Identify growth problems caused by aminopyralid residues in hay and horse manure

Some hay and the manure from animals who ate it contains active weedkiller, without any obvious indication of its presence. The video is to help at least with identifying the problem, should you have stunted growth.
I show how the aminopyralid weedkiller affects plants, the new leaves curling inwards or dying, and explain which vegetables and flowers are most affected.
How to deal with the problem is less obvious, above all it needs time for soil microbes to break down the poison.
There is more about this on the web. In 2020 there are more cases than ever - do let the authorities know if you think your plants have been poisoned, use the Corteva site www.corteva.co.uk/manure-matt..., and send emails to [e-mail] and [e-mail], headed “Aminopyralid contamination”.
More about my growing history charlesdowding.co.uk/charles-...
My website has much information about no dig, for example charlesdowding.co.uk/start-here/
I have two online courses which include hundreds of photos and exclusive video content, for more information go to charlesdowding.co.uk/product-...
I sell books and a calendar from my website, with information about growing these and the timings you need, charlesdowding.co.uk/product-...
Filmed at Homeacres in May 2019 by David Adams.

[@VagabondAnne]

I think you should add "Aminopyralid" to your video title, in case anyone is searching for information. Thank you for highlighting this problem.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Done

[@dandantao5799]

Not only Aminopyralid, there are also a lot of other herbicides which can cause plant damage, e. g., 2 4-D, dicamba. This terrible stuff kills all my tomatoes and beans this year. It could be in the 'organic' compost/hay or airborne (some vaporized drop can travel miles). I learned a lot about herbicide damage in the past weekend, but am not able to do anything to save my plants...

[@SheilaB3]

@@dandantao5799 Me too, Im in zone 5b and I'm sick over this!!! We babied our tomatoes and peppers with grow lights and heat mats this year, they were Beautiful when we up potted them and ready to set out in the garden (too much rain and cloudy days, in my area) but the leaf curling and disfigurement is nothing I've really experienced before! Too late to do anything about them now, out of 45 tomatoes varieties Im praying a few of them survive this nightmare!

[@dandantao5799]

@@SheilaB3 I'm also in Zone 5b (Colorado)! I do have some tomatoes survived. I find out mine are from airborne herbicide which is less severe than the herbicide in the compost. What I did is pinching off the affected tips to remove the herbicide from the plant, then let it grow new suckers from bottom. Also I find the period when the herbicide drift happens is April and May in my area. My plan next year is to postpone the dates that move out my seedlings from the growing room to the beginning of June. Hope your tomatoes can survive the herbicide damage!

[@SheilaB3]

Dandan Tao Thanks for your reply! I’m in Chicago land suburbs and I think mine is the same as yours too from air borne. We do have a yard Service and tell them always do NOT go near the garden area and this guy was new and went right along it last month! He also killed off grass in other areas of our yard. Needless to say I’m upset about this, it’s never happened before in the 4 years we’ve been gardening. Some tomatoes survived and I will try doing what you did and cut back the curled leafs, but they are the new ones that are forming at the top, is that OK to do that?

[@diyfferent]

This is a problem in the United States as well and sadly very few people know about it or talk about it. Thank you for being a voice for us all and bringing attention to this problem.

[@ScottHead]

Thank you for sharing this. I am in Texas and have been struggling with this contamination this year and trying to make it known on my channel and on Facebook. This is irresponsible chemical business and the word needs to get out.

[@mshanahan7557]

Dow is making a product that turns an extremely valuble resource into a toxic waste only fit for burial. Its sale is an extreme example of making money by externalizing costs, and it should be banned, as it´s a both an environmental and economic crime. Thanks for highlighting this issue.

[@juliehodgson6439]

This is a huge huge problems that is seeping silently through the whole food chain. Thank you for highlighting. Julie hodgson

[@jjk2one]

The alfalfa hay killed my friends quarter horse mare. Red clover is making the cows bleed to death. Blood thinners are in our food (NOT NATURALLY) -don't touch cinnamon. There are invasive bees that are killing the native bumble bees and I saw one hovering over the bag of garden soil I bought. There are pheromones in the soil that are attracting the invasive species. The soil is loaded with bacteria and c. elegans parasites. This is the new biotech.

[@kath-phlox]

I'm sharing this on FB, it's so important, people need to be aware.

[@ambreewilliams6585]

Black Gumbo Southern Gardening posted a video last week on his problems with hay that he used on his backyard garden. This weed killer is pretty pervasive stuff. :( I shared his and this video in my favorite gardening group on FB. Every gardener needs to know about this dangerous chemical... :(

[@treesagreen4191]

Ditto!

[@talkorenlevy]

David the good talked about it quite a lot in his videos

[@clarelove3738]

I shared this on my allotment Facebook page and got an immediate backlash from our manure supplier, which makes me very suspicious. But it was more devastating to find that a store bought compost was contaminated, and my plants are badly affected. ☹

[@NS-pf2zc]

Thank you, SO MUCH, for talking about this. We found out about it just prior to establishing a new garden area. We mulch with hay and composted manure, and feed our livestock hay in areas we hope to garden in the future. All of the herbicides in the -pyralid family will do this. I feel like a broken record trying to spread the word, but it is truly astounding how widespread it is, but not well known. I feel with your large audience, hopefully the word will spread more quickly. Thank you again. And I'm very sorry this happened with your garden. You're such a lovely gardener...it pains me to see this happen to you.

