I think I killed my garden area

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Hpacres440p

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Used old hay to mulch winter of 20-21, had a lot of Johnson grass last summer, choked everything else out. This year, nothing even germinated other than the Jonson grass. I think there might also be some broad-leaf herbicide residual. Ruined it all with one "good" idea. How to recover?
 
What specific broadleaf herbicide do you think may have been present?
I've never had any problem with JG actually preventing other plant seeds from germinating, but it will
crowd other plants out once it gets established.
Run some yearlings in on the JG garden area and they will eat it down to the crown and it will go away...and your calves will get fat on it to boot..
 
Till it all in and see what happens. If you just left it on top, it is probably smothering the plants.
It was tilled in last summer. Had a poor production year last year, even with a lot of rain-poor germination. Tilled again this year, nothing germinated (cukes, squash, okra, beans, even volunteer sunflowers or zinnias, which were very busy pre-mulch) Heard a discussion from a forage specialist who mentioned that Grazon is a big residue herbicide. Grasses are growing great, but no broadleaf veggies -or anything else for that matter.
Also translates to not trying to seed clover on those pastures, as the cows probably passed residue in their manure. 😕
 

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It says right on the Grazon label to not use hay or manure for compost or mulch on susceptible plants. But any residual affects should be pretty much gone at this point after that much time and tilling it in a year ago. Still, you can start the plants inside and move them to the garden once started and strong.
 
It says right on the Grazon label to not use hay or manure for compost or mulch on susceptible plants. But any residual affects should be pretty much gone at this point after that much time and tilling it in a year ago. Still, you can start the plants inside and move them to the garden once started and strong.
Purchased hay-no idea what herbicide was used. I don't use Grazon, so the thought never Eve crossed my mind
 
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Read the label. The label has the directions, restrictions, cautions, application rates and methods. Herbicides require registration in each state. There may be some variation in restrictions and use from state to state. There may be a supplemental label as well.

Higher application rates result in longer residual life. Ideal of course is to use the lowest rate that will kill your weeds. Application rates are based on ideal and uniform application. That will be affected by many factors. Overlap being the biggest. Nobody wants unsprayed streaks with weeds. So overlap occurs. That means sections with double the rate or more. Nozzles have a fairly uniform pattern when new. When they wear, not as much. How old and worn are your nozzles?

The popular pasture herbicides with residual (Grazon P+D, GrazonNext, Duracor) have label restrictions on hay. From the Duracor label:

"Pasture and Rangeland Restrictions • Do not use grasses treated with DuraCor in the preceding 18 months for hay intended for export outside the United States. • Hay from areas treated with DuraCor in the preceding 18 months can NOT be distributed or made available for sale off the farm or ranch where harvested unless allowed by supplemental labeling. • Hay from areas treated with this product in the preceding 18 months can NOT be used for silage, haylage, baylage, and green chop unless allowed by supplemental labeling. • Do not move hay and silage made from grass treated with DuraCor within the preceding 18 months off farm unless allowed by supplemental labeling. • Do not use hay from areas treated with DuraCor within the preceding 18 months or manure from animals feeding on hay treated with DuraCor in compost. • Do not use grasses treated with DuraCor in the preceding 18 months for seed production."

"Restrictions in Hay or Manure Use - Do not use aminopyralid-treated or florpyrauxifen-benzyl-treated plant residues, including hay or straw from areas treated within the preceding 18 months, in compost, mulch, or mushroom spawn. - Do not use manure from animals that have grazed forage or eaten hay harvested from treated areas within the previous 3 days, in compost, mulch, or mushroom spawn. - Do not spread manure from animals that have grazed or consumed forage or hay from treated areas within the previous 3 days on land used for growing broadleaf crops. 4 Specimen Label Revised 11-29-19 - Manure from animals that have grazed forage or eaten hay harvested from treated areas within the previous 3 days may only be used on pasture grasses, grass grown for seed, wheat, and corn. - Do not plant a broadleaf crop (including soybeans, sunflower, tobacco, vegetables, field beans, peanuts, and potatoes) in fields treated in the previous year with manure from animals that have grazed forage or eaten hay harvested from aminopyralid-treated or florpyrauxifen-benzyl-treated areas until an adequately sensitive field bioassay is conducted to determine that the aminopyralid and florpyrauxifen-benzyl residue in the soil is at level that is not injurious to the crop to be planted. - To promote herbicide decomposition, plant residues must be evenly incorporated in the surface soil or burned. Breakdown of aminopyralid and florpyrauxifen-benzyl in plant residues or manure is more rapid under warm, moist soil conditions and may be accelerated by supplemental irrigation."
 
