Allotments 4 All

I'd like to manure my beds ready for next year, can I do the bean test now? I.e sow in manure in the greenhouse, is that all there is to it? ???

also, if the worst happens and the mnaure is contaminated is the bagged composted stable manure you get in the garden centre ok? It must have been composted at least a year surely?

Have I missed something?

I have no idea what a bean test is.

If you think your muck is contaminated plant a broad Bean in it... they are very susceptible to the damage...  :-X

just had delivery of 16 tons of very well rotted stuff but I'm doing the broad bean test, anyway..planted them up today  :)

Quote from: reddyreddy on October 08, 2009, 14:49:45
It must have been composted at least a year surely?

Composting does nothing to aminopyralid except concentrate it.  Commercial bagged products have been found to be contaminated.  The producers get their raw material from the same sources we do.

I have added full details, including photos, of how to carry out a bean test to prove the presence of aminopyralid contamination here:-http://www.growyourown.info/page164.html
Note that it does not show up a low level of contamination, only a level high enough to cause the typical fern-like foliage damage.
I have just completed the test for demonstration purposes using manure which is at least one and a half years old and has been in the farmer's dump, then in smaller piles in my allotment for 10 months, all open to the rain and weather. As expected, it is still extremely toxic to peas, beans, tomatoes and potatoes. I did the test using peas, broad beans and tomato cuttings, and would confirm that broad beans give the best indication of aminopyralid contamination.
I had a look at the beans today, and they are now dying.

thank you! I don't know if it is contaminated but before I barrow tons of the stuff from the horses next door I wanted to be sure! Will pick some up today and plant my bean!  :)

One bean isn't enough.  A major shortcoming of the bean test is that it only tests the quantity of manure in the pot.  With a large quantity of (particularly stable) manure, it is quite possible that some is contaminated, some not.  The best you are going to be able to do is take samples from different parts of the pile and test them.  But it's still not foolproof.

manicscousers 16 tons -  you will be shovelling for years

went down to the plot and collected a bucket of poo from various parts of the manure heap and 2 beans will plant up in the greenhouse this afternoon. fingers crossed!

Quote from: Stevens706 on October 09, 2009, 12:18:02
manicscousers 16 tons -  you will be shovelling for years

don't worry, we all share it  ;D
I've done 2 different types of bean, 4 pots in all of each  :)