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Why are my vegetables dying?

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  • 23-05-2021 9:40am
    #1
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭


    Have been keeping an allotment for over ten years and have never seen anything like this. In a number of my beds (garlic, potato, carrot and onion) I have had localised yellowing of leaves, wilting and complete die back. I have even lost a gooseberry and black currant bush. Again they just wilted and went yellow and dropped fruit. Seems strange because the bushes next to them are ok. Even in the garlic beds some plants in the corners of the bed have not been effected but a line through the centre of the bed has completely died back. If anyone has any advice, would be much appreciated.


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    #2
    wildwillow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭wildwillow


    Need Pictures. Could be anything from weather conditions, weed killer drift, waterlogging. Dig up some plants and inspect the roots.
    Could it be caused by the late frosts we have had. Many plants have been badly damaged.
    As it is affecting everything, something has changed in your plot.


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    #3
    shtpEdthePlum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 556 ✭✭✭shtpEdthePlum


    Could be a cat pooping in the soil. We lost an avocado tree to that recently and were very puzzled until we caught the cat using it as a litter box.

    Loads of different variables to rule out.


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    #4
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    I'm blaming the weather and old beds which may have become compacted in whole or part and which will become waterlogged quickest. Add in the cold and it's a challenge this Spring.


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    #5
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    wildwillow wrote: »
    Need Pictures. Could be anything from weather conditions, weed killer drift, waterlogging. Dig up some plants and inspect the roots.
    Could it be caused by the late frosts we have had. Many plants have been badly damaged.
    As it is affecting everything, something has changed in your plot.

    Weather has been terrible alright. I would think water logging might effect whole beds, same as frost. But areas seem very localised. Roots seem to be ok on garlic and onions. I’m only new here so can’t post pics till I hit 25 posts. Will send in soon


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    #6
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    shtpEdthePlum wrote: »
    Could be a cat pooping in the soil. We lost an avocado tree to that recently and were very puzzled until we caught the cat using it as a litter box.

    Loads of different variables to rule out.

    Haven’t found any faeces of any sorts but wouldn’t rule anything out just yet. Would a fix of badger have a similar effect? Fertiliser burn, frost, water logging, herbicide drift is what I’m thinking at the minute as I can’t find any mold or bug damage.


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    #7
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    Harry Palmr wrote: »
    I'm blaming the weather and old beds which may have become compacted in whole or part and which will become waterlogged quickest. Add in the cold and it's a challenge this Spring.

    Do you mean old beds as in beds that haven’t had their soil turned? I have raised beds 12” deep, never walk on them and they are are dug and turned every year. Could they still become compacted below the 12”?


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    #8
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users Posts: 6,715 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    Glyphosate?

    Wake me up when it's all over.



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    #9
    Bill Hook
    Registered Users Posts: 117 ✭✭Bill Hook


    Could it be manure/compost contaminated with Aminopyralid? Charles Dowding has been going on about it and I came across this blog recently about an allotment in Skerries...

    https://sustainableskerries.com/2019/06/07/aminopyralid-killer-cow-muck-killer-compost/


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    #10
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    The Continental Op wrote: »
    Glyphosate?

    a possibility...any of your neighbouring allotments users spraying weedkiller lately OP? over-spray carried in the breeze??


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    #11
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    The Continental Op wrote: »
    Glyphosate?

    Possibly. A field beside me may have been sprayed recently but how it has effected only parts of my beds makes me question it could have come from this source.


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    #12
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    fryup wrote: »
    a possibility...any of your neighbouring allotments users spraying weedkiller lately OP? over-spray carried in the breeze??

    I don’t think so. Some beds are ok strawberry’s, one bed of spuds, brassicas, and others. If if was overspray or drift I would expect it to cover a wider area. This seems to be targeted. Will send pics soon


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    #13
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    targeted????

    is there anyone there jealous of the size of your onions?


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    #14
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    Apologies only posting pics now. Can only attach files since this morning.


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    #15
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    This is what I mean by targeted, in some beds plants are fine, while there is a streak of yellowing wilting plants through the middle.

    Also two blackcurrant bushes treated the exact same, one wilted, one perfectly fine.


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    #16
    landofthetree
    Registered Users Posts: 2,345 ✭✭✭landofthetree


    A lack of certain trace elements in the soil would be my guess


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    #17
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    fryup wrote: »
    targeted????

    is there anyone there jealous of the size of your onions?

    LOL‚ possibly. But I’m thinking/hoping more along the lines of something less sinister like I have done something wrong, or I have been licked by the Gods, or something accidental.


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    #18
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    landofthetree wrote: »
    A lack of certain trace elements in the soil would be my guess

    I make my own compost, leaf mould, vegetable waste, egg shell, worm compost, and use manures. Any ideas what it could be lacking?


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    #19
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users Posts: 6,715 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    Some of that damage looks like 2-4D damage, checkout that link in Bill Hooks post damage would be similar.

    Not sure how 2-4D works on monocots like leeks and onions?

    Wake me up when it's all over.



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    #20
    macraignil
    Registered Users Posts: 3,441 ✭✭✭macraignil


    Some talk I have seen about herbicide residues in manure as well could be an explanation with aminopyralid group chemicals sometimes being found on hay fed to farm animals. It remains active after passing through their digestive tract and has been found to continue working to kill plants where the manure is applied.


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    #21
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users Posts: 6,715 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    Do you put any grass clippings on your compost heap? If so any chance you'd sprayed the lawn with a selective weed killer at some stage?

    Wake me up when it's all over.



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    #22
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    macraignil wrote: »
    Some talk I have seen about herbicide residues in manure as well could be an explanation with aminopyralid group chemicals sometimes being found on hay fed to farm animals. It remains active after passing through their digestive tract and has been found to continue working to kill plants where the manure is applied.

    I can confirm manure comes from a place where there is no weed killers/pesticides used.


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    #23
    PeadarOBriain
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭PeadarOBriain


    The Continental Op wrote: »
    Do you put any grass clippings on your compost heap? If so any chance you'd sprayed the lawn with a selective weed killer at some stage?

    Never use herbicides/pesticides in the garden. Try to keep everything as natural as possible.


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    #24
    macraignil
    Registered Users Posts: 3,441 ✭✭✭macraignil


    PeadarOBriain wrote: »
    I can confirm manure comes from a place where there is no weed killers/pesticides used.


    That could be the case but some of the stories I have seen involved the use of hay or straw that was bought in from other farms and even though it was not used where the animals lived it still was active in the manure they produced. It could be on the straw used in their bedding or in the hay they are given to eat. Was the manure fully matured? The damage sort of looks chemical in nature and fresh manure is acidic and can damage plants if it is not allowed enough time to mature before being applied to plants.


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