"cleansing" contaminated soil

jenniedhs · August 29, 2011

In early spring I prepared the holes for my tomato plants by digging in bagged manure, compost and some fertilizer into 12" x 12" deep holes. All tomatoes exhibited signs of 2-4D herbicide damage. A NCDA inspector came and ruled out any drift from 2-4D and thought it was rather aminopyralid contaminated manure as two successive plantings had the same damage. (A bioassay was basically done) This is the only spot in my backyard that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. I read somewhere that turning over the soil will hasten the breakdown of this herbicide. Do you think if I remove all of the dirt in the holes this fall and some beyond the original holes and replace with good soil and then till the entire bed this will "cleanse" the soil for next spring?

Thank you for any suggestions.
Jennie

August 29, 2011	#1
jenniedhs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: West Chester, Ohio Posts: 21	"cleansing" contaminated soil In early spring I prepared the holes for my tomato plants by digging in bagged manure, compost and some fertilizer into 12" x 12" deep holes. All tomatoes exhibited signs of 2-4D herbicide damage. A NCDA inspector came and ruled out any drift from 2-4D and thought it was rather aminopyralid contaminated manure as two successive plantings had the same damage. (A bioassay was basically done) This is the only spot in my backyard that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. I read somewhere that turning over the soil will hasten the breakdown of this herbicide. Do you think if I remove all of the dirt in the holes this fall and some beyond the original holes and replace with good soil and then till the entire bed this will "cleanse" the soil for next spring? Thank you for any suggestions. Jennie