Peanut leaves for composting?

[ndorfinmachine]

Anyone know if these would be good for composting? The reason I ask is because I live next to a pretty big peanut field. Well, the farmers have already harvested the nuts, and now the field is a sea of brown stalks and leaves. I just wonder if they would be safe to use though. Ya know those farmers with their crazy pesticides.

[cynthia_h]

I'd ask about the pesticides. Peanut leaves/plants, themselves, like potato vines, will decompose just fine in a compost pile.

But the (potential) pesticides are a whole 'nother thing. In the UK this year, there have been many, many ruined gardens of those who used horse manure after the horses were fed hay from fields with a specific herbicide. Its potency was NOT destroyed in the horses' systems, and the chemical ruined who knows how many tons of gardening soil and plants?

Somewhere at THG there's a link to one of the reports. I'll see if I can find it.

So...untreated peanut plants, YES. Chemically treated peanut plants, probably not.

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

[cynthia_h]

Found it. The article I read earlier this year was from the London Guardian at

https://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/29/food.agriculture

This is only one herbicide, but check with the owner of the land nearby to see what chemicals, if any, were applied to the peanut plants.

Cynthia

[ndorfinmachine]

Thanks for all the info. I don't think I will chance it. I don't really know the farmers who farm that field. I do remember them spraying something out there with trucks back in the summer.

[astevn816]

Untreated peanut leaves are great for composting but stay away from treated material. Also they may not let you on their property, make sure you have permission if you do decide to use the leaves.