commercial compost and persistent herbicides

[paul wheaton]

Many people think their commercial compost is great because stuff is doing better with it than their stuff did with cement-like dirt. That compost probably has persistent herbicides in it that is stunting plant growth. But the only way to know for sure is to grow a bunch of plants next to same species/variety plants that are grown in compost that definitely doesn't have it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GunQ9mB0ywU

 

[ellie_may12]

Yup, I read about that in Mother Earth. I had a friend who bought a bunch of "garden soil" from a local source to fill her new raised beds. Even though she planted well before I did, her garden just hasn't thrived this year. The soil was totally black, so I thought maybe it was just composted in an anaerobic manner, but it may be herbicides.