Have you experienced having pests in your garden and wondered how to get rid of them? Here is how to do soil fumigation to help you get rid of those nasty pests.
Soil fumigation is a type of pest control wherein the chemicals you are using will turn into a gaseous substance once applied. It is very effective when clearing out pests in your garden, or if you own a farm, it is great to use there.
Though there are many benefits that soil fumigation can give, there are such risks you need to know also when fumigating. Some of it has a long-term effect on an individual, and some have a short-term impact.
What Is Soil Fumigation?
Maybe you are wondering what soil fumigation is. When applied on top of the soil, it is a type of pesticide that forms a gaseous substance to disrupt plant growth and the production of crops.
You can use soil fumigation in any high-value crops you have and provide benefits to the farmers in controlling various pests that include nematodes, weeds, fungi, insects, and bacteria.
As it is a hazardous chemical, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented some essential safety measures that you should do to be safe. The safety regulations ensure the safety of the individual who is conducting the fumigation and the bystanders who can be affected by the fumigation.
Importance Of Soil Fumigation
Now we will answer your question, is soil fumigation necessary? The farming field produces oilseeds, tobacco, pulses, food grains, timber, spices, textile, and so much more that became the majority of exported products. They are susceptible to pest infestation, whether in storage or as a crop.
A pest infestation can be a headache if not solved correctly; moreover, it can significantly affect your earnings and health if you ever eat what you harvest. That is why you need to fumigate your soil to have a pest-free crop.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Soil Fumigation?
Despite the great benefit of soil fumigation, its disadvantages are that since it consists of harsh chemicals, it can kill every living organism in the area of its effect, including those organisms that can help you control pests.
Killing those organisms that can help you control pests is vital to keep your crops healthy. That is why you need to know what organisms live in your garden before fumigating the soil.
Due to this, a nursery of plants can be significantly affected.
Another disadvantage of soil fumigation is the inconvenience it can give to the household owners. Since you will be using invasive chemicals to do fumigation, you must live in an area that can be affected by it for a few days until the effect of the chemical wears off.
6 Steps To Do Soil Fumigation
Here, we will be giving you steps on how to fumigate your soil.
Step #1. Choose what product to use
You need first to choose what product you want to use. Fogger bombs are the best type of product you can get for fumigation.
When buying, consider how large the area is, what kind of pests you are dealing with, and your budget. Don’t go overboard to clear the pests out.
Here is how to calculate the correct amount of pesticide for your guidance.
Step #2. Have a plan
Fumigation is not as easy as you thought it would be; it needs a lot of technicalities. As said above, it is necessary for you to evacuate the affected area to be safe.
That is why a plan on how you will execute this is a must.
Step #3. Home preparation is needed
Since you are dealing with an invasive chemical, make sure that everything that can be affected by gas, such as pets, your family, or even your kitchen, is safe and will not be affected by the fumigation.
Carefully follow all the instructions written when you have purchased the fogger bomb, the instruction may contain pre-cautions, and you are highly requested to follow those.
Step #4. Set up the fogger bomb
Once again, you need to follow the product’s instructions. It contains the preventive measures you need to take, how to set up the fogger bomb, how to set the fogger up, how to prepare your house, and everything you need to know.
Step #5. Wait for the effect to be finish
As written above, you have to wait for several days before the gaseous substance wears off. If you do not wait till the product wears off, it could significantly affect your health and may even endanger your life.
Step #6. Get help
Since soil fumigation is a long and complicated task, we strongly advise letting the professionals do this. Letting the professionals do their job may avert you from getting harmed by the toxicity of the chemicals.
Since they are trained professionals, all necessary preventive action will be conducted and save you from the hassle of fumigating on your own, and might put your health at risk.
Conclusion
When you reach this part of the article, you have learned how to do soil fumigation, its benefits and importance, and disadvantages. Since you now have knowledge regarding this topic, you may go on and fumigate your soil.