Beware of these fertilizers

[simon_grow]

This was shared on the fig forum. Some “Eco/natural/organic” fertilizers have harmful chemicals in them. I think many of us are aware of this issue already but I thought I’d post about it anyways in the hopes that it will reach people that didn’t know.

https://bestlifeonline.com/harmful-fertilizers-news/

Simon

[John B]

I was just reading this from another website. It's too bad because I just started using Milorganite  on my lawn. Now I am just going to topdress with topsoil and wormcastings.

[spaugh]

a lot of the packaging thry sell food in and also wrappers at resturaunts and also non stick pans have these forever chemicals that bio accumulate.  a lot of modern wonder products are super toxic to us and the earth.  Im no eco nazi but using some of these things that are known to be harmful to us is just plain stupid. 

i supposed people would be pretty mad if we had to all of a sudden stop using all the various products out there that aren't healthy for us.  Some of them make life much easier for day to day tasks. 

[Bush2Beach]

Thanks always thought it was funny Kelloggs soil uses “bio sludge” from LA county sewage and people bought it because it’s cheap or didn’t think about it or care.
There are so many upcycled waste products that industry figures out how to turn from a cost to dispose of to a profit to suckers. Food, ferilizer, pesticides, you name it.

[Satya]

We are trying to eventually turn into a closed loop system for our garden. we switched all the household products to biodegradable non-toxic several years ago, so no toxic sludge here:) and no pumping needed, neighbors do yearly pumping and ours lasted 6 years without pumping even through Irma Since septic is also part of our garden system...

[spaugh]

Yearly pumping?  Yikes!  They probably don't actually need that.  My guy came after 5 years and said it looks fine can go longer was not in need of cleaning. 

[Satya]

Yearly pumping?  Yikes!  They probably don't actually need that.  My guy came after 5 years and said it looks fine can go longer was not in need of cleaning.

yeah more or less every year their septics start smelling bad, bubbling and they call the pump guy. Neighbors on the right, neighbors on the left and the ones across. Bacteria that are supposed to take care of stuff are advertised as a monthly additive because all the household chemicals kill them fast, and people have no time for monthly maintenance and surely aren't ready to switch Dawn dish soap and Ariel to biodegradable options. I added bacteria once (after Irma) and that seems to still be working good. Some neighbors decided to be smart and pump their washing machine detergent water directly into their garden to avoid septic overfill. The entire neighborhood smells like a laundromat in the evening when people do laundry    Sickening to imagine what this does to the plants...

[spaugh]

Don't have those problems here its on a hill and percolates like a champion.  Can never overflow the lines.  The tank can still smell though, I'm sure even your tank dont smell like roses.

[pineislander]

Yearly pumping?  Yikes!  They probably don't actually need that.  My guy came after 5 years and said it looks fine can go longer was not in need of cleaning.

yeah more or less every year their septics start smelling bad, bubbling and they call the pump guy. Neighbors on the right, neighbors on the left and the ones across. Bacteria that are supposed to take care of stuff are advertised as a monthly additive because all the household chemicals kill them fast, and people have no time for monthly maintenance and surely aren't ready to switch Dawn dish soap and Ariel to biodegradable options. I added bacteria once (after Irma) and that seems to still be working good. Some neighbors decided to be smart and pump their washing machine detergent water directly into their garden to avoid septic overfill. The entire neighborhood smells like a laundromat in the evening when people do laundry    Sickening to imagine what this does to the plants...

The biggest killer of septic systems are roots out in the drain field. If the tank must be pumped frequently the drain field has failed and needs to be replaced.
Second problem is household bleach. Do bleach soaks in buckets, pans then throw out on sidewalks or driveways. Laundry water usually isn't a problem if no bleach. Florida used to allow grey water usage from laundry, sinks and showers. About 15 years ago they stopped permitting it. Grey water use is 70% of all household water, it should be permitted as in other states. This would increase septic & municipal sewage capacity by that amount reducing infrastructure cost and reduce capacity needs.

[345 desoto]

In the forty years we'ved lived here, we've NEVER had to pump out our septic tank.  That includes raising 2 children.   Hard and fast rule!!...if you didn't eat it, it doesn't go into the toilet.  Rid-Ex, once a month...

