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Mr.Dowding,
Our three hundred heirloom/hybrid tomato plants and potatoes were all planted in the same five year old horse manure compost and are all showing the same deformities. We suspect aminopyralid is the culprit but have been told by master gardeners lack of nitrogen is the problem. Due to horse manure binding up the nitrogen. What do you think the cause could be? I will attach images below.
Sincerely,
Hunter and Ryan from VAHunter
I am so sorry to see this, it’s aminopyralid.
Such a horrible poison that should never have been allowed.
It looks doubtful that you will have much crop.
I hope that the weedkiller breaks down this year, as it’s now in contact with soil organisms.Hunter, I am very sorry too, having gone through this myself. The experience is soul destroying but you have to crack on! I bought 12 tons of contaminated manure last year and spread it on my garden. Luckily (not that there was anything lucky about the experience) I applied it as a deep surface mulch. I removed every last scrap of it by hand and wheel barrow and had the expense of the cost of a grab lorry to remove and dispose of it. If you have mixed it with soil, organisms in the soil will break it down over time. There are many articles on the Web. For future reference test manure by growing broad or field beans in a 5″ pot. Sow 5 seeds in the pot alongside 5 beans in a pot containing a good bought compost. If contamination is present the growth in beans will curl. Field beans are the most sensitive plant to the effects of AP. I now only use Green Compost and horse manure from a local field where I know they don’t use weed killers. You should write to Dow Chemicals (weedkiller manufacturer) and report your findings.
If you search the forum for my previous posts you will see where Charles identified the problem for me and the effect it had on my plants.
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