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Old 14-11-2008, 03:29 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Rusty_Hinge Rusty_Hinge is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2008
Posts: 208
Default composting potato peelings

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In article ,
cineman wrote:

I seem to recall being informed that farmers use a herbicide on the
tops of
potato's to stop any further top growth, and leave tubers in ground for
storage.
Is this still the practice?


Yes - it's to prevent blight from getting into the tubers. But it
worn't do any harm, as it's only sulphuric acid - which is volatile,
won't affect the tubers, and wouldn't matter anyway!


Now banned, I am told. And good thing too - it was pretty concentrated
stuff and must have been an agonising death for wildlife - things like
partridges, hares, rabbits, as well as the lower orders of fauna.

And no, it is not volatile: indeed, it is extremely persistent,
extracting the elements of water as it works. The acid is unaffected,
and as it is diluted by the elements of water, the water evaporates,
leaving the acid stronger, which continues - and (say) in a book or a
log, can do so for years before it happens on sufficient base material
to combine into sulphate(s).

--
Rusty
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