[@fionasaunders7646]

Braes of Lorn Zimbabwe

[@fionasaunders7646]

You have just solved a mystery in my own garden, we use horse, poultry manure .Thank you ,

[@NS-pf2zc]

@@fionasaunders7646 So sorry to hear this happened to you. I've heard of possibly mitigating the damage by applying activated charcoal, or possibly to grow crops not affected, but then pulling them out once they've grown and discarding them in a place you do not plan to garden. Corn or other grass type crops. It may take a couple of years though. 😕

[@MsMariaSierra]

Absolutely so upsetting. But, that it can happen to you, whom I consider a master gardener, imagine the destruction it does to ordinary gardeners like myself. So sad that Dow is still allowed to continue to ruin the only planet we have! Thank you for sharing your problems Charles.

[@MrsJaydot]

"Like" is not the right button, but it's the only one available. So sorry this is happening in your garden. Only yesterday I watched a Dutch programme with a long time organic farmer in tears because traces of all sorts of poison were found in his meadows. Thank you for posting.

[@melissac7639]

That is so horrible, Charles! Here in the USA, my neighbors lawn company sprayed their lawn during 20mph day and it ruined a lot of my crops, my apple trees and even some of my large flowering trees in my front yard were affected. Pesticide/herbicide drift is illegal here in Michigan and I made a complaint with the department of agriculture and an investigation was conducted and in the end, the company was fined for the contamination. I'm also surrounded by farm lands that use airplanes to spray the fields.. this all gives me anxiety for this growing season. A time that is supposed to be exciting, is now an impending dread of the "spraying season." I think ALL pesticide/herbicide makers need to be held accountable for their disastrous effects on our organic gardens.

[@peterbochek8601]

Hello Charles, I live in Pennsylvania and my brother who has horses lives in Virginia. He buys hay for his horses and he has had the same effects from his horse manure when composted and added to the garden. His tomato plants start out fine and then within a couple of weeks the plants start to wither and die ! Your spot on that this issue should be further investigated by the government authorities. Farmers who are knowingly spraying this nasty chemical on their hay fields without telling their hay customers that the hay has been sprayed should be dealt with accordingly ! These large chemical company's are getting away with murder all under the guise of making millions of dollars ! Look at Monsanto who for years told the public that "Round Up " weed killer was safe and finally the truth is coming out that round up is toxic as the day is long and is causing cancer in human beings. Please keep up your great videos !

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Peter and this poisoning is more widespread than I had realised. I do wonder who the "authorities" are.

[@peterbochek8601]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you Charles for your reply. Indeed who are the "authorities " who are turning a blind eye to this issue of chemical miss use ?

[@mgreen6548]

I had exactly the same thing last year from 1 year old cow manure. My 30 tomato plants curled and stunted and the survivors produced 50% of a typical harvest. My capsicums grew with some curling and produced zero fruit. This is a real environmental issue. This and Round Up.

[@stephkrunic3884]

Charles, I'm very sorry for your garden and even more sorry that this is "a thing" at all. Please share your ideas and plans for remediating the compost and the soil. That is clearly information that will be needed by many.

[@ricos1497]

@plato smith Unfortunately it isn't fraud though. They - generally speaking - work to the rules that are set for them. That those rules are so lax as to be useless, and heavy lobbied to ensure that they remain that way, is where the issue lies.

[@TommyRyan]

Charles, you will see that Joe mentions the following to help speed up the breakdown of aminopyralid - "In my research and practice, I diligently worked to expose the soil to sunlight (Ultraviolet light), air and moisture. According to what I found on how to mitigate the active ingredient, the best way to accelerate it breaking down is a combination of all of the above. "

[@Painterdirect]

How frustrating, but brilliant that you’ve uncovered the issue and placed a call to action. It really makes you think, can we ever really be organic? Especially, when information is being swept under the rug and hidden from the public! Thanks Charles for your continued crusade!

[@shirleymccarthy3634]

Thank you so much for this video. I garden organically in New Zealand. This happened to me 3 summers ago, when I used horse manure, from a source I had been using for several years. My heirloom tomatoes, in the garden, came to nothing. It also happened, the following year, to a large tomato plant, I had in a pot on the porch, when I mulched it with hay from another source. I had no idea what the problem was, as I had never seen it before. After some research online, I tracked it down to aminopyralid. None of my other gardening friends knew anything about it. Disappointing and frustrating as it was, I'm glad to see that you have confirmed the reason for my stunted tomatoes. This looks to be a huge, widespread problem. The one good thing that comes out of this, is that more and more people will become aware of the harmful, insidious effect of this and other chemicals. This is an important video.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Shirley and sorry to hear your tale, and yes it's huge, bigger and more widespread, worldwide, than I knew, whether something positive comes of it, I am unsure

[@karennewman639]

Awful to see this happened to you 4 yrs ago and I am just learning the hard way of it now. I am also in NZ and I have just built new raised gardenbeds and filled with mushroom compost. I makes me feel sick that what I was trying to do for the health and wellbeing of my family now contains harmful chemical. What an expensive exercise this has been. Their needs to be regulationsxand assurances in place that products you buy are fit for purpose.

[@TheOrganiclady]

I live in Orlando and bought bagged compost for where I plant my tomatoes, eggplants and basil and this is what happened. I also used bagged compost for my zucchini and watermelon. And the plants grew and produced a lot of flowers but no fruit even with pollinating them myself. I have never had this happen before. I will say that there is a new Organic Compost by MIRACLE GROW in a black bag and that is the compost I used. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

TheOrganiclady I am sorry to hear this and thanks for naming the compost. Turns out that calling any compost “organic” means nothing. It’s organic matter and risks having chemical residues. Few if any compost companies are not checking for presence of aminopyralid so it’s buyer beware

[@gailthornbury291]

Yep. Same thing happened to me five years ago when I used horse manure in large raised beds/ troughs in my new polytunnel. Weird alien looking tomato plants with distorted leaves like ferns and a ton of aerial roots right up the stems. And no tomatoes.

