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Posted by Hmmmmm (U13411750) on Monday, 7th June 2010
So annoyed i could scream and cry at the same time. We're lucky enough to have a local allotoment and this year we invested in a LOT of cow manure well rotten and costing £50.00. Now we're TRYING to grow and wondering why plants not doing very well/ not germinating, pots have got cupped leaves.
All points to contaminated manure which cost (for us) alot of money! Supplier was a local farmer who deleivered as well so knew what manure was for!!!!! Refusing to remove whats left or refund our money.
Has any one else had this problem before???
Do we continue with what plants we have got? Will the produce be suitable for eating when ready??? Plant more next year?? How long is it a problem for???? Half the pile of manure was stored for spreading later in the year leave for how long if unable to get removed??
Any advice or answers most welcome.
Sadly, it's by no means a new problem. Take a look at this...
I have the same problem.I phoned the farmer who delivered it and he apologised. He gets his hay from 5 different places and doesn't know which one is the culprit.As it wasn't his fault,we can't get anything back.It has ruined my potatoes,all types of beans and and pea's.All brassica's seem to be alright. The way of getting rid is clear the infected area and rotavate as often as possible for around 6 months so to break down the hay in the manure.Should,fingers crossed be alright for next year.I will only be using mushroom compost from now on.
Just wondering if it is possible to claim under the Sale of Goods Act? The manure is not of merchantable quality and not fit for purpose? It is no excuse that he doesn't know where the straw came from - your claim is from him as the supplier.
Maybe someone more enlightened than me can advise you further - £50 is a lot of money to lose, and it buys a lot of produce!!
Have a look at this page which gives most of the answers :-
There is life after this experience, as it happened to me last year.
Please report your problem manure to the Green Lane allotment site using the link near the bottom of the page. They are keeping a record of the outbreaks for future use in keeping up the pressure on the government and the chemical company involved.
Also contact Dow to get the contaminated manure removed. I hear that they are continuing their scheme to remove the contaminated manure.
I feel so sorry that this has happened to you. There is good advice above. Also any chance of starting a horse manure heap? Round here the owners give it away free if the bags are returned. Of course it takes a while to be usable but once you have a heap you can organise the timing. I do not know which crops are contra-indicated. You would need more advice on that.
Summer
Remember that horse manure can also be contaminated with aminopyralid. My advice would be to always do your own "bean test" before spreading any manure on your ground.
For details of the bean test, see the instructions on this page :-
I feel sorry for you too, how dreadful.
Manure is free where I live and I've a bag of manure rotting down to use later in the year, I'd be gutted if if my beds were contaminated.
I didn't read all the link from realfood but can the test be done now on manure which hasn't yet rotted down.
Zoomer44. Yes, do the test now while there is good growing weather. Remember, that the test takes several weeks for any aminopyralid to become obvious on the growing beans.
It's worth buying a packet of beans to do the test. Thanks realfood.
Any pea, bean or tomato seed will do, but broad beans are possibly the easiest to use.
Thanks for the link realfood - very interesting
I have read quite a few reports already this year of people being caught out with contaminated manure.
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