[Mark in Texas]

I would never use any kind of "stuff" that has been run thru a waste water or sewage processing plant.  Not only do you start with a lot of crap but the chemicals they add to it exacerbates the pollution issue.  Same with my water source.  City folks are so brain washed that when I tell them we drink/use water straight from the well they can't believe it.  Usual comment goes something like this "you mean you don't treat it to purify it?"  My reply is usually "no, the crap you drink needs sanitizers and chemicals and such to make it publicly safe". 

This is one of the foods using highly refined, pure salts that I trust.  Been using such foods for 45 years. instantly dissolves with no precipitates.  There are other great foods such as Osmocote, Dyna-Gro, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/77900-Performance-Fertilizer-25-5-15-25-Pound/dp/B008JSIKCU/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_1

[Mark in Texas]

That's some weird Californication stuff going there.     Never heard of any one here in Texas having to pump their septic tank. My cousin's septic tank NE of Dallas has been in probably 50 years and never been pumped.  I asked him about it.

Ours has been in for 16 years and doing fine and we're in a tight clay loam. It is underlain with fractured limestone though. 

[spaugh]

The idea behind pumping the septic tank is to remove the thick sludge that accumulates in the bottom of the box.  It doesn't have anything to do with the leach field.  If the leach field isn't draining, thats a whole other issue.  If you search online line about septic tank maintenance all says have it cleaned every 3 to 5 years as routine maintenance. 

Your car will still run with oil that has 20,000 miles on it to but we still change it at 5k.

That said, my guy said ours still looks good not much crap in it after 5 years.  He told me he just did one where someone waited 20 years and it was so full of crusted on crap it took him all day to clean it out.  He has to chisel off the built up junk and use a hose to loosen it up and then pump it out. 

Mark, in California most of the city water is stored in giant lakes that have fish and ducks shitting in them all day, then they run it through a filter station, toss some chlorine and send it out to the houses.  Its still fairly dirty imo.  Yeah we drink water straight from the ground, it doesnt have any duck poop in it.

[Mark in Texas]

Now ya got me all worried that my tank may be full of crap!  What's a po boy to do!

Guess I better look into it. 

[Mark in Texas]

Looks like we're doing all the right things.  https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/plumbing/toilets/how-to-care-for-your-septic-system/

[Kevin Jones]

The real problem with Milorganite and other sewage sludge fertilizers is the contents of a typical municipal sewage system is more than just human body wastes or food scraps.
Anything anyone flushes down a toilet or pours down a drain ends up in the mix... including dangerous chemical you wouldn't want on your plants or dinner table. Residential and industrial.
That's why they only recommend it for lawns and golf courses.
No thanks.
I'm a big fan of the Ruth Stout system of repeated heavy mulches. Conserves moisture and rots down to contributes to the soil organics.
Check it out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Stout

Kevin Jones

[Fygee]

Good to see Foxfarm wasn't in that list. I primarily use theirs.

[RodneyS]

I use worm castings from my DIY worm bin, compost from the compost piles, fish wastewater and some Dr. Earth slow-release fertilizer & fertilizer concentrate.  I'm happy, thus far

[roblack]

Thanks for posting this Simon, and all the additional info from other posters.

I rarely fertilize.

Messed up mango bloom this year by fertilizing at wrong time. While trees look great, way less fruit than last year.

Going back to minimalistic/laziestic methodologies.

Foliar feeding, compositing, and mild ferts with micros seems the way to go here and now.
 
...any more info or links as to what you are doing Satya? While I do not want to route human waste for consumable plants, you've got me wondering about a system for ornamentals.

[EddieF]

I came looking for good fig & tomato fert, interesting read.
I pumped my septic almost 20yrs ago.  Nobody had sewer in the early days & beach water was more pretty color when you drove past. 

[brian]

I was surprised recently when I bought "topsoil" from home depot/lowes that it smelled like old cigarettes and looked like ash.  I was expecting it to be cheap clay, but somehow this was worse.  I then checked the ingredients list of all the bagged soils and they are literally all peat moss plus recycled trash of one type or another.  Rice hulls, "recycled forestry products", "composted food waste".  At least manure is good old animal crap (I hope)

Anyway, I had to resort to digging holes in random corners of my yard to get acceptable dirt to backfill holes.

