Published: October 29, 2009 12:43 pm      

Consumer Q’s

Prepared by the Office of Public Affairs

Georgia Department of Agriculture

Tommy Irvin, Commissioner

www.agr.georgia.gov



Q. Do herbicides kill only weeds? 

A. Herbicides are commonly called “weed-killers,” but they can kill prized plants if not properly used.  The herbicides don’t even have to be directly applied to the plants to kill or do damage.  For example, spraying an herbicide on a windy day can carry it to other plants in your yard or even your neighbor’s yard.  If misapplied or mishandled, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides can also kill fish, birds or even people.  Please read and understand the label instructions before using an herbicide or any pesticide.  Make sure all pesticides are used properly and stored properly.



Q. Will a pesticide remain viable longer if stored in a refrigerator?

A. NEVER store any pesticide in a refrigerator!  That includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides or any other kind of pesticide.  You, your children or someone else may be killed by accidentally consuming a pesticide.  And you should NEVER store pesticides in containers that were not intended for that purpose.  Children as well as adults have died from drinking pesticides that were being stored in a soft drink bottle, sports drink bottle, juice bottle or similar container.



Q. I found a vine on my property that has attractive blue, purple, violet and almost turquoise berries. It has leaves similar to a grape. Do you know what it is? Is it a good garden plant?

A. It sounds like porcelain vine (Ampelopsis brevidpedunculata). It is native to the Far East but is naturalized in parts of the United States, including Georgia. The berries are indeed attractive, but it spreads like wildfire and is considered an invasive weed. If you plant it in your garden you will be pulling up porcelain vine seedlings the rest of your life and so will your neighbors.

Porcelain vine is also called porcelain berry and Amur peppervine. To verify our identification, take a sample of the vine to your county Extension office, a nursery or garden center staffed with trained horticulturists, or look it up at your local library or see photos at HYPERLINK "http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/ambr.html" www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/ambr.html.



Q. Will using a higher octane gasoline help improve car performance?

A. Although some drivers prefer to use high octane gasoline, most modern automobiles are made to burn low octane fuel.

All levels of gasoline contain cleaning agents that keep a car running smooth and cut down on harmful pollutants being released into the air. Lower octane gasoline, however, can cost between 10 and 30 cents less than the higher.

Some high-performance vehicles do require high octane, so drivers should check their owner’s manual to see what is best for their car.



If you have questions about services or products regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, visit www.agr.georgia.gov or write to us at 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Room 227, Atlanta, GA 30334; e-mail info@agr.state.ga.us or telephone 1-800-282-5852.