[millie C]

I garden organically and have raised organic veg beds contained by wooden planks and lined with permeable weed suppressant. I have a rat problem, - large runs dug around the outer wooden edge of the bed which I guess burrow underneath it. My hubby doesn't really understand the whole organic concept so he poured rat poison (the blue coated corn type) down the holes. I now have the dilema that I don't know how the poison will affect my existing crop in the veg bed as I fear that the veg will have taken up the poison through the water table, and also how long I should leave the bed before I can use it again.
Also wondered if anyone knew of a crop that I could grow to 'clean up' the soil.
HELP!

[Celtic Eagle]

Hi Millie

Welcome to the forums

Difficult to say if the rat poison will affect the veg.  It would be fairly localised around where the corn was spread Dig that bit out but I doubt if the veg will have taken it up.

Other more experienced people may know more thatn I do

[gobs]

Will greatly depend on what your active ingredient is in there, warfarin for example, is not water soluble and has a half-life of near a year and yes, plants take it up, not much research done in this, as Celtic Eagle says, but depending on levels can effect growth or cause death of plants.

In that case, you are looking at a year. Or look for plants to grow that naturally contain warfarin.

If it is something else, google it, not all are long-term in the environment.

[millie C]

Thanks for the replies, the active ingredient was coumatetralyl which I believe is a warfarin, so looks like I have to leave ground fallow for a year. The poison has been down about 3 months now and plants still growing happily (spinach, cailiflower, cabbage, parsley) but I won't risk using them - do you think it's best to pull them out and leave the ground clear? I won't use them in the compost bin either! I am gutted and hubby is not the most popular person in the household! I will have to find another spot for my veg - any advice on how far away that should be - I'm guessing 4 or 5 yards away ought to be OK.

[gobs]

Millie if it's warfarin kind of agent, than probably best to dig that area up as Eagle said in gloves, with soil, bag it and safely dispose of. So you are not worried and don't have to leave the place unused.