When using lawn clippings for compost pile, I use clippings from a lawn treated with Weed and Feed with Atrazine for Saint Augustine lawn. Will that be considered a toxic chemical if the compost is about a year old?

Answer #2 · Kyran Carey's Answer · Thanks for your answer. I am going to plant bare root marigolds in the same places where the strawberry bareroot plants died. If the marigolds die, I wiil know the composted soil is contaminated. The only chemical used in that compost was Weed and Feed I used on the lawn from which I saved the grass clippings to make the compost. Have done this for years. l just cannot understand why the strawberry plants all died .)

Answer #1 · Maple Tree's Answer · Kyran-According to university extension studies the life of Atrazine would be approxinately 4 months. Under moist and warm conditions, the half-life of atrazine in topsoil is about 60 days. Half-life is defined as the length of time required for half of a pesticide to degrade. Once atrazine is applied, it begins to degrade through the action of soil microbes that use it as an energysource, and through chemical reactions with water.

Through the heat and moisture produced as your grass decomposes the life of Atrazine is even shorter within your compost pile. You should have no problem using your compost around your garden.

The Ohio State University Extension site Explains 'What Happens to Pesticide Residues in Compost' and mentions Atrazine. Just click on the link below to go directly to this site.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/0714.html

Hopefully this answers your question.)