[@christophermanabat1934]

I had this problem once... then I stopped buying my compost or straw/browns for my compost. I rake leaves from my local forests and cut grass from a local children’s park. I mow the park myself once per month and it gets me more than enough greens/nitrogen for a large compost pile each month. This process takes 1 Sunday per month and allows my garden unlimited compost.

[@v.6205]

Thank you for discussing this. Herbicides (mainly Round-Up) are most certainly being sprayed on cereals, almost all grains, wheat, sunflowers you name it, in America. It’s sad that this is still happening. Horses are suffering from colic at alarming rates. DOW chemicals in MI in the US, in the area of their plant, has the highest incidence of cancer (brain cancer and rare cancers) in our nation, and had fines of polluting creeks and lakes. Pets such as dogs and cats now get cancers at alarmingly high rates too. The attached is a 2016 pdf file. The levels that are allowed on animal crops is 400x higher than what is allowed on the human crops. Soon America will not be able to grow anything in its soil. Other countries have banned these products. I thought the UK had banned some products but apparently not all products. We must make sure our voices are heard. Look into the history of these products and do all you can to be heard. It was in the 80’s that I first heard the word Organic and still the chemicals are being used and INCREASED at alarming rates. www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/091543-00001-20160621.pdf

[@____Ann____]

Unfortunately it is widespread in Europe too. Even Roundup hasn't been banned yet. Unbelievable.

[@MrMadalien]

@@____Ann____ It is partially banned, in France for example, but indeed in agricultural use it is largely not banned, which is it's main use...

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

I had a friend who touched up the grass on her concrete driveway with roundup a few years ago, at least 75-100 feet away, the spray easily became airborn and drifted to my row of beautiful heirloom tomatoes I had grown from seed, it was very sad the loss was heart breaking, the best batch I have grown. Last year, the other neighbor started having a company called 'mosquito joe' spray mosquito killer on their lawn, come to find out they come out they along their fences and spray it 10 ft up in the air 'to kill any other bugs that may be in the low trees that could bother your family', they say the product is natural, but so is arsenic...I had an organic garden on that side of the yard that was hit pretty bad, no 'good' bug to be found as I noticed over the summer, the bees disappeared within a week after release (I raise a few mason bees every year) but honey bees were not to be seen again although already scarce. Now this year, due to all the predator bugs being killed off that eat the bad bugs, the bad bugs including chiggers are worse than I have ever seen them in my yard in over 20 years, and the bees didn't last.

[@thehorrorification]

there is no chance, literally zero chance that roundup will drift 75-100 feet unless your neighbour held the sprayer as high in the air as they could and sprayed it in your direction and there was wind blowing in your direction. Most likely is that your tomatoes picked up a disease, there is a huge number of diseases out there that affect tomatoes.

[@marshwetland3808]

@@thehorrorification Well let's see - they sprayed 10' in the air!!

[@AcornHillHomestead]

VeganMarcella andMore nn

[@alexandracork2670]

we should join hands and take neighbors like that to court

[@leearcher8759]

well done charles this should be national news if its effecting the veg what else is it doing to us and other animals i hope it does get banned and i hope other youtubers pass the word around and get it onto other media networks

[@debramoss2267]

It is a known carcinogen

[@paintingwithparrots8446]

Thank you. I've been wondering what was wrong with some of my broad beans. You described the symptoms exactly.

[@carocaro1881]

A sorry sight indeed and thank you so much for drawing attention to this. It seems we are heading for the wall and still refusing to acknowledge it.

[@neiljeffries8549]

Hi Charles Absolutely shameful.... we need our government to get hold of this properly and not be “bought” by the chemical companies.. Our environment is at risk here, let alone our gardens and Allottments , I only grow organic and only use barley straw as a mulch/ compost additive and I have not noticed any adverse reactions as yet .. but thanks for the heads up I will continue to monitor closely.. Regards. Neil

[@janereynolds7555]

Neil Jeffries It is disingenuous the way politicians and the like continually highlight global warming, climate change and whatever next they will call it but totally bypass and ignore the chemicals which are sprayed relentlessly on the ground and in the air. It is an utter disgrace the lobbying that goes on to protect the incomes of vast chemical companies and big pharma who continually and unabatedly trample and destroy cancer cures like GcMAF from ever getting to market. It makes me sick to my stomach how these evil entities are allowed to continue. Time to put a stop to these invasive chemicals. We need to know much more about what we are being exposed to for the sake of humanity and animals too.

[@sherry2836]

@@janereynolds7555 I totally agree! Chemicals are destroying the Great Lakes, one of the world's largest freshwater sources, with agro runoff and leaching; and straight out dumping of chemical pollutants. Can we afford to lose this incredible fresh water source?

[@SueGarrett]

This was debated in Parliament 1 years ago

[@OlgaVCR]

Charles, I’m home gardener from Vancouver, Canada and I had same issue with horse manure as well. It was effected tomatoes. After some research, I found same information, which you brought up in this video. I hope our countries will step up soon and make changes in organic farming. Thank you to make this video public to the world.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers Olga

[@franmol01]

Charles, I'm actually shocked by this.... I had absolutely no idea this sort of thing was going on. I don't know what the situation is in Ireland, but I'm going to investigate. Many thanks for this invaluable information.

