Use Caution When Harvesting and Feeding Ditch Hay

Sucks if you didn't know it had been applied.

Lloyd

And the effect of these very persistent herbicides is not equal with ALL vegetable crops. Only certain types of plants tend to be sensitive - members of the Solanaceae (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, etc.) and legumes - beans and peas. If you suspect contamination, it is relatively simple to do a bioassay by attempting to germinate a bean seed - germination and healthy growth indicates the compost is free of contaminates.

Flash forward to May after I've put the 18 yards of soil in 16 inch raised garden beds that are now fenced, etc. I have been seeing weird growth, like a virus, but it was affecting only plants in beds with the new soil. After doing some research and speaking to the Extension office - it seems that my nice soil which had been amended with cow manure apparently is contaminated with Grazon - an herbicide used on animal hay because it kills pigweed and other broad-leaved weeds. It doesn't hurt the cows, passes right through them into the manure. The manure takes anywhere from a year to several to lose the toxicity of the herbicide...

So, instead of terrific beans, cowpeas, potatoes, etc. I have twisted and deformed plants... I'm hoping to let others know about this phenomena - it's apparently well-known in the industry. Too bad I didn't know about this... And worse yet, the Farm that sold me the soil either didn't know or didn't care... :-(

Cindy

mensplace, what do you know about the toxicity to humans and whether vegetables grown in soil amended with manure from animals that ate treated hay, will actually be a toxic risk?

FYI for everyone...Lifted from Wiki:

Picloram is a systemic herbicide used for general woody plant control, sold under the trade names Tordon and Grazon. It also controls a wide range of broad-leaved weeds, but most grasses are resistant.[1] A chlorinated derivative of picolinic acid, picloram is in the pyridine family of herbicides.

Picloram can be sprayed on foliage, injected into plants, applied to cut surfaces, or placed at the base of the plant where it will leach to the roots. Once absorbed by the foliage, stem, or roots, picloram is transported throughout the plant.

During the Vietnam War, a mixture of picloram and 2,4-D, known as Agent White, was sprayed on plants that survived treatment with Agent Orange (2,4,5-T and 2,4-D).

Picloram is of moderate toxicity to the eyes and only mildly toxic on the skin.[1] There is no documented history of human intoxication by picloram so symptoms of acute exposure are difficult to characterize. A possible symptom from massive amounts would be nausea.

Picloram is the most persistent of its family of herbicides.[2] It does not adhere to soil and so may leach to groundwater, and has in fact been detected there. It is degraded in soil and water mainly by microbes. Picloram has very little tendency to accumulate in aquatic life.

Gardeners who use dung as fertilizer should check to make certain that the animal source has not grazed on picloram treated hay, as the dung still has broadleaf killing potency.[3]

Does anyone know how I could test an old bale of straw/hay to be sure it doesn't have any pesticide residues?

It seems probable that manure from and hay/straw suppliers to equine brood farms or race horses might be free of this material. I read that straw/hay grown in this material can induce miscarriage in rabbits, surely horse breeders know about this and take extra care.

Back when I had a pick up truck, I used to get loads of very weedy grass from fields that owners had mowed in compliance with weed abatement and fire safety. Nothing sprayed on them. FREE was the important factor, and my kids had a ball helping to 'harvest' the grass/weeds.

Now I get tree trimmings from local arborist ... it is FREE and probably as safe as possible in this unsafe world. Composts nicely and plants seem to prosper.