• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Dirt Diva Diaries logo with roots at the bottom of the letters and flowers/leaves coming out the top

Dirt Diva Diaries

Grow Your Own Way

  • How To Guides
    • Herbs
    • Fruits
    • Vegetables
    • Supplies and Technical Guides
  • Resources
    • Gardening Terms
    • Plant Index
    • Products
    • Our Books
  • Ivy’s Diary
  • Get My Free Stuff!
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Pesticide

Pesticide: A substance used to control or eliminate pests, including insects, weeds, fungi, and other organisms that can harm plants.

Pesticides are like the weapons in a gardener’s arsenal against unwanted pests. They’re chemicals or biological agents designed to kill or control organisms that can damage plants, including insects, weeds, fungi, and even rodents. Pesticides can be a powerful tool for protecting your garden, but using them responsibly and with caution is important.

There are many types of pesticides, each targeting specific types of pests. Insecticides kill insects, herbicides kill weeds, fungicides control fungal diseases, and so on. Some pesticides are synthetically produced, while others are derived from natural sources. When choosing a pesticide, it’s important to consider its effectiveness, potential impact on the environment and human health, and whether safer alternatives are available. Integrated pest management (IPM) is an approach that emphasizes prevention and monitoring, using pesticides only as a last resort.

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as health, wellness or nutrition advice. Please see our full disclaimers here.

 

Related Articles:
  • Glossary: Phytotoxicity
  • Insecticidal Soap Recipe: The Ultimate Guide to DIY Pest Control
    Enter insecticidal soap, a powerful yet gentle solution for controlling many common garden pests. It's a fantastic option for gardeners looking for a less toxic alternative to harsh chemical pesticides. This guide will provide a comprehensive, step-by-step insecticidal soap guide, covering everything from making insecticidal soap in your kitchen to application tips and tricks for maximizing its effectiveness.
  • Glossary: Spray
  • Glossary: Sulphur
  • Glossary: Transgenic
« Back to Glossary Index

Written by:
Kevin Mansoor
Published on:
February 24, 2025

Primary Sidebar

I want FREE stuff

I want personalized freebies to help me on my gardening journey!


Search our site

Recent Adventures

someone using horticultural oil spray to protect their garden

Horticultural Oil Spray: Your Go-To for Healthy, Happy Plants

Horticultural oil is a time-tested and environmentally conscious solution for managing various pests …

Continue Reading about Horticultural Oil Spray: Your Go-To for Healthy, Happy Plants

Explore more

Newsletter Sign Up For a Free Gardening Book

Dirt Diva Diaries in a custom logo font with flowers and roots coming out of the letters

Footer

Dirt Diva Diaries

Grow Your Own Way

Copyright © 2025 · All Rights Reserved · Dirt Diva Diaries

Check Us Out on Social Media

InstagramFacebookPinterestThreads
  • About Dirt Diva Diaries
  • Get My Free Stuff!
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate & Health Disclosures
  • Opt-out preferences
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}