical glyphosate which is what I did…is also cheaper than Monsanto ones.
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Yes, we can try our best given the tools and knowledge we have at the given time. I have also read that it is the accumulation of different ‘safe’ chemicals that create a cocktail that can still cause unwanted damage. I will be trying my very hardest to not use them again, but I don’t believe in stating absolutes because you do never know. It does sound like you’re doing your very best to be as careful as possible.
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