Knowledgebase
Plant contamination / misuse #871913
Asked June 06, 2024, 2:36 PM EDT
Scott County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thank you for reaching out to ask2.extension.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. I would definitely be contacting the company that treated your yard.
I think I'd just keep an eye on them and be sure the don't go dry. I'd hold off fertilizing for now. They are in shock and hopefully pull through. Once they begin to regrow you can trim off what has died. At the point you see be growth you could fertilize.
It will take some time. But call the company that sprayed. They should be responsible.
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I think that with time and a little tlc, they should pull through. I couldn’t get your attachments open. You could try you county’s extension office to see if there is someone who can come out.
As far as fertilizer, my recommendation would be to wait. I’d wait until next spring to fertilize. I can’t recommend anything specific because I’m a volunteer. Maybe your extension office can do that for you.
From your pictures I would say the plants will come back next year just fine. Just keep an eye on them, especially when it quits raining and gets hot. You may have to water them more than a normal year.
I would recommend keeping an eye on them until they go dormant for winter.
2,4-D - 6.72 mg/kg (semi quantitation)
Dicamba - 0.221 mg/kg
Sulfentrazone - 0.0604 mg/kg
Triclopyr - 2.24 mg/kg
Enclosed is the Residue Final Report for the vegetation sample the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
obtained on June 06, 2024. Each sample has its own result.
Sample results may be listed in mg/kg (part per million), ug/kg (part per billion), ng/l (part per trillion), or ND
(no detect at any of the detection limit or the method reporting limit (MRL) dependent upon the type of sample
obtained. 1 ppm = 1,000 ppb = 1,000,000 ppt.
The MDA uses this data to determine if there are residues of pesticide in/on porous materials like clothing/furniture;
non-porous surfaces like exterior siding or windows; vegetation; food/feed; soil, water, or bees. For food/feed, the US
EPA sets tolerances for pesticide allowed in or on the commodity.
The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) works with citizens to enable people to make informed decisions
depending on these results. It is a collaboration between Oregon State University and the United States
Environmental Protection Agency to provide objective, science-based information about pesticides, the recognition
and management of pesticide poisonings, toxicology, and environmental chemistry. You may contact them toll free 1-
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Looks like they definitely got hit with an herbicide. I still would not treat the right now. The plants have been shocked and may not respond to a fertilizer well. You can cut off the affected parts, cutting them back to a leaf node or a junction. Keep them watered and maybe by then end of July if the plant is still looking good, give it a shot of fertilizer. I’d use a general fertilizer unless your plant is an acid loving plant. You can check out each plant and get specific fertilizers if you want, but a general should be ok. Don’t fertilize after mid-August because the plants need time to settle in for winter and fertilizer will keep them growing.
Then next spring, give them a new dose of fertilizer to get them growing strong.
I hope this will help ease your mind. You may end up losing some of them. Unfortunately if they are too far damaged, they may not be saved.
I wish you the best!