Are you careful about what you put in compost?

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Apparently some people don't care or don't know that bringing in foreign materiel can be a source of problems. The article is from the Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134394100_co mpost22m0.html

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002

Answers

Thanks Matt. But I can't seem to pull up the site. Can you summarize or is it too long? I'm very interested. Thanks, Mike

-- Mike in PA (smfine@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.

Try this lead: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/krseattle/20020122/lo/corrupt_com post_herbicide_threatens_state_s_growers_gardeners_waste_ managers_1.html

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.

You get spaces inserted something like every seventy characters or so (width of entry window?) when you're making a post here, if there haven't been spaces before. By all means copy and paste the links into your address line, but then run along finding and deleting the spaces before you hit the "Enter" key.

Example follows (check where the space occurs - there is no space in my entered string of digits, which extends over two entire lines of the "Submit" box)):

1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 22, 2002.


another reason not to use herbicides

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 22, 2002.

It’s scary that this clopyralid, in amounts as tiny as three parts per billion can survive composting and ruin sensitive plants.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134394100_compost22m0. html

I bet for people who copy & paste, mine will stop at the last '.' - you'll need to type in the 'html' part before trying to access the web page.

It is about Clopyralid herbicide residue on straw, which a gardener used from a neighbor's horse stall and it killed his new tomato plants. As little as 3 parts per billion can kill certain tender crops.

Now, when I look it up, the stuff is 'Stinger' as well as other brand names. It kills some really tough perannual braodleaf weeds, such as Canadian Thistles. It's too expensive around 'here' to be used widely in farm crops, but it seems that urban folks have really taken to it & use it on their lawns a lot. Since it is a persistant herbicide, you need to compost it for a year before letting it back into 'any' seedbed so it breaks down fully. Seems there are a lot of problems with the accelerated composting programs some cities are trying to do, where the lawn clippings are sold as fertiliser within a couple of months.

I've used Stinger, only as a spot spray for very tough Canadian Thistles. Those buggers grow from very deep tap roots, and can survive multiple tillage & less costly sprays. For me, I would prefer using Stinger as a spot spray and be rid of the patches of thistles, rather than spraying 1-2 times a year on the same patches of thistles with a less persistant chemical. I think less danger comes from using the 1 time spray, rather than year after year...

I'm sure many will disagree. This shows the problems of we humans 'all getting along' as we try to make the best decisions we can for ourselves and each other. Those of you that would, right away, wish to ban the product - I hope you study what that would truely accomplish.

Of course, the original point of this thread seemed to be that you should consider where your compost products come from, and on that I totally agree. Whether you grow with or without chemicals, you need to really check out your sources of anything imported to find out if they match your style of living.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.


Very interesting article. From what was quoted in the piece of the manufacturers position, a possible solution is to stage your compost supplies such that it can age 2 or more seasons prior to use , unless you have the capability to verify the origin of the materials being decomposed. Think I will pass this over to my county agent to get his suggestions on saftey practices though

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.

Paul:

Several folks on the forum have said they have obtained excellent control of thistles by spraying them with vinegar.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 22, 2002.


Thanks Ken, I'll have to look for those threads.

Now, several 100 gallons of acid, I'll also have to consider the enviornmental implications of _that_, as well as if it will harm the corn/oats in the field.

Answers to problems are never easy, are they? :)

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.


For anyone having trouble getting to the article, go to

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com and put in "compost" as an archive search.

-- Rick (WV) (Rick_122@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.



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