Miniature Plants

I teased about putting fairies in my garden but now I really have a fairy garden. All of my plants are miniature. I started the garden in March of 2020 and did a second set of beds in Fall of 2020. I used different compositions of compost for both and as far as I know, the ratios are correct. But in both beds, the plants grow, make a few vegetables and die. The tomatoes did well, but the vines only grew about a foot long, the pepper and bush beans plants are about six inches. This seems to be a pattern. From what I've researched, I think the store-bought compost might be to blame as some people are saying it may not be fully composted. But the one garden bed was started a year ago and I have been adding mostly homemade compost since the initial planting. Does anyone know what to do to make it work? I love the idea of SFG but next to the beds with miracle grow soil, it is not working. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but I still have a lot of peat moss and vermiculite for the new beds so I don't want to repeat it. Thanks for your thoughts.

GardenFairy, it sounds as if you got some bad compost that had been contaminated with a broadleaf herbicide, such as Grazon. The Grazon herbicide sprayed on pastures passes through the digestive tract of cows and into their manure. Composting contaminated manure will not remove the herbicide. Over time, several years, the herbicide will gradually disappear, but I don't know of any remedy for quickly getting rid of it.

Others may have better suggestions, and be able to offer some help, but I can't think of any other solutions for the symptoms you report.

Garden Fairy,  I'm so sorry you are having this problem.  Beside Grazon herbicide, another possibility may be substantial wood pieces in one or more of the composts.  Did you fluff the peat moss before measuring? Do you remember the brands that you used?

sanderson wrote:Garden Fairy,  I'm so sorry you are having this problem.  Beside Grazon herbicide, another possibility may be substantial wood pieces in one or more of the composts.  Did you fluff the peat moss before measuring?  Do you remember the brands that you used?

In garden A, I know I used (Black Kow?) compost. Something like Nature's Organic- it might have been Happy-Grow. The package was similar? Mushroom compost. Timberline cow manure and compost. Honestly, I got Covid after the day I put it all in and my brain got wiped but I'm pretty sure this is what it was.

In Garden B, Black Cow or/and timberline cow manure and compost, chicken manure (I think it was Coop Poop) brand. Mushroom compost and Uncle Jim's worm castings. I don't recall there being a lot of wood pieces. We did get a bag like that that was supposed to be potting soil for a different project, but we took it back to the store.

I did fluff and wet the peat moss, though I didn't soak it as I see some people suggested. I measured it in buckets, so the rations should have been correct otherwise. Thanks for your thoughts.

OhioGardener wrote:GardenFairy, it sounds as if you got some bad compost that had been contaminated with a broadleaf herbicide, such as Grazon. The Grazon herbicide sprayed on pastures passes through the digestive tract of cows and into their manure. Composting contaminated manure will not remove the herbicide. Over time, several years, the herbicide will gradually disappear, but I don't know of any remedy for quickly getting rid of it.

Others may have better suggestions, and be able to offer some help, but I can't think of any other solutions for the symptoms you report.

That could be it, because we have limited sources here for stores. I think the same was used in both beds. But we have a lot of that type and they have been using it at the library garden in the miracle-grow beds too and don't seem to have a problem... Hmmm... Thanks for the information. You may have hit on something. I'll avoid that kind in the next garden for sure!