kingpugh
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:27 pm

Tomatoes died due to Grazeon herbicide drift - soil affected?

Tomato leaves are curling and I saw another article regarding herbicides. Had our pasture fertilized and also used a herbicide called “Grazeon”. Tomato died due to drift of herbicide. Replanted tomatoes in the same spot and they have the leaves curling. I was wondering if I can boil water and pour over the area to hopefully rejuvenate the soil? Thanks.

PaulF
Greener Thumb
Posts: 910
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:34 pm
Location: Brownville, Ne

Grazon is an effective broadleaf weed killer that will not harm grasses. However, it is deadly to tomatoes as you have sadly discovered. In the information I have read, the effects of Grazon will persist as a residual for up to two years, particularly in organics, so DO NOT add affected material to compost piles or use as mulch in a vegetable garden.

As for soil, this was the warning from the only soil study I could find and it was done by the University of Arkansas: The only verified, likely-certain method of removing Grazon/picloram in garden soil is to replace the soil.

They did not give the half-life of Grazon in soil sprayed. Perhaps if the drift was minimalist will not be a problem next growing season of even sooner. Your boiling water solution does not really do much. There are warnings against allowing Grazon to get into water systems or streams due to runoff since it is deadly to aquatic life and mammals as well.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I don’t have time to look up Grazeon/Grazon right now, but here’s an article on using phytoremediation (growing plants to absorb the chemicals, then removing the plants) on atrazine-contaminated soil. Maybe you could adapt this?

Phytoremediation of atrazine-contaminated soil using Zea mays (maize) - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 8313000110
Abstract
Greenhouse experiments were carried out to determine the potential capability of maize plants to remediate atrazine-contaminated soil. The potted sandy loam soil was treated with atrazine (Gesaprim 90%WG) at 0.5 and 1.0 ppm then was planted immediately with maize. After 15, 30, 45 and 60 days from sowing, maize plants were cut and discarded. Wheat seeds were sown in treated soil to determine atrazine residues. Untreated soil and soil unplanted with maize served as controls. Seven days after sowing, the shoot and root lengths of wheat seedlings were measured. The results indicated that shoot and root lengths of wheat in the treated-soil previously planted with maize were taller than the treated-unplanted soil.

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

Grazon should not be applied to vegetables. Since lawn clippings cannot be used for composting for six months, it has residual. I would wait a year to try to plant tomatoes or other susceptible crop there.

https://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLite ... age=GetDoc

kingpugh
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:27 pm

Thanks to all - hopefully it will return to normal by next year. When they fertilize next year I’ll definitely will make sure that they will not add the Grazeon.



Return to “TOMATO FORUM”