seeds

Posts

• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  April 2018 edited April 2018

  @pansyface ... I'm afraid that nowadays many seeds are coated with a neonicotinoid dressing.  This results in the whole plant, including the roots and pollen being toxic to the insects.  The treatment deals with vine weevils attacking the roots ... and affects the bees and other pollinators gathering the pollen   
  
  I've also read of studies which found that the treated seeds had a harmful effect on life other than vine weevil grubs in the soil. 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Blue Onion Posts: 2,995

  April 2018

  Wow.. I didn't know that Dove.  Thanks for sharing.  How do we know if they are coated?  Does it say on the seed packet?

  Utah, USA.

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  April 2018

  I can't vouch for the veracity of the information on the following blog, but it makes interesting reading https://murtaghsmeadow.wordpress.com/tag/neonicotinoids/
  
  A lot of oilseed rape seeds are supplied to farmers with a neonicotinoid dressing.  I don't know what proportion of seeds for gardeners have a dressing applied ... obviously organic seeds shouldn't have such a dressing!
  
  I suggest that those of us who are concerned should email the seed companies we usually buy from and ask them.

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Blue Onion Posts: 2,995

  April 2018

  Thanks for the link.  I've occasionally found my sweet corn and pea seeds coated in pink powder.. which I just assumed with a fungicide (which I would prefer not to have, but not all varieties I want are organic).  I never considered the idea of seeds coated in pesticides.  
  In the article from 2012, Mother Jones claims 90% of corn seeds and many other major crops in the US are coated in neonicotinoid pesticides.. that farmers really don't even have a choice to buy non-coated seeds.  ( https://www.motherjones.com/food/2012/05/catching-my-reading-ahead-pesticide-industry-confab/ )
  
  http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/06/controversial-pesticides-can-decimate-honey-bees-large-study-finds gives a good breakdown of "The £2.8 million, 2-year-long study of 33 sites in the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Germany" regarding neonicotinoid pesticides.  Makes for good bedtime reading.  
  

  Utah, USA.

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• OotVerharen Posts: 2

  April 2018

  I tried to find information about the seeds we received from Gardeners World at Mr. Fothergills. But de seedcompanies are very silent about this matter. I posted my question at Mr. Fothergills. I haven't got an answer yet.

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