Killer Compost

[3cows]

In researching for an article I was writing this week, I happened upon this information and thought I would share it, since I am sure I am not the only knee-deep in seed catalogs and garden diagrams.

Picloram, Clopyralid or Aminopyralid herbicides, sold under the trade names of:

Tordon, Access, Surmount, Grazon, Pathway, Curtail, Confront, Clopyr AG, Lontrel, Stinger, Millennium Ultra, Millenium Ultra Plus, Reclaim, Redeem, Transline, Milestone, Forefront, Pharaoh, and Banish

are easily absorbed by some types of common vegetable plants, such as lettuce, beans, peas, spinach, tomatoes and potatoes and can cause them to grow in a twisted manner, with malformed leaves, often appearing cupped. Production is poor, but supposedly safe to eat.

This problem is showing up in gardens where hay that was treated with these herbicides is used for compost, and since it passes through the grazing animal, even composted manure from animals who eat the hay or pasture on land treated with these can be deadly to your garden. Some of the information even suggested it could be present in commercial compost and manures bought by the bag.

This may be old news to many of you, but it made me sit up and take notice - and ask questions of my hay grower. I depend on my garden for much of my food each year and, especially in iffy times like these, I don't want to ruin my soil and be forced to buy commercially grown food.

If anyone has experience with this or more info to add, I would very much appreciate it.

www.the-compost-gardener.com/picloram.html

www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/pest-control/herbicide-damage-zmgz13fmzsto.aspx

content.ces.ncsu.edu/herbicide-carryover

compostingcouncil.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Herbicide-Carryover.pdf

ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2014/8/Contaminated-Compost-Equals-Gardening-Problems/

[Debbie Lincoln]

I have had a problem with twisted leaves like you describe on my tomato plants which are grown in compost I have made. I have to assume that all the hay I buy has been "herbicided" and thus ends up in my own garden. :-(

[Jenn]

That's one reason I avoid "horse hay" because around here it only means no weeds, which means it's been sprayed.

[Deleted]

This is very interesting. I hadn't really thought about it before, yet the discovery doesn't surprise me. Thanks for sharing!

[treatlisa]

This has come up a time or two and I shudder to think of the possibilities. It's bound to be a problem for people like me who often buys from a broker who gets hay from here, there and everywhere... This is worrisome and I need to invest some more time in what options I have for a more consistent source.

My uncle actually grows hay and you would think that would give me a bit of an edge, but they are highly commercial and have little interest is providing a special field just for me. :/ They do keep me a squeeze of dairy hay that is cut before being sprayed with pesticide in the spring when the aphids get bad... so that is one good thing, and it is much appreciated.

[throwback]

It's a huge problem here in the PNW, straw for bedding is also suspect so you have to be very careful who you buy from. The herbicides can actually be more potent in the compost...

Potting soil is another biggie, only buy OMRI approved or you may be in for a surprise.