tomc
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2661
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

Re: Organic seeds necessary for organic gardening?

For my limited needs. I want to be told if the seed I'm buying is treated with fungicide.

its up to me to get the plants in my field the temperature they need. I don't want my seeds viability to come from an inedible chemical that will accumulate in my ground.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Usually treated seeds are labeled as treated and would not be organic. Treated seeds are usually colored pink or green or some other color and the package usually will say it has been treated because they don't want anyone eating the treated seeds.

Most seeds are treated with Captan. It usually says captan treated seeds on the label. The captan is useful for certain seeds that are susceptible to seed borne diseases, rots, and dampening off.
Captan does not have a long residual. the half life is someting like 2-20 days. It has been used as a seed treatment for many years.

It is toxic, but normally people and animals don't eat it. It can be an eye irritant and can cause eye damage so if you are using the dust you should take precautions stated on the label.

https://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/captantech.pdf



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