Update on our distorted volunteer tubers.

I received an email from DOW today as follows:

"The way aminopyralid works in plant material, it is very likely the effects you describe are a result of residues being retained in daughter tubers of potatoes grown last year. Is it only these “groundkeepers”, the tubers that were accidentally left in the soil over winter, that are showing symptoms, or are other plants of different species also affected? If it is only the potatoes, I doubt the affects are as a result of manure in the soil still containing aminopyralid.

Broadly-speaking, any manure that was dug-in last year, and has been well dug over since, should have had any remaining residue of aminopyralid broken down by soil micro-organisms. This is dependent on the plant material having broken down, allowing the microbes to work directly on the aminopyralid. However, if plant cellulose material is still easily found in the soil there could still be a problem in 2009".

As yet the dahlias planted in the same area are growing without any ill effect.

If you were affected last year and can give an update of the situation in your garden/plot now or have any advice that may help those affected this year then please post a comment or email me and I will add anything useful to this web page.