Over the years compost top-dressing has become a part of many organic land care professionals approach to growing quality turf. While often very labor intensive due to the bulk of product required to spread ¼“ compost on the lawn, the benefits generally outweighed the negatives. Most landscapers would steer clear of sewage sludge for concerns over the potential of heavy metal contamination or fear of antimicrobial content like triclosan, an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral synthetic chemical found in many household products such as soaps, toothpaste and dish detergent which find their way into the sewage system.
It has generally been presumed that herbicides will breakdown during the composting process so that compost made with grass clippings or manure should not be cause for concern. However, in early 2000 clopyralid, a broadleaf herbicide used on lawns was found to be contaminating compost in Washington and Texas State. Now two new chemicals have been brought to light that are being found in compost, aminopyralid and aminocyclopyrachlor. Aminiopyralid, a chemical developed by Dow AgriScience, is being found in the manure of animals that have consumed forage sprayed with this chemical to prevent broadleaf weeds; which in turn is making its way into compost. Aminocyclopyrachlor a new chemical introduced by DuPont is making its way into compost through grass clippings of lawns treated with Imprelis (the trade name for aminocyclopyrachlor) for use on dandelions, clover, plantain.
So once again it is now more than just worrying about:
Contact PJC & Company if you want to discuss bulk compost alternatives that are ultimately lower in cost.
[...] earlier posts problems with Imprelis® residual in compost and its affects on trees had been [...]