[Nobbie]

Having just discovered that the manure I used on my potatoes seems to be contaminated, I'm going to dig out as much as I can (it was laid at the bottom of the trenches).

Obviously the potatoes have had it, so I was wondering what I could plant that would be most resistant to any residual Aminopyralid. I've read that tomatoes, onions, carrots are all sensitive, but I've not seen any reports about cabbages being affected and assume sweetcorn would be ok as it's a grass.

Anyone got any info or know where resistant plants are listed, I've got a lot of cabbages and brussles just waiting to get planted, but don't want to waste them

[Runwell-Steve]

I'm not sure about what plants are resistant, but before you go digging are you sure that is your problem.

Have your potatoes suddenly changed and started looking like that or have they always looked like that since they first sprouted.  If they've always looked like that then you may be correct, otherwise if they have recenty started looking like that then there have been some frosts about last week which would also make you potatoes look pretty sorry for themselves.

[mumofstig]

here's some pictures of Aminopyralid affected potatoes.
http://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/261/contaminated-manure-aminopyralid-update/

here's a pic of frosted potatoes
http://www.soilman.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Frosted-potatoes.jpg

Fingers crossed that you recognise the frost damage!

[realfood]

The brassicas seem to cope quite well and continue to grow, though I have seen some distortion of the leaves.
Sweetcorn, being a grass copes well.
Everything else seems to be affected to some degree.
Depending on the degree of contamination, it is possible after a month, for the potatoes to start to grow again though the final crop is likely to be reduced.

[Nobbie]

Thanks realfood, I'll give brassica and sweetcorn a go. I might leave a row of spuds in to see what happens.

Mumofstig,

unfortunately it's the former , They seemed very slow to show as well. The comparison with some volunteers without the manure is quite marked.

[Kristen]

Sorry to hear that Nobbie I hope that this is some old (3 years+) well rotted manure that has been lying around, rather than newer manure since they (supposedly) tightened up the regulations on its use?

[ge0ff]

Having just discovered that the manure I used on my potatoes seems to be contaminated, I'm going to dig out as much as I can (it was laid at the bottom of the trenches).

Obviously the potatoes have had it, so I was wondering what I could plant that would be most resistant to any residual Aminopyralid. I've read that tomatoes, onions, carrots are all sensitive, but I've not seen any reports about cabbages being affected and assume sweetcorn would be ok as it's a grass.

Anyone got any info or know where resistant plants are listed, I've got a lot of cabbages and brussles just waiting to get planted, but don't want to waste them

Hi Nobbie - I just found your posts here (I've been replying to your posts in the other thread). Sympathies go out to you again. I'll pass on the information I have, as follows...

1. The sensitivity of any plant to aminopyralid is dose-dependent - and who knows how much of the stuff is in a particular lump of dung? Not me or you.

2. Some plants exhibit less sensitivity to aminopyralid - and these include grasses and sweetcorn. Unfortunately we don't eat much grass.

3. If your contamination turns out to be from the herbicide 'Forefront', as mine seems to be, you might like to read the health & safety data sheet - http://www.dowagro.com/uk/labels/index.htm - it helped me to make up my mind about whether or not to eat any veg I grow this year.

4. Two really nice brussels plants I planted recently seem to be suffering very badly, so I'm not sure that the 'brassicae are ok' advice is correct. Time will tell. In any case, would I want to eat the sprouts on Christmas Day, as was my intention? - I don't think so. In my experience, rhubarb definitely gets clobbered by it.

5. Currently our radishes seem to be as happy as pigs in muck!


EDIT - sorry, forgot to mention that Dow also told me that courgettes seem to be quite resistant. Doesn't mean they don't have it in their system though, does it? Hope this helps.

[Aunt Sally]

Some very interesting information here:

http://www.dowagro.com/uk/grass_bites/faq/

Particularly the part that says:

What about the manure/compost/slurry from animals fed on grass (silage, hay, grazed grass) that has been treated with aminopyralid?

[realfood]

I do not agree with Dow about courgettes. I found them susceptible last year, with one dying and the others suffering. Similarly with Winter squash.

[ge0ff]

I do not agree with Dow about courgettes. I found them susceptible last year, with one dying and the others suffering. Similarly with Winter squash.

Shall I do the Dow 'bean test' on a courgette? I'm suspicious about their susceptibility too - and luckily I have just the stuff to test it with. 

[radiohead]

My deepest sympathy to anyone afflicted with this......I have to ask though....does anyone really want to eat produce grown on this nightmare?......Despite the reassurances from Dow I'd be very wary.....how many years before we suddenly are informed that this chemical is carcinogenic.

[lancashiregardeninggal]

My deepest sympathy to anyone afflicted with this......I have to ask though....does anyone really want to eat produce grown on this nightmare?......Despite the reassurances from Dow I'd be very wary.....how many years before we suddenly are informed that this chemical is carcinogenic.

My thoughts exactly - I have only ever grown organically and never used a chemical - I only found out about Aminopyralid through this site several weeks ago - I can get muck from down the lane (a matter of yards away) but not as keen to do this anymore 

[mumofstig]

I can get muck from down the lane (a matter of yards away) but not as keen to do this anymore 

get a little bit and do the bean test if the test goes ok.........then get some more and use it. It's worth getting if it's good stuff

[lancashiregardeninggal]

I know MOS - I'm going up later with me trowel and bucket - and will post back when the bean is growing. 

[ge0ff]

My deepest sympathy to anyone afflicted with this......I have to ask though....does anyone really want to eat produce grown on this nightmare?......Despite the reassurances from Dow I'd be very wary.....how many years before we suddenly are informed that this chemical is carcinogenic.

Having read the safety data sheet for 'Forefront' (one of the Dow herbicides containing aminopyralid), I can confirm that it says that Forefront is 'not carcinogenic' and 'not mutagenic'. Sadly, it's certainly made my potato plants look severely mutant!

I know where you're coming from, radiohead. No, I do not want to eat anything containing this 'nightmare', as you put it. All the reassurances that it passes through mammals don't convince me that I am safe eating any produce from the allotment now. Kinda defeats the purpose of having an allotment, doesn't it!