[@thehorrorification]

These weedkillers are widely use everywhere. Ask any farmer you know if they use Grazon, it would be the most common aminopyralid weedkiller here in Ireland. I work with 2 farmers and they both use it to spot spray weeds in their fields. The fact it stays in the soil is an advantage for farmers as it has an extended effect and kills weeds on the first spray and on reemergence.

[@purplebekah]

@@thehorrorification i have experienced this contamination - its very commonly used in ireland. I have horses and use their manure....well rotted down for years yet still the inert toxic chemical have diminished return food crops, for years on end, i had no idea it was the weedkiller - i thought it was the climate, not sowing early enough etc...this year failing crops again and i finally discover the truth. I feel like giving up. Organic forage is not easy to find. I need tonnes of compost feed for my crops. This is a terrible state of affairs....years of failing crops due to this.

[@wendysalter]

Thank you Charles - I have fallen prey to this problem and will now be more careful. I will also tell others.

[@anndebaldo7381]

This is awful! Thanks for publicizing this - it important to get the word out and I'll do my part to help spread the word. The chemical companies must be held responsible for this and all of the other harmful agricultural chemicals.

[@andykyriakides2144]

Charles , i lost 4 trees to disease this year , on top of other damage to vegetables , and i searched for this video to watch it again . I wasn't aware that weed killers could kill trees , until this second viewing .

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Gah horrible!

[@janereynolds7555]

Outing these chemicals and their use is essential to educate us all on the ongoing problems. Thank you.

[@edgardoserrut7368]

Thanks for eye-opener. All the best surpassing this hurdle.

[@amandacribb2526]

Well said Charles. About time this product was banned. Ppl should NOT buy or use this terrible product. Thanks for raising this issue.

[@michaelbourquin9814]

This happened to me years ago something in a straw mulch that stunted the growing of what seemed like my entire garden. I basically treated the plot like a biohazard zone after that. I had no idea how to recover my garden plot after that other than time. I now buy hay from a local certified organic grower only. Thanks for this video and the awareness you are raising around this horrible plant killer.

[@KellysKitchenGarden]

This has been an eye opener for me Charles. Thanks so much for posting this video. I was about to visit my local yard to asks about raiding their much heap to stock up of the autumn, but I won’t now. This is why the vast majority grow our own food isn’t it. Our government needs to do more rather than having silver spread across its palm.

[@user-hr2bi4oh5g]

Keep teaching us, please, it's greatly appreciated! Thank you, Sir!

[@andreaslandfunk5495]

I'm living in Austria and we are discussing this problems almost daily, there is more of those products by the chemical industry, p.h. glyphosat, products, which are a reason for some types of cancer. It is good luck, that THIS contamination shows us the danger, while other products of chemical industry work behind the scene, undercover. We are lucky, some farmers know about it and don't use it. they are proud to work only with organic materials. So it's a must to share this problem all over the world and I think this is a very important video!

[@kenchester3072]

I ran into this here in my garden after getting composted horse manure from a neighbor. Thank you for posting this as I know now what I'm dealing with. I can only hope it will eventually work its way out of my soil. Next year I will be cautious as to what I grow and will test any compost before putting it in my garden as you have done. I would not have guessed this could happen.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers Ken and yes it should have dissipated by next year. Meanwhile it's a horror show, please report it to [e-mail] and [e-mail], headed “Aminopyralid contamination”.

[@kenchester3072]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks Charles. Lesson learned on that "free" compost. As I said in my first comment I will test it in the future. I'm located in New Hampshire one of the six New England States, but am going to mention it to the agricultural extension in my county.

[@nikkivella5019]

I've had this problem now for 2 years. I've done extensive reading but this is the most concise explanation I've come across. I'm in rural NSW, Australia. I've used manure from my own horses in the vegetable patch & here we are 🤦‍♀️.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So sorry Nikki. I hope you can work out to grow your own hay, or find someone who does not use these poisons. It worries me that they must be so widespread, yet I feel rather hopeless about it too!

[@nikkivella5019]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig initially the problem was confined to branches on advanced tomato & potato bushes. 2 winters ago i planted my first crop of broadbeans & they were just like your contaminated ones but eventually died. Never having grown them before, I looked for nutritional problems. Then the loganberry grew with the same problem & died shortly after. This years tomato seedlings have all grown with the problem. I can't decide if the seed raising mix is contaminated or if the chicken manure tea I've made to fertilize them is contaminated from the horse manure (the chickens love to scratch around in the horse manure). It seems appropriate to do a little experiment now, I think.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

@@nikkivella5019 Gosh that is bad and yes it must have gone through the chickens too. I would simply not use that horse manure anywhere near the vegetables

[@RoseThistleArtworks]

Compiling lists of growers who grow hay without weedkillers and posting those lists at feedstores will really help people buying the hay. I am sure they do not want weedkillers going through their horses and might not even think about it, like how you didn't think about it prior. The equine community could be your best helper in getting the word out on this. Once farmers realize the market for hay without those weedkillers, they will change their practices.

