Warning against mixing pesticides: Tips for safe and productive home gardening

With the growing popularity of home gardening as a natural outlet and a beloved hobby, serious warnings have emerged about harmful practices that could turn these green spaces into hazards. Home gardening expert Asad Al-Nimr cautioned against the increasing phenomenon of amateur gardeners relying on their own interpretations, particularly regarding the mixing of pesticides and chemical fertilizers without scientific knowledge or expert consultation.

Double chemical hazard

Al-Nimr described this indiscriminate behavior as a "double threat." On the one hand, it directly endangers human health due to uncontrolled emissions or chemical reactions, and on the other hand, it leads to catastrophic consequences that kill trees and plants instead of treating or nourishing them. He emphasized that handling agricultural chemicals is not a field for experimentation, urging everyone to immediately cease using any compounds or mixtures without consulting experts, to ensure personal safety first and foremost, and to protect plants from chemical poisoning and burns secondly.

Scientific and environmental context

Historically, agriculture was not simply the planting of seeds; it is a science in its own right, relying on a precise understanding of soil properties and the chemistry of materials. The excessive or improper use of pesticides not only affects the target plant but also disrupts the delicate ecological balance, potentially leading to soil and groundwater pollution and the death of beneficial pollinating insects. Economically, these practices inflict significant financial losses on hobbyists due to the death of crops and trees in which they invested, transforming the hobby from a source of enjoyment into a financial burden.

The golden season for agriculture

Al-Nimr explained that the period from mid-October to May is the "golden season" for agriculture in the region, noting that the months of October and November are the most suitable climatically for planting seedlings, due to the moderate temperatures that help the roots to grow without heat stress, which explains the noticeable crowding that nurseries witness during this period.

A roadmap for safe farming

To ensure a successful and safe agricultural experience, the specialist developed a detailed roadmap that includes the following steps:

• Site and soil selection: Start by choosing a sunny location, and prepare the soil in advance by continuously moistening it to allow organic fertilizers to decompose and cool, to avoid burning the roots.
• Avoid transplant shock: Al-Nimr warned of “transport shock,” which occurs when the soil around the roots breaks down while removing the plant from the pot, causing it to wilt and die immediately. He advised extreme caution when transplanting seedlings.
• Irrigation protocol: Al-Nimr rejected the theory of “random irrigation”, specifying a protocol that begins with daily irrigation for the first ten days, then switching to manual inspection of soil dryness to a depth of 3 cm, with the frequency reduced to once every two days in line with the cold weather.

Fertilization and winter care

Regarding nutrition, it is advised to postpone fertilization for a period of one to one and a half months after planting, after which the establishment phase should begin using high-phosphorus fertilizers to build a strong root network, followed by attention to vegetative growth and balanced preventive spraying.

Al-Nimr reviewed the "winter service" plan, which begins at the start of January and includes:

• Add treated cow manure.
• Performing pruning operations of all kinds to get rid of dead branches and renew activity.
• The use of "calcium boron" by fruit tree owners to stabilize flowering.
• Switching to "high potassium" compounds to ensure fruit quality and size.

Al-Nimr concluded his speech by renewing the call for amateurs to adopt the scientific method, stressing that consulting a specialist is not a luxury but an absolute necessity to avoid financial losses and health and environmental damage.