I know this post is about fertilizers, but it felt like a good time to let out this gripe.

[pineislander]

I was surprised recently when I bought "topsoil" from home depot/lowes that it smelled like old cigarettes and looked like ash.  I was expecting it to be cheap clay, but somehow this was worse.  I then checked the ingredients list of all the bagged soils and they are literally all peat moss plus recycled trash of one type or another.  Rice hulls, "recycled forestry products", "composted food waste".  At least manure is good old animal crap (I hope)

Anyway, I had to resort to digging holes in random corners of my yard to get acceptable dirt to backfill holes.

I know this post is about fertilizers, but it felt like a good time to let out this gripe.

Beware of manure nowadays. If it is coming from animals fed purchased hay there is a chance of herbicide contamination.
The specific herbicide is used on pastures and is highly persistent. It is specific to dicot broadleaved weeds but doesn't kill grasses. However, the herbicide is absorbed by the grass and persists in hay, even in manure, or compost including the manure. I belong to a Facebook garden group and several times this year even just a few weeks ago a person used "Free Manure" from his brother-in-law and his plants quickly showed the signs of poisoning. Horse manure is probably the worst but any animal fed hay can be assumed to get it. It may be possible to do a basic "test" using beans and grass seed to see what happens. Here is a Link from University of Florida:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/AG416

[palmcity]

This was shared on the fig forum. Some “Eco/natural/organic” fertilizers have harmful chemicals in them. I think many of us are aware of this issue already but I thought I’d post about it anyways in the hopes that it will reach people that didn’t know.
https://bestlifeonline.com/harmful-fertilizers-news/
Simon

Devils Advocate,
1."While some fertilizers are all-natural and good for the ground, a recent study found concerning levels of harmful chemicals in a handful of popular fertilizers. The chemicals not only last in the environment for decades, but they can also affect your health,"
Too much or too little of anything will kill plants and people... Do not overfertilize or give too much of any ingredient or it will die. Ex. nitrogen excess plants die, water excess plants & humans die if you drink pure no electrolyte distilled water gallon after gallon & humans die with excess O2, .... etc. etc. etc.
2. "Levels of harmful chemicals last in the environment for decades"....Pretty scary writing lol.... Well lets really look at experiments on limited breakdown in environment   and elimination in animals (which also does occur)  :::   

*******************************************************************************
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid
7.1 Absorption, Distribution and Excretion
In background populations males have a higher PFAAS in low serum concentrations. Guess is menstruation offers femals an additional elimination route vs. males.

11.2.6 Environmental Abiotic Degradation
Vapor-phase of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals estimate atmospheric half life about 115 days.
Lab studies perfluorooctane sulfonic acid was shown to be degraded in groundwater samples by onolysis (ultrasound).

11.2.21 Body Burden
Widespread blood levels reported even in apparently pristine environments.

NHANES report mean perfluorooactane sulfonic acid concentration in US male serum samples has FALLEN from 34ng/ml in 1999-2000 to 17.5 ng/ml in 2007-2008 ............. Female serum 30ng/ml 1999-2000 to 11ng/ml in 2007-2008

I forgot the location but in the paper IMO 3m has stopped production except for a few essential products, some years ago.

I do not know if I would place this particular possible toxin above hundreds of others in our environment today, especially with the low amounts being absorbed potentially in plants and then into other animals etc.

Remember, too much or too little of anything can kill us... Know your risks and live life accordingly...

I do think all sink faucets in California should have a warning stating warning possible carcinogen as water has been sitting in pipes with unknown joint connections/chemicals/pipe ingredients/pump mechanisms/water origination quality at source of pumping. Drink at your own risk...


Woops, dropped this one out of sequence
7.2 Biological Half-life (time to drop levels by 50%).... Trout 8.4 days in muscle and 20.4 days in liver. Rats = 7.5 days......... 3M workers retired long term exposure now this is rather significant (do not recommend working with this at 3m) half life for pfos 8.67 years.

P.S. Yours Truly::: Devils Advocate.