[@purplebekah]

A major equine forum uk talk regularly about using weedkillers on their pasture to get rid of weeds. Theyre ignorant of the effects on their horses and crops. A major irish ‘organic manure compost’ company have stated in writing to me that they collect manure from many horse yards and compost it and label it ‘organic’ - i questioned how they knew the hay being fed to the horses was organic ( as i know organic hay is as rare as rocking horse shite in ireland) - they replied they didnt know but some use a organic bagged feed...which is expensive and only supplemental. I know - im a horse owner too!! So there are products labelled ‘organic’ which i know as a fact are not and contain aminopyralid. I have lost 10’s of thousands over the years in crops due to these poisons contaminating my soils! Its a dire situation.

[@jeanettebot193]

In the Netherlands weedkillers are used in grass for horses to reduce Jacobea fulgaris. This plant kills horses if it is too abundant. Weedkillers do a lot less harm. Farmers are not allowed to use it in hayland, only in grazing pastures, but apparently they forget that rule sometimes. Anyhow this explains why it is mostly found in horse manure.

[@gayleneangelos7102]

In the USA the bedding that gets recycled to make compost for commercial soil distributors is also contaminated. My garden was ruined by some compost that I ordered this year. The chemical is called Clopyralid. It is in the same family as Aminopyralid. The problem is seen in industrial farming that uses hay to bed down the animals from chickens to cows, to horses. Anything that gets the word out is wonderful. Charles is right on the money with the information provided.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Many thanks and yes we now have a lot of clopyralid, because it's in lawn weedkillers which people spray to kill everything except grass. So commercial composts using non-peat feedstocks are often poisoning gardens, a hidden killer.

[@josephroiml]

Most important information I've come across lately. Thank you very much.

[@asbjorgvanderveer5050]

Sharing this on FB. Thanks for showing us that even the most seasoned pros run into this hazardous material unwittingly.

[@janeknight3597]

I was not aware that it was now legal to use this chemical again and had assumed horse manure was now safe to use. Thank you for letting us all know the problem is back.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Thank you for sharing this. I’ve heard of this happening to way too many gardeners, and it’s very helpful to see what it looks like in plants.

[@SaintCoemgen]

This is indeed a problem. I have been aware of it for some time because I have vineyards and some chemicals that pass through the animal and into the manure that I might use to fertilize the vineyards also can very much damage grape vines. Fortunately, I have enough land for my own hay, and a local farmer who raise organic beef and can supply cattle manure. Also know a few goat and horse owners with land who do not spray their fields. So one must really get to know their farmers and sources of hay or manure. Making it illegal alone is not going to work unless there is real teeth to that: with swift and significant punishments. I have not personally seen that myself however.

[@tribulation138]

That's why I only stick with my own compost. I have 30 chickens. So all that manure mixed with pine shavings saves me alot of money.

[@sweetpea6384]

So sorry this happened to your beautiful garden! Thank you for sharing your problems so we can learn and for opening up this conversation. I pray that the ripple effect from this video will lead to a solution!!

[@masonkoller8962]

I signed the petition to end the pesticide use. Everyone comment to make KZbin algorithm put this video in everyone’s feeds!

[@Jeffipookins]

Our community garden (allotment) acquired commercially produced compost made from a horse manure and horse stall bedding (sourced from the county fairground). We trial planted bush beans after the compost was delivered and the plants show definite signs of aminopyralid weedkiller. The composted beans have curled muted leaves that are stunted in growth with yellowing leaves, the control (grown in a commercial mix) are healthy and normal. This problem is more than a small group of neighbors and volunteers can take on. Our voices are drown out by the "right to farm" movement and big ag. We're told we are exaggerating or don't know what we are taking about. Maybe if more people listen to your important message this will stop. Thank you for raising this discussion. These pyralid herbicides are sold under the following trade names: Picloram - sold as Tordon, Access, Surmount, Grazon, and Pathway. Clopyralid - sold as Curtail, Confront, Clopyr AG, Lontrel, Stinger, Millennium Ultra, Millenium Ultra Plus, Reclaim, Redeem, Transline. Aminopyralid - sold as Milestone, Forefront, Pharaoh, Banish. aminocyclopyrachlor -sold as DuPont’s brand-named Imprelis (DuPont and the Scotts MiracleGro Company are collaborating to develop and market to homeowners a new combination lawn fertilizer/herbicide containing aminocyclopyrachlor) Note: your video is the first time I have heard that "straw" does not pass along the pesticide and I would be interested in learning more about this research

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Jeffi thanks for this information and yes I agree that gardeners are receiving short shrift. Yes we know the symptoms. Thank goodness you made the trial, but you now have no compost to use. Straw it would pass it on, but as I understand it there are no aminopyralids used on cereal fields. However i have heard of problems from rapeseed straw!

[@MrMadalien]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Glyphosate is used in almost all cereal fields so I would be very cautious with non organic straw. I have bought an affordable garden chipper to make my own mulch from pruning the trees (dry climate, need to cover beds with mulch). I realized both straw and hay are not viable, we tried hay one time and it was of course full of seeds, we didn't know what we were doing really so the grass from those seeds eventually spread throughout the entire plot and we now have massive grass plants, in a way it's a blessing because I can mow these areas and harvest green mulch. I think this is why Permaculture is in the end the only truly organic system, because you have to close these energy cycles within your own sphere, ideally you would have your own compost, your own manure, your own mulch crops, and so on. Of course, that is in an ideal world.

[@lindaferguson593]

Decided to get a sod cutter to start my new garden plots. I will be very vigil in introducing good compost to each bed. The decision to have a garden in the first place, is to be more aware and hands on with your food supply. Thank you Charles. Such great information for us all. Very grateful to you.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Best of luck Linda. You don't need to remove the grass or disturb soil.

