Knowledgebase

Tomato Plant problem #408265

Asked June 19, 2017, 3:30 PM EDT

My tomato plants have very small leaves throughout, with some curling up except on the bottom - where leaves are normal size but there is some blemishing and discoloration. Photos attached. I believe our watering is adequate and I have not tested the soil. But in the spring we added lots of horse manure and peat moss. Thanks for your help and advice

Jackson County Oregon

Expert Response

Thank you for including the images of your tomato plants. The first image doesn’t reveal anything important; it’s an older leaf and can be removed when it’s tattered and yellow.

The other 2 images, though, reveal a far more serious problem of herbicide damage (weed killers). This is most likely due to carryover herbicide that was in the manure you added to the garden. Tomatoes are extremely sensitive to several different herbicides, much more so than anything else in your garden.

You’ll find a complete explanation of herbicide-carryover at http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/aminopyralid/images.html#img9.

To summarize, a restricted-use herbicide, available to commercial users only, is commonly used on grass crops (including pastures), also grain crops, the purpose to kill broadleaf weeds. As it turns out, some of the product clings the grasses or grains which livestock eat. They pass through the animals’ gut without harming the livestock. The resulting manure which may then be used by home gardeners will affect susceptible crops.  Tomatoes are super-sensitive.

To verify if the manure is the source of the problem, do a simple bio-assay as is explained at the above link. (The link for the bio-assay is at the left of that page. )

If the bio-assay is negative, we will need to explore which herbicides may have been used nearby.  The suspect products will have 2,4-D on the ingredients list.

If the bio-assay is positive, you can successfully grow corn in that area of the garden this year.  Or you can follow the information at the above link to speed degradation of the causative herbicide. Water as if you had a crop in the ground, and till several times through the season.

Next year, all should be well but, to be certain the tomatoes you plant will thrive, repeat the bio-assay to ensure it is negative before you plant.





Wow!
:-(
Thank-you for your insightful and quick response. How disappointing. I assume this the herbicide was used by the farmer I buy my hay from. We do not use any herbicides (other than a vinegar/salt/soap) and only on our driveway thus far.
The manure had sat about 6 months between production and us putting it in the garden. Does it take a year or more to degrade. I am guessing this is why my beans and any other broad vegetable plants are doing poorly as well. Is it safe to eat vegetables (from broad-leaf plants or otherwise) from my garden this year


The Question Asker Replied June 19, 2017, 6:46 PM EDT

Because your other plants are having problems also, it does appear that herbicide carryover is the problem. But please do the bio-assay to verify if that is true.

The easiest way to do the bio-assay would be to direct sow any of the suggested seeds – usually, radishes, beans, or peas – into the affected area of the garden. The seedlings will be distorted from the beginning.

As for your other struggling plants, you can either send me images of them (up to 3 images per response) or you can match them with the images on the link that I sent you.

If the manure is the source, it is likely the implicated commercial products were used on the farm’s pastures. (A number of farmers hire professional spray services and aren’t always aware of what is used.)

In order to be safe for garden plants, such manure should be actively composted (hot composted) for a year prior to addition to the soil.

If the bio-assay is positive for carryover, you may be able to learn the name of the product used and, then, contact the manufacturer to ask them about safety of harvested crops gathered from affected plants. You might also alert the supplier of the manure.





Hi Again,
We have not started the bioassay process but will this weekend.
In the meantime I have contacted my hay supplier who is confident his growers don't use aminopyralid. I've contacted the Grange Co-op and the feed expert said commercial growers that he is aware of completely shy away from aminopyralids. So ... he pointed back to the hay guy who he says may not realize that folks around here use it to control star thistle.  Or suggests a neighbor may be doing the same.
We do have pond water that is fed a small amount by stream and otherwise by artesian springs. We irrigate our fields and garden with this pond water. Do you know if its possible to test pond water for the actual herbicide presence?
The Question Asker Replied June 22, 2017, 1:42 PM EDT

Well, thank you. You're already well underway on the required detective work to help identify the source of the contaminant. As far as I’m aware, the issue is limited to organic matter, and doesn’t include water.

Be aware that active ingredients other than aminopyralid may be implicated, among them clopyralid and picloram.

It's worth knowing that I've encountered several situations where farmers hire professional services to spray their crops and/or pastures and, thus, were unaware of which products were applied.

Planting the seeds in the affected area of the garden will provide results within several days. If the test is positive, it means that the manure or something else added to the soil is the source of the problem. If negative, the source may be drift.

You haven't said if you are a commercial grower (sell your vegetables) or are a home gardener (grow only for your own use). If you are commercial, I am required to refer you to an OSU Extension Agent. If so, Jackson County is served by the Southern Oregon Research and  Extension Center (http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/farms).

In the meantime, you might review this information from the Northern Willamette Valley Small Farms site: “Herbicide Carryover in Hay, Manure, Compost, and Grass Clippings” (http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sfn/f09Herbicide).

Please let me know what you learn.






I am home gardener for our own use. 
I do have a small horse boarding business which is why I buy a fair amount of hay and grain and hope to use the horse manure for fertilizer.
My name is Gaye Dolin and I have a 20 acres horse ranch in Gold Hill.

Everyone I talk to in trying to do my detective work to is very defensive even though I am trying to be very pleasant with my questions
The Question Asker Replied June 22, 2017, 3:45 PM EDT
Thank you for the update of your status.

You've made enormous progress in resolving the issue.

Because you purchase a lot of hay, you might want to start your testing with the hay. "You just mix some of the suspect material (hay, grass clippings, manure, compost) with a soil-less growing mix, dump it in a nursery pot, plant pea or bean seeds and observe what happens. Contamination is indicated if the seeds don’t germinate or seedlings emerge that are twisted and deformed." (https://extension.umd.edu/learn/gardener-alert-beware-herbicide-contaminated-compost-and-manure)

And ensure that the management of your own pastures isn't contributing to the problem.





Thanks - I will try that with the hay in addition to the soil/manure tests. Hadn't thought of that.
We don't use any pesticides or herbicides in our fields.. we only spread the manure  --- which may be contributing to the cycle?

By the way - thank you so much for your time and for being an expert gardener volunteer for the extension
The Question Asker Replied June 22, 2017, 4:35 PM EDT
Yes, if the manure is contaminated, your pastures are also. As you can see, the issue is in a circular pattern.

Excellent job, so far. It's clear you're approaching this in a confident manner. I'm certain you will succeed in your efforts to interrupt any continuing damage.

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