You are talking about picloram. This persistent herbicide has been eaten by
cows and horses, composted at 150 degrees and that compost still had enough
picloram to do major damage to (mostly) the night shade family or solanacea.


On Fri, 20 Jun 2003 00:07:25 -0700, "gregpresley" wrote:

In some parts of the country, compost has been contaminated with an
herbicide used mostly on golf courses. The clippings have been composted at
municipal facilities, and the resulting compost when sold to the public has
resulted in dead tomatoes, etc, such as you're describing. There have been
some warnings now, and supposedly golf courses are being told not to compost
their clippings, but your neighbors might have gotten a contaminated batch
and used it to enrich their new bed.
"Dvd" wrote in message
.. .
Neighbour planted tomatoes, peppers and cosmos in a new bed. In less than
a
week everything has died. There appears to be some accelerated growth,
such
as occurs with herbicides, but there have been no chemicals used anywhere
in
or near the yard. Could toxic chemicals from a brand new plastic hose have
leached into the water that wa used on the plants? (Husband says no, wife
says water appeared milky). Anyone experienced anything like this? Weather
has been fine -- no frost, not particularly hot, and sufficient rainfall.

Thanks,