Could you reach out to the hay seller and ask them what herbicides were used on that particular lot of hay? Instead of guessing what chemical it might be, that's the first call I'd make. Then you'll know exactly what you're dealing with and how to proceed forward. Some chemicals with cereal and legume production can last quite awhile and you're only recourse is time or trying to remove as much of the chemical laden soil as possible.
 
Application rates are based on ideal and uniform application. That will be affected by many factors. Overlap being the biggest.
I was very guilty of this too when I first started spraying back in 2011, instead of mowing constantly. I was so concerned with missing a strip, I didn't pay good attention to where my last swath ended and the new one began..overlapped often. Remedy and2,4d. All it did was waste time, fuel and herbicide. Even on small acreage, you can increase (waste) your herbicide usage 30% if you don't pay close attention. (The blue crap you mix with the chem/water/surfactant solution was all but useless to me. Couldn't see it and since I used a boomless nozzle, foam wasn't an option)
 
Read the label. The label has the directions, restrictions, cautions, application rates and methods. Herbicides require registration in each state. There may be some variation in restrictions and use from state to state. There may be a supplemental label as well.

Higher application rates result in longer residual life. Ideal of course is to use the lowest rate that will kill your weeds. Application rates are based on ideal and uniform application. That will be affected by many factors. Overlap being the biggest. Nobody wants unsprayed streaks with weeds. So overlap occurs. That means sections with double the rate or more. Nozzles have a fairly uniform pattern when new. When they wear, not as much. How old and worn are your nozzles?

The popular pasture herbicides with residual (Grazon P+D, GrazonNext, Duracor) have label restrictions on hay. From the Duracor label:

"Pasture and Rangeland Restrictions • Do not use grasses treated with DuraCor in the preceding 18 months for hay intended for export outside the United States. • Hay from areas treated with DuraCor in the preceding 18 months can NOT be distributed or made available for sale off the farm or ranch where harvested unless allowed by supplemental labeling. • Hay from areas treated with this product in the preceding 18 months can NOT be used for silage, haylage, baylage, and green chop unless allowed by supplemental labeling. • Do not move hay and silage made from grass treated with DuraCor within the preceding 18 months off farm unless allowed by supplemental labeling. • Do not use hay from areas treated with DuraCor within the preceding 18 months or manure from animals feeding on hay treated with DuraCor in compost. • Do not use grasses treated with DuraCor in the preceding 18 months for seed production."

"Restrictions in Hay or Manure Use - Do not use aminopyralid-treated or florpyrauxifen-benzyl-treated plant residues, including hay or straw from areas treated within the preceding 18 months, in compost, mulch, or mushroom spawn. - Do not use manure from animals that have grazed forage or eaten hay harvested from treated areas within the previous 3 days, in compost, mulch, or mushroom spawn. - Do not spread manure from animals that have grazed or consumed forage or hay from treated areas within the previous 3 days on land used for growing broadleaf crops. 4 Specimen Label Revised 11-29-19 - Manure from animals that have grazed forage or eaten hay harvested from treated areas within the previous 3 days may only be used on pasture grasses, grass grown for seed, wheat, and corn. - Do not plant a broadleaf crop (including soybeans, sunflower, tobacco, vegetables, field beans, peanuts, and potatoes) in fields treated in the previous year with manure from animals that have grazed forage or eaten hay harvested from aminopyralid-treated or florpyrauxifen-benzyl-treated areas until an adequately sensitive field bioassay is conducted to determine that the aminopyralid and florpyrauxifen-benzyl residue in the soil is at level that is not injurious to the crop to be planted. - To promote herbicide decomposition, plant residues must be evenly incorporated in the surface soil or burned. Breakdown of aminopyralid and florpyrauxifen-benzyl in plant residues or manure is more rapid under warm, moist soil conditions and may be accelerated by supplemental irrigation."
As I said, I didn't use the Grazon. I fed hay that apparently was treated with it. Bought from a feed store. Never even crossed my mind at the time
 

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