[TheModfather]

Hi all. Regarding my recent post ( http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=35194.0 ) I would like to ask for a bit more advice if possible. It seems that infact the soil is contaminated since the addition of all that cow manure and I am fairly certain that the much dreaded 'Aminopyralid Herbicide' is to blame!

Having done some further investigation - and photography....

... I believe the potatoes I planted in containers with a mixture of manure and compost are infected



and the peas, grown in a bed with manure addeded in the winter are too (slightly hard to tell from this picture but some of the newer leaves are beginning to curl up)



As I mentioned in the old topic, I have now begun the manure experiment with the broad beans to make absolutely certain:



My questions are:

Will I be able to eat the produce that is growing in the manured soil that isnt visibly affected i.e. onions, brassicas etc?

Will I be able to distribute and level the contaminated soil around several apple trees without an adverse affect upon them?

Thanks very much for your continued support and advice. Believe me, it's very much appreciated at this time!

[Rangerkris]

Oh i reckon you would have to get rid of the soil thats is still around, but i know nothing as its all nw to me this growing lark hahaha hope you get sorted.

[peterjf]

could it that the manure content is too rich  for the plants, and the manure conent is actually burning the plants ,

there does seem to be a lot of manure around in your photographs

[TheModfather]

Possibly. Its the first time I've used pure manure on the garden. Wasnt sure how much to add and may well have gone unknowingly over the top! Good idea - I hope so!

[woodburner]

It does look like pyralid to me.
It gets broken down by soil bacteria, so if the manure is mixed in with the soil the bacteria will already be working on it.
I'm growing onions and garlic where my no dig spuds were last year (grown in well rotted manure over cardboard). The poor potatoes got the worst of it because the manure was not in contact with the soil until the cardboard rotted away. Onions are less affected by it, too, so I suppose it's possible it hasn't all broken down yet, but the weeds were doing ok til I cleared them, so I reckon yours'll be fine in a few more weeks.

Your peas don't look so bad anyway.

Oh and we've eaten the spuds with no ill effects. I think yields were low though, can't be sure as it was my first year, and I may well be drastically over planting this year to ensure enough crop.

[TheModfather]

Thanks woodburner. Thats one of the most positive replies I've had on the matter. I'm glad to hear that there is hope for the soil. Today I replaced all the soil in one of my raised beds in the hope that I can get some potatoes going properly. Would you suggest that this is an unnecessary measure for the rest of them???

I have onions in another bed - and you're right - they aren't showing any ill effects thankfully. Would you say your soil is completely clear now???

Many thanks for the response and advice.

[woodburner]

Thanks woodburner. Thats one of the most positive replies I've had on the matter. I'm glad to hear that there is hope for the soil. Today I replaced all the soil in one of my raised beds in the hope that I can get some potatoes going properly. Would you suggest that this is an unnecessary measure for the rest of them???

I have onions in another bed - and you're right - they aren't showing any ill effects thankfully. Would you say your soil is completely clear now???

Many thanks for the response and advice.

It depends how long you can wait and how bad it was to start with. In time the residue will be broken down, and the soil will be that much better for the addition of organic matter.

Sweet corn won't be affected, so you could grow that. Remember to burn the stalks after harvesting, though, rather than composting them, just in case they have fixed the pyralid again (it binds to lignin - the stuff that makes the stems woody).

Yes, I'm pretty sure my patch is clear now. I remembered after my last post, that the potatoes were finally looking ok before they died down very suddenly - probably it was the colder weather of autumn - one day they were looking good two days later they were died down.

[TheModfather]

Thanks woodburner!

I think I'll have a go at sweetcorn! It's not too late to sow now is it?

Was it last year you noticed the infection??? Sorry if its a stupid question but how exactly were you growing your spuds (whats the cardboard about)

Many thanks.

[Kristen]

"It's not too late to sow now is it?"

No, good timing. They hate having their roots disturbed and I recommend you search here for chitting sweetcorn, to get it to germinate, and Richy's paper pots to grow them in so you can transplant without disturbance.

Don't grow an F1 Super Sweet variety near any other sweet corn variety.

[TheModfather]

I've just started making the paper pots. Brilliant idea!!! Thanks very much for the advice!!!