[@itsmewende]

I have farm land surrounding me, when they spray the fields the grass about 3 ft along my property all dies, I've considered going to court to at least make them stay farther away from me when they spray. I'm somewhat surprise that Prince Charles isn't leading the charge there to put an end to the use.

[@lovelovinghorses]

Apparently, in the UK, farmers are allowed to spray right up to the very edge of their boundary!

[@novahina]

That was super helpful ! Thank you soo much for thr insight ! A true learning from one of the best organic gardeners around in Europe ! 🌸😍 I will be sharing ! Thank you soo much Sir !❤

[@roberthopkins8089]

Ive just started to look after my parents garden due to them getting older and finding it to much work... I was saddened to learn about persistent herbicides and the problems that they cause.. As someone who worries about the state of mother earth daily it only added to my distopian view of life.... Nothing is safe or sacred only when we all want the same will we get it.....😢 Love to all the green gardeners out there... Also thanks for your time making this film.. Your great to listen to perfect pace of speech

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Robert. I know what you mean and it's something to learn, how to be aware of the problems without letting them get you down to the point of not doing good work. Keep it up!

[@littlecougarkitty3063]

Very nice, Charles. I'm in the U.S.A. and I appreciate the information.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

Thanks very much for describing how to assay manure for persistent herbicides. It's not going away. Horse owners do not like broadleaves in their hay, due to all the broadleaves that make horses sick. Hay producers then have a choice, spray constantly with 2,4d or rarely with aminopyralid. It's a commodity market, the price of hay is barely above the cost of production. Farmers are going to produce as cheap as they can out of necessity.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I agree!

[@januarytimberlake9629]

This is one of your best videos. Thank you

[@beckyezra1]

It is astonishing that the huge chemical companies seem like they decide to kill any glim of hope for a better healthy way of life!! sad. Thank you for the video, wish yr garden will overcome quickly.

[@suburbanhomestead]

It's part of the reason why I'm looking into using fertility from my own garden as much as possible, (Like grassclippings/ chop and drop). It is such a shame, since hay and horse manure can be incredible soil amendments.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes I feel like we are being robbed

[@shondadavis5046]

Yes. I think you are on to something. I live in California. I used some horse manure last year, without issue. However, this gardening season I observed some issues with my first round of tomato plants, peppers and zucchini squash. The leaves curled inward quickly. Our weather has been unusual. So, I thought the curling was due to overwatering or not watering enough. Thank you for sharing this information. Now, I can experiment with other methods to combat the issue.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Interesting to hear and in the UK it has suddenly become horribly common

[@karenlawson4888]

I live in Whatcom County, Washington state, USA We had the same problem several years ago .It was sprayed on fields growing hay for cattle. It passed thru the cows and it contaminated many composts sources ruining home gardens and commercial crops. We built raised beds and filled them with purchased 3-way mix (1/3 compost, 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 sand). 12 cubic yards. We paid for it, paid extra for delivery and when seeds weren’t germinating and the veggie starts yellowed and were stunted and deformed. Then we sought a explanation only to find out we weren’t the only ones with this problem. So widespread, it made the national news. We then dug it all out and paid to take it to the landfill. Then we started over. So that planting solid cost us at least 3 times more than it should, not even including the gas to take 12 trips to the landfill site. And lost half a growing season. No tomatoes for us that year. We bought from another source that assays it batch of compost to make sure it contains no herbicides. Now when I need more compost than I can make myself, I buy only bagged Organic Compost.

[@woodymoto2326]

Make sure your bagged Organic Compost doesn't contain Green Waste. Green Waste includes lawn clippings which can contain the herbicide. I'm testing a bag of Organic Compost right now and it seems to be stopping germination of bush beans. The ones that do germinate have growth that is stunted and the leaves are wilted. Another youtuber commented here that they have had the same problems with Green Waste herbicide residue in their organic bagged soil or compost.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Karen that is indeed painful and as Woody Moto says, this stuff can even be in "organic composts" - I have seen that here

[@craiggraham3504]

I have just emailed my Member of Parliament about this very issue as i have thankfully, only been mildly affected by this this year. Not much else i can do but we have to try somehow. Charles you are a Gentlemen and a joy to watch, thanks for all the advise on all your videos. I wish you well, keep it up my friend

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sorry to hear that Craig and great you emailed your MP. The poison seems endemic this year.

[@gpmax9215]

We experienced this effect after applying a well-rotted sheep manure to our gardens. Everywhere we used it plants just didn't do well at all. We had the worst potato harvest ever. Tomatoes were terrible. We have gardened for over 50 years and have never seen things grow so poorly. When we watched this video it suddenly all made sense. There is still a small pile of the manure which remains barren of any plant including weeds. We are wondering how long before the chemical goes away. We have our gardens planted so we will find out soon if the problem will still be in effect. This is a dangerous and frightening situation that could have a global impact. Thank you for making it known. We live in the Midwest of the United States.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah Max so sorry to hear this and I hope your soil recovers this year. Sheep manure... this stuff is more prevalent than I realised. Brassicas and corn should grow.

[@HealthyFreshHomegrown]

And yet this herbicide continues to be produced and used - are we humans really that stupid? Thanks Charles for a great explanation and sorry to see your crops affected by this.

[@tallcedars2310]

Sadly, to answer your question, yes.....

[@cynthiafisher9907]

Greedy, humans are that greedy.

