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Growing Safely
SIMPLE GUIDE 06
Growing Safely Guide
This Growing Safely Guide helps growers understand how to use pesticides, slug treatments, weed killers and other crop products legally, safely and responsibly.
QUICK ANSWER
Growing Safely Guide: use suitable treatments
The Growing Safely Guide does not require every grower to avoid pesticides or treatments completely.
But if you use a pesticide or plant protection product, it must be authorised for the intended use and you must follow the instructions and restrictions that apply to it. For harvesting, handling, storage and delivery guidance, also read the Food Safety Guide.
THE SIMPLE RULE
Use the right product, on the right crop, in the right way
Never assume that because a product is sold in a shop or available online it can automatically be used on fruit or vegetables you intend to sell.
01
PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS
What counts as a pesticide?
The official term is usually Plant Protection Product (PPP). It covers more products than many growers realise.
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Weed killers
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Slug & snail treatments
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Insecticides
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Fungicides
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Plant growth regulators
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Some animal repellents
BEFORE REACHING FOR A SPRAY
Consider whether you actually need a pesticide
Sometimes pests, weeds and diseases can be managed without chemical treatment.
â Remove weeds by hand
â Use physical barriers
â Remove pests manually
â Encourage beneficial wildlife
â Rotate crops where appropriate
â Remove badly affected plant material
Using fewer pesticides does not automatically make produce Certified Organic. Organic certification is covered separately in our Organic Produce guide.
02
HOME & ALLOTMENT GROWERS
Using garden products safely
Most pesticides sold to ordinary home gardeners are authorised for amateur use. If you grow on an allotment, read our Allotment Growers guide alongside this Growing Safely Guide.
You normally do not need professional pesticide training simply to use an amateur garden product as part of your gardening hobby, but you are still responsible for using it correctly.
Read the label
Read it before buying and again before using the product.
Check the crop
Make sure the intended fruit, vegetable or growing situation is covered.
Follow the dose
More product does not mean a better or safer result.
Follow waiting periods
If the label says you must wait before harvesting or eating the crop, follow that period.
THE LABEL MATTERS
Don't make up your own instructions
The product label can tell you what crops the product may be used on, how much to apply, how often it may be used and any restrictions before harvest.
â Correct crop
â Correct amount
â Correct timing
â Maximum treatments
â Safety precautions
â Harvest interval
03
CHECK IT IS AUTHORISED
Old products may no longer be legal to use
Pesticide authorisations can change. A product that was legal several years ago may have been withdrawn.
Growers should check that a product is still authorised before using old stock.
Buying online?
Do not assume an imported or internet product is legal to use in the UK. Check its authorisation first.
04
STORAGE & HANDLING
Keep treatments away from food
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Keep original containers
Do not transfer pesticide products into drinks bottles, food containers or unlabelled containers.
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Store securely
Keep products safely away from children, pets and unauthorised access.
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Separate from produce
Do not store treatments where they could contaminate harvested food.
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Dispose correctly
Follow the product and local disposal guidance rather than pouring unused treatments away.
PROFESSIONAL GROWERS
Professional pesticides have additional rules
If pesticides form part of your work or growing business, additional professional-user requirements can apply. Growers producing food for regular sale should also read the Selling Regularly guide.
Professional plant protection products must only be used by somebody holding the appropriate recognised certificate, or by someone working under appropriate direct supervision for training purposes.
05
PROFESSIONAL PPP USERS
Check what applies to your business
01
Registration
Businesses, organisations and sole traders using PPPs professionally in Great Britain must register as professional users.
02
Training & certification
Professional products require appropriate training and recognised certification.
03
Application records
Keep the pesticide-use records required for your professional food or growing operation.
04
Equipment
Professional application equipment can be subject to maintenance, calibration and testing rules.
ENGLAND, SCOTLAND & WALES
Great Britain
Professional PPP users register through the Great Britain system operated by Defra/HSE.
Professional user registration â
NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own operator registration and pesticide arrangements through DAERA.
DAERA pesticide registration â
BEFORE HARVEST
Pay attention to harvest intervals
Some products specify a period that must pass between the final treatment and harvesting or eating the crop.
If the label gives a harvest interval, follow it. Do not pick produce early simply because an order has been placed on GrowHive.
06
PESTICIDE RESIDUES
Food has legal residue limits
Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) set legal limits for pesticide residues that may remain in or on food.
Following the authorised crop use, dose, treatment frequency and harvest interval is an important part of keeping residues within the permitted requirements.
!
Food that does not comply with applicable residue
limits must not be placed on the market.
Regular commercial growers should understand the residue requirements that apply to the crops and treatments they use.
HOME-MADE REMEDIES
âNaturalâ does not automatically mean risk-free
Gardeners sometimes use home-made pest remedies. Some simple physical methods fall outside pesticide rules, but using household substances or supplying home-made chemical remedies can create different legal and safety issues.
Do not assume a home-made spray is automatically legal or suitable for edible crops simply because its ingredients are familiar or natural.
ORGANIC GROWERS
Organic does not mean âno pesticides everâ
Certified organic producers must follow both the general pesticide rules and the additional restrictions of their organic certification scheme.
Only treatments permitted under the relevant organic standards may be used where certification is being claimed.
ON GROWHIVE
Growing Safely Guide responsibilities for GrowHive growers
This Growing Safely Guide does not replace official pesticide guidance. Each GrowHive grower is responsible for making sure any treatments they use comply with the rules that apply to their growing activity. See the main Grower Rules and Safety centre for the full set of GrowHive grower guides.
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I will only use plant protection products that are
authorised for my intended use.
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I will follow the product label and any crop-specific
restrictions.
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I will follow any required harvest interval before
selling treated produce.
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I will not knowingly sell produce that has been
treated illegally.
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If I use professional PPPs, I am responsible for the
registration, training, certification and records
required for my activity.
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My claims about how produce was grown will be
accurate and not misleading.
Grow carefully. Follow the label. Be truthful.
Home gardeners do not need to become pesticide experts just to sell a few spare vegetables. Use authorised products correctly and follow their instructions. Professional growers have additional responsibilities as their operation becomes more organised.
Check current pesticide guidance
Product authorisations and pesticide rules can change, so always check current official guidance when needed.
About this guidance
This Growing Safely Guide provides general GrowHive guidance and is not a complete statement of pesticide law. Product authorisations, permitted uses and professional-user requirements can change. Growers are responsible for checking the current requirements that apply to their products, crops, location and growing activity.