Terms Used In Garden Care Products

An explanation of what some of the terms used in Garden Care Products mean.


Concentrate
These products  are generally available as either weedkillers, insecticides or fungicides. These will need to be mixed with water prior to use.

Contact
Means that the chemical does not move but stays where it is sprayed. Contact products need to be carefully sprayed to get good cover of the target weed or insect infested plant.

Fertilisers
Fertilisers are added to the soil to aid plant growth and can be mineral, organic or a combination of both.

Organic
Organic matter refers to composts or similar materials derived from plant material

Ready to Use (RTU)
These products, are ready for immediate use and can be used several times until product is empty. The products are usually either powders (ants), pellets (slugs, rats, mice), trigger spray guns (weeds, fungi, insects) or impregnated fertiliser granules (lawn).

Systemic
Means the chemical can either move through the plant from the roots to the foliage or within the plant when applied to the leaf. Systemic weedkillers are good at killing underground roots of perennial weeds. Systemic insecticides can kill insects hidden from contact with the spray.