[@HealthyFreshHomegrown]

​@@cynthiafisher9907 Yes, that is one of the main problems. We are looking for the quick fix that is cheap. Charles instead is showing us how to grow food that is sustainable and good for future generations. I'm blogging with that approach as well to help more families with kids grow their own food in a sustainable, eco friendly manner.

[@inventedges]

Thank you, I have just started collecting horse manure for composting from a neighbor and I will definitely test it before putting the compost out in the garden!

[@sloinvestor]

How do you test for it?

[@stephkrunic3884]

Charles shows test comparisons in the video. To test, germinate seeds in media you know is ok and then some with the compost or manure to be tested. If the plants in the new material look like the ones Charles shows, then its not a good idea to use that stuff on your garden.

[@cumbrianhomestead]

Well-spoken Charles! I hope your video will assist in some kind of action being taken by authorities to stop this product being used.

[@tammygonzalez4992]

This answers so many questions! I kept wondering what I was doing that caused that! Thank you!

[@hackn3y199]

Thanks for the head up! I saw this recently on another channel, gonna have to keep my eye out. My garden compost is made up of horse manure as well as my two compost bins.

[@leighporter6816]

After watching I’m now concerned that some of my tomatoes may have this problem. That is worrying since this year all my compost has been purchased in bags. What’s more my sister in law seems to have this problem too so it may be more widespread than we realize. Thank you Charles for bringing it to our attention.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sorry to hear this and I agree, it's going viral :( Do let the authorities know if you think your plants have been poisoned, emails should be sent to [e-mail] and [e-mail], headed “Aminopyralid contamination”.

[@leighporter6816]

Charles Dowding thanks Charles. I’ll do that 👍 BTW I’ve been growing vegetables for over 40 years but I’ve learnt more from watching your KZbin videos than I have in all those years. Only recently found you (due to lockdown) and have already got 2 of my Veg growing friends and sister in law to also become firm fans. 👍

[@dirtdiggerjerry]

We lost over 200 tomato plants to this poison in our high tunnel this year. Couldn't figure out what was happening until it was too late. Put down composted horse manure from a local horse stable last winter. Going to dig out as much as I can and start over.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Gah that is so maddening Jerry, I hate this stuff and it causes so much grief, hope your soil gets clean soon

[@jeffreymilton5829]

This problem was mentioned at a recent talk Charles gave at Wisley. It's a problem I had never heard of, but now realise we have it at my allotment. Neighbours' potatoes and broad beans are displaying all the signs. I've been using hay and manure supplied by the same stable but thankfully I'm growing brassicas where I spread it. Phew! Thanks for the info.

[@raymondfarlow6059]

It's been reported Aminopyralid can persist in the soil up to 4 years but if they can't dig up and get rid of their beds people then are planting grasses like maize, corn, wheat, barley etc or any one of the hundreds of the grass family local to their area for all seasons then decontamination takes maybe only a year.

[@maudschoenaker5109]

Thank you Charles for explaining it so clearly. Good to know exactly what it is and that it's on the forbidden list. Also good to address the producers directly . And all of that in your very amiable way!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Maud

[@nathanpotter8050]

i noticed this on some plants and have been wondering what it was that had effected them. THANK YOU so much for this info. I dont want to eat any type of weed killer

[@RobinHood-hh8wl]

Thanks for that. My broad beans look exactly the same as yours and i have had no idea as to the cause. Now i know,

[@shadetreader]

Thank you for talking about this and calling out those responsible for contaminating our environment.

[@markab490]

Well said Charles. Thanks for getting the word out there. I hope some politicians take note.

[@billquantrill4960]

Agreed. Problem being the chemical companies have deep pockets and most politicians are utterly corrupt.

[@noiseache7720]

They won't. It's thier mates that run the companies.

[@macbilling6410]

Thank you for letting everyone know.

[@cherylnorise420]

Oh my. This is horrible. In the U.S. a person found it on his hay. It ruin a lot in his garden. Mr. Dowding will you do videos on how you repair this problem. Thank you sir for spreading the word

[@NarniaTheMC]

The Detox Project tested top selling organic pea based protein powder sold in the US and found Glyphosate in them. Bare in mind, Bayer owns Monsanto.

[@hollylively6701]

Wow. Thanks for sharing.

[@LYFJV]

Very topical Mr. Dowsing. Big concern for many of us now.

[@LYFJV]

Dowding*. Sorry the auto correct got me there.

[@unnamed2737]

So sorry you are dealing with this right now. This is a huge concern and more people need to speak out about it and raise awareness. These mega companies are so destructive and irresponsible.

[@pattopping5812]

In my area of Texas, they spray the hay fields with a product called Grazon, the hay and manure of my goats has done the same thing to some of my gardens. Now I’m afraid to put any manure or hay for mulch on my garden. I tell all of my garden friend about it, there are not many people who know about it. I don’t spray my pastures or hay fuel with it but we do buy hay from feed stores to supplement ours in during the year, so I cannot use our wonderful goat manure on the garden unless it has been composted for a least a year or more. So sad. I’m glad you brought this to light. Thank you for your wonderful and helpful videos.

[@VagabondAnne]

Grazon is the thing. I notice KZbin's spell check wants to call it "garçon". Grazon, Grazon, Grazon, aminopyralid. Raise a stink, Pat Topping!

[@VagabondAnne]

It's made by Dow Chemical.

[@martinph9052]

It’s Grazon 90 that you need to check whether this has been used to kill certain weeds in the horse paddock. If it has then steer well clear of the manure, horses cannot break the chemicals down.

