Pesticides: How, What, When, Where

The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County (MGHC), in association with the University of Tennessee Extension, announce their 2019 series of free monthly gardening classes open to the public. For the first class, taking place on Saturday, February 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, the topic will be “Pesticides: How, What, When, Where,” presented by UT Extension Agent and pest specialist, Tom Stebbins. MGHC classes take place in the ground floor meeting room at the UT Extension, Agricultural Service Center, 6183 Adamson Circle, located off Bonny Oaks Drive. For additional information and to register for the class, visit http://mghc.org/education-committee-classes/.

University of Tennessee Extension Agent, Tom Stebbins notes, “People often think of pesticides as chemicals that will cause great harm to humans and the environment. However, we use pesticides very commonly in our daily lives. For example, mosquito and tick protection sprays keep us safe from diseases. Chemical sprays keep the fruit flies, clothes moths, cockroaches, and other unwanted crawling or flying visitors out of our houses. This seminar will focus on the many beneficial chemicals and the clarify some of the fearful information we hear in the news media and other sources. Is Round-Up harmful to the environment? Which chemicals are hurting our pollinators? Come and find out how to determine facts from fallacies and other safe methods for using these essential gardening tools.”