Since we use these stories as a resource for multiple requests, don’t restrict Success Stories only to traditional Extension appointments and activities. Any accomplishments and efforts that are noteworthy may be included.

The Ag Agent in Jefferson County recently received a call from a greenhouse manager regarding vegetable plants that appeared to have some type of herbicide damage. The manager informed me that there haven’t been any herbicide applications applied to any of their flower or vegetable greenhouses. The greenhouse operation is surrounded by wooded land and private commercial business. So the likelihood of spray drift damage was not considered. However, I was informed that fresh compost was recently added to several of the greenhouse beds. 

There are a few herbicides that have on their labels, warnings regarding not to use as compost manure from animals that have grazed pastures or consumed hay from fields that have been sprayed with a particular type of herbicide.

The manager had an opportunity to gather information from the ag agent, representatives from the KY Dept of Ag, and Waters Ag Lab to conclude that some of the material in the compost had been treated with the type of herbicide with a long residual life. 

Other growers who use the compost were not made aware of the situation due to the legal issue of proving for a fact that the organic material used in the composting process came from the local farms.

The greenhouse manager, in discussion with the Ag Agent, was able to find good clean compost in Lexington Ky.