   

[Oolie]

This was shared on the fig forum. Some “Eco/natural/organic” fertilizers have harmful chemicals in them. I think many of us are aware of this issue already but I thought I’d post about it anyways in the hopes that it will reach people that didn’t know.
https://bestlifeonline.com/harmful-fertilizers-news/
Simon

Devils Advocate,
1."While some fertilizers are all-natural and good for the ground, a recent study found concerning levels of harmful chemicals in a handful of popular fertilizers. The chemicals not only last in the environment for decades, but they can also affect your health,"
Too much or too little of anything will kill plants and people... Do not overfertilize or give too much of any ingredient or it will die. Ex. nitrogen excess plants die, water excess plants & humans die if you drink pure no electrolyte distilled water gallon after gallon & humans die with excess O2, .... etc. etc. etc.
2. "Levels of harmful chemicals last in the environment for decades"....Pretty scary writing lol.... Well lets really look at experiments on limited breakdown in environment   and elimination in animals (which also does occur)  :::   

*******************************************************************************
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid
7.1 Absorption, Distribution and Excretion
In background populations males have a higher PFAAS in low serum concentrations. Guess is menstruation offers femals an additional elimination route vs. males.

11.2.6 Environmental Abiotic Degradation
Vapor-phase of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals estimate atmospheric half life about 115 days.
Lab studies perfluorooctane sulfonic acid was shown to be degraded in groundwater samples by onolysis (ultrasound).

11.2.21 Body Burden
Widespread blood levels reported even in apparently pristine environments.

NHANES report mean perfluorooactane sulfonic acid concentration in US male serum samples has FALLEN from 34ng/ml in 1999-2000 to 17.5 ng/ml in 2007-2008 ............. Female serum 30ng/ml 1999-2000 to 11ng/ml in 2007-2008

I forgot the location but in the paper IMO 3m has stopped production except for a few essential products, some years ago.

I do not know if I would place this particular possible toxin above hundreds of others in our environment today, especially with the low amounts being absorbed potentially in plants and then into other animals etc.

Remember, too much or too little of anything can kill us... Know your risks and live life accordingly...

I do think all sink faucets in California should have a warning stating warning possible carcinogen as water has been sitting in pipes with unknown joint connections/chemicals/pipe ingredients/pump mechanisms/water origination quality at source of pumping. Drink at your own risk...


Woops, dropped this one out of sequence
7.2 Biological Half-life (time to drop levels by 50%).... Trout 8.4 days in muscle and 20.4 days in liver. Rats = 7.5 days......... 3M workers retired long term exposure now this is rather significant (do not recommend working with this at 3m) half life for pfos 8.67 years.

P.S. Yours Truly::: Devils Advocate.


   

Some good reads here, maybe I should microwave some bagged popcorn and sit down to digest it all?

[palmcity]

City folks are so brain washed that when I tell them we drink/use water straight from the well they can't believe it.  Usual comment goes something like this "you mean you don't treat it to purify it?"  My reply is usually "no, the crap you drink needs sanitizers and chemicals and such to make it publicly safe". 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kionasmith/2019/12/31/the-canary-in-the-coal-mine-isnt-ancient-history/?sh=6a8217004393
Similar analogy with a tropical fish in a bowl in your house. Test quality of your city drinking water daily by first refilling your fishbowl with fresh city water. Then watch it swim before drinking your water... lol.. Don't do this in front of your guests as they might not like seeing a floating fish.

Good .org on other dangers in many city drinking water supplies::: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/whats-your-drinking-water

Halogens are very reactive elements: The halogen elements are fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), astatine (At), and tennessine (Ts)
What are the three characteristics of halogens?
Summary of Common Properties
They have very high electronegativities.
They have seven valence electrons (one short of a stable octet).
They are highly reactive, especially with alkali metals and alkaline earths. ...
Because they are so reactive, elemental halogens are toxic and potentially lethal.
More items...•Nov 6, 2019   .........Google

So why does  California not put a warning on all faucets of city water::: potentially toxic?  lol...
Just kidding...




body percent composition:::
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_of_the_human_body

(I removed the star dust garbage as did not read the previous copy paste lol)