Topic: What news on aminopyralid?

[BAK]

We had an "Allotment Tea" yesterday ... Parish council meets plot holders at the site with some cakes and soft drinks.

The subject of manure came up, and as we have had quite a number of new plot holders in the last two seasons I briefly explained the problem of aminopyralid.

This got me wondering ... is anybody still suffering its effects?

[aj]

Well; yes and no!

We had a batch last year that was removed, and the two beds that it was stashed on have now been rotavated and planted up - and some of the crops on it are looking 'amino-ed' but others are looking fine.

And the spuds that are now in a bed that was briefly mulched with it, are all growing fine.

I've not heard yet of anyone affected by a new batch. However the farmer is still selling it and I suspect there will be cries of 'AARRGGHH' anytime soon, once people realise what has happened.

[Digeroo]

We are still getting problems with volunteers potatoes and I have a few sad looking broad beans.  Had hoped the effect would have worn off by now but I do not think the dry weather helps.  I think that the bacteria that help break it down do not work as well when it is dry.

I have given mine some comfrey tea and am cautiously optimistic about the effects.

I took one patch of potatoes and watered some with  well water, some with rain water and some with comfrey.   The comfrey patch is twice the height of the others, the rain water ones are starting to unfurl but the well water are still looking very sad,  I bellieve the calcium carb content of the well water has an adverse effect.

There are still quite a few broad beans with curled up leaves around the site.

The Americans have insisted that BP pay for the damage they have caused I do believe that we should be insisting that Dow cough up.

[SMP1704]

You are right Digeroo. 

Trouble is the media images aren't dramatic enough to generate the worldwide interest and government action needed to make Dow pay up.

Even though we love our beans, toms and spuds etc it just doesn't compare with oiled and dying birds and loss of life.

The UK government, DEFRA et al seem to be on the side of big business...........I don't usually feel small and insignificant but when faced with such a wall of indifference, its hard to know what to do.......except carry on growing, with fingers crossed.

I do know that I won't be buying Homebase manure in a hurry again........ >:(

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

We had it bad last year. lost nearly everything. The only thing that grew well was brassica's. We will be only using mushroom compost from now on combined with blood fish and bonemeal. Once bit twice shy.

[aj]

Amazing - I think we got ours from the same farmer as you.......