[@Gybe1132]

It’s simple: we should not release anything into the environment that persists, doesn’t break down

[@sergeybebenin]

It does break down though.

[@anttikarttunen1126]

@@sergeybebenin Slowly...

[@eviewood3584]

Thank you Charles, it is quite disturbing, but gardeners do need to be made aware of this. I have stunted and curled leaf broad beans (southern hemisphere) at the moment. All grown by me from seed, and planted at the same time in different spots in July 2020. I am now racking my brains to think what compost product I used, as only one section has the problem, the others grew quite normally. I am in Tasmania, Australia, and I will be alerting fellow gardeners to watch out for this, and also doing home trials to find out if I have contaminated compost that I bought. Meanwhile more than ever, I am building compost heaps to compost all my garden waste, and buy in as little product as possible. Thanks again for the very important information. :-)

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes it is gutting, and I hope you discover the culprit

[@BerrienGuy]

Thank you so much Charles. That explains a two year problem with our tomatoes and peppers. Horse manure compost must be it. We kept trying to figure out what was going on and just couldn't come up with an explanation. We thought we have done everything right. All our raised beds will have to be redone. Thank you again for your diligence in what you do.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sorry to hear that

[@janebrown8376]

Thank you for letting us know. I will share with fellow growers.

[@CraigOverend]

My guinea pig died recently after switching to a new batch of hay, he appeared to be hyperventilating. I've just been reading up on herbicides in scientific literature and Paraquat had this exact effect on guinea pigs in a study...

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So sorry Craig

[@WATCHINGTHEWATCHERS]

Thank you Charles for attempting to exspose this nasty practice. I will be keeping an eye on naboring allotment plots who's holders have got hourse manure delivered.

[@denisebrady6858]

Wow we need to be really aware - I am now researching this problem in Australia & yes we also have it. Well done Charles Dowding for this video you have bought my attention to it & I am going to do something about it in Australia or at least find out more & help others. Cheers Denise - Australia

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Well done Denise

[@sagwafare]

Dow - not a shocker.

[@torsiWooldridgekitchenGardener]

Being an organic gardener is very complicated im glad you have coved this as im not sure the majority of people are aware, this is why i dont use manure unless i can sours it from a trusted organic farmer 😁👍🏼👩🏽‍🌾

[@alaskansourdoughwormsgarde4392]

Here in the States some are having problems with the same thing. I’m afraid to get manure this year for fear I will get polluted manure. Here in Alaska it helps to heat the pile hot enough to kill off seeds. Otherwise it takes too long to get compost. I raise worms for vermicomposting but I would like both as they need each other.

[@gayleneangelos7102]

The authorities are down playing the problem on the state level. The state of Vermont did expose the problem but Dow company states that their tests came out different from the ones that were submitted by individuals. This company is an 8 billion dollar company and sells their products to countries around the globe. Right now the EPA is reviewing its use due to consumer backlash. I so appreciate your videos. The clarity of description about then plants has shown me hands down this chemical is the culprit. For now I found a horse breeder that does not spray his grazing fields. I can know for sure the manure is OK. I am looking forward to starting a no dig garden with certainty that my efforts will be well spent. Thanks again

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thankyou and I am happy you found a sensible horse owner! They should worry about their animals eating poison.

[@andreasalvatici8704]

I’m with you 100% I suspect my municipal free compost has herbicides in it as it seems to kill everything it touches, I’m devastated.

[@ellasladek3124]

Thanks for sharing , we need to be informed ! Sad this still happens !

[@laceyhoney305]

I am so grateful for your video. I could not figure out what was going on, and no one in my area seemed to know either. I am in Texas. I will be sure to share.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad it helped Lacey. I just hope that not too many are suffering.

[@gvas7560]

Wow.....great timing on this video. Today I was at my neighbor 's vegetable garden and noticed this type of problem on some of his tomatoe plants. I asked why those plants were looking so under developped and he mentioned he did not know. Now that I see this video I can share with him and help him realize not all horse manuer is created cleanly. Thank you for bringing awareness of this. Keep up the good work 👍 God bless you 🤗

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks and I wish my help was not needed!

[@lewisgardner1660]

Great video thank you I lost a lot of peas after I put them in the garden and didn't know why, now I think I know what it is, last year I was given a bail of hay d let it rot down and mixed it into my compost when we put it on the egg garden in Feb. I found when I took the plant out all the root were gone. The strawberries seem OK as do the squashes, I will have to look at my dwarf beans as they are in the same bed as the peas

[@tfrank1326]

We are seeing this type issue in our veggies this year (small urban backyard garden) but the odd thing is that it is only affecting one plant here and another plant there. Plants in the same bed with same soil/compost/mulch are all fine except for one. Then across the garden somewhere else, everything is doing well except for one plant that has this symptom. I am not sure what to make of this. So sorry this happened to you. At least it isn't as bad as some I've seen where people have covered an entire garden with highly active weedkiller in the mulch or compost and ruined their entire garden area for the next year or so. It's difficult enough to grow things these days with all our crazy weather without this weedkiller to deal with, too. Thank you for this video, Charles.

[@wendyeames5758]

I tried to warn a gardening friend of mine who gets horse & sheep manure from a friend. She kind of told me off & said her friend is all organic. However, this stuff has been known to blow over from near by fields, contaminating others. I know of long time gardeners; master gardeners; someone with a hort degree, etc, who got stung by this stuff. From what they said, u either have to let the ground go fallow for a couple of years or remove the soil. 😣

[@jembo1959]

Great video thanks for sharing Charles.