Question:
What can I do if my plants have been damaged by herbicide drift?Answer:
If plants are damaged by herbicides, they may or may not recover, depending on the severity of the damage. All that can be done is to wait and see what happens while providing good care for the plant.
Preventing other stresses from harming the plant is the best way to minimize herbicide injury. This includes watering during hot and dry periods, fertilizing if the soil is deficient, and scouting for other diseases and insect pests. When herbicide injury is observed, no chemical sprays or nutrient/fertilizer applications can reverse the damage.
New growth may be unaffected, and long-term damage may not occur. This depends on the plant species, its overall health, and the product it was exposed to.
Management of Edible Plants with Herbicide Injury
The safest course of action is not to consume any part of a plant exposed to a known or unknown herbicide and to remove and replace the plants. Learn more in this article: Can I eat fruits and vegetables that have been damaged by herbicides?
Prevention is Important
When herbicide damage occurs, nothing can be done other than wait and see and continue normal practices that maintain plant health. Because of this, preventing herbicide damage is essential.
Follow all pesticide label directions carefully, in particular the proper environmental conditions for application, and clean all equipment after use to prevent contamination. Take note of nearby herbicide applications, as knowledge of this can help identify the potential cause of the symptoms. Also, avoid using mulch, manure, or compost that may contain herbicide residues, such as grass clippings from treated lawns.
Testing & Reporting Herbicide Contamination
While it may seem helpful to conduct testing of the plant material (leaves, stems, etc.) for herbicide residue, the results of such tests are rarely conclusive.
Even if the concentration of herbicide in the leaves or other parts of the plant is known, it does not provide guidance on what to do since the acceptable threshold of damage is unknown for most vegetables, trees, shrubs, and other garden plants.
To report suspected herbicide drift or misuse, contact the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) Pesticide Bureau, which investigates complaints and enforces pesticide regulations.
Follow-up Questions
How can I tell if my plant has been damaged by herbicide drift?
Can I eat fruits and vegetables that have been damaged by herbicides?
Learn more in