Aminopyralid/herbicide damage 2012

[zazen999]

I was caught a few years back by a local farm who had supplied our allotments with manure for donkey's years - and we spend an age getting most of it off our plot and it is still having an effect on our crops.

So, when gardening at sites with work, I am very clear that I check the provenance of any materials supplied; and rarely use any animal manures.

On the plot I went to today the only thing I have used in any way is their grass for mulching my plants. The grass is from mowed football pitches.

So imagine my surprise when I get there today to find - yes - herbicide damage straight from the grass to the plant. I checked when I first started there that the grass had NO weed and feed used, and was assured that this was the case.

Today - the chap there said 'we've been told not to give you grass from the pitches as weed and feed has been used'. Yes is my response, I've just been telling these teachers that the damage on these toms is herbicide related.

So - even though it wasn't out the back end of an animal - it's STILL affecting plants.

BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU PUT ON YOUR PLOT.

[realfood]

It may be clopyralid, which is frequently a constituent of treatments for domestic lawns, and probably playing fields as well. there are warning notices on the containers about not putting the grass clippings onto compost heaps or using as mulch. If it is clopyralid, then the evil effects should not last as long as aminopyralid, if that is any consolation.

[veggiechicken]

What happens to the treated grass clippings? Do they go to some recycling centre to be turned into compost that is then bagged up and sold on to the unsuspecting gardener? Does this account for the poor quality of some of the compost for sale?
I wish I hadn't read this!

[zazen999]

What happens to the treated grass clippings? Do they go to some recycling centre to be turned into compost that is then bagged up and sold on to the unsuspecting gardener? Does this account for the poor quality of some of the compost for sale?
I wish I hadn't read this!

Mine go straight from field to plot - as I had been assured that they hadn't been treated. The plot is on the same site as the football pitch.

I appreciate it is probably some other type of 'ralid' but Aminopyralid is the one people search for so using it again would pick it up in a search.

[SarzWix]

I've wondered about this in terms of the compost/soil conditioner which is sometimes available to buy from local councils. If this is made from the contents of householder's garden waste bins, how do they know it hasn't been contaminated with weedkillers? On those grounds, I've never bought it, and avoid any bagged soil conditioners which state they're made from recycled green waste unless it's specified that it's composted bark or something like that.

[solway cropper]

I'm posting these pics in the hope that someone can assure me this is not aminopyralid damage to my tomatoes. The horribly distorted growth has now led to the death of the affected shoots and the plants seem to be dying back from the top.

If this is aminopyralid the only place it could possibly have come from is a bag of 'organic' farmyard manure which I bought as I was running short of home-made compost

.

[zazen999]

I'm afraid that it isn't good news at all. That is herbicide damage through and through.

[solway cropper]

I suspected as much but I would like to know is how the FYM produced by one of the major suppliers could be marketed as 'organic'. That was my only reason for buying it as I normally operate on a more or less closed system and figured that 'organic' manure would be entirely free of contamination.

Hmm, welcome to the real world

[SarzWix]

The only herbicide damage I've ever had on my plot was from a bag of Levington's Farmyard Manure, which I spread over a raspberry bed, and then watched every cane slowly keel over.

[Paulottie]

I should take that up with the supplier SC....and then the Soil Assoc.

[zazen999]

I suspected as much but I would like to know is how the FYM produced by one of the major suppliers could be marketed as 'organic'. That was my only reason for buying it as I normally operate on a more or less closed system and figured that 'organic' manure would be entirely free of contamination.

Hmm, welcome to the real world

Did it have the Soil Association 'badge' on it? Who is it? And yes, if so, take it up with them and the Soil Association.

It's a nightmare this stuff, isn't it?

[Paulottie]

Kind of you to reiterate Z...However regardless of a 'badge' or not it cannot have the word 'organic' on it unless it is...I would be looking for compensation here and given you say it is a big company the Soil Soc may be the only way to press this.... as the can afford the lawyers! They should be stopped for the good of all - so definitely report what happens (rather than publishing the company name just yet.)

[lottie dolly]

thanks for letting us all know ZAZ,what scarry stuff,is nothing safe or sacred anymore,

[zazen999]

Kind of you to reiterate Z...However regardless of a 'badge' or not it cannot have the word 'organic' on it unless it is

Well, I have to say that if that was the case, then SC wouldn't have herbidice damage to those tomatoes, would they?

[Alison]

Well, I have to say that if that was the case, then SC wouldn't have herbidice damage to those tomatoes, would they?

That's the point, it obviously isn't organic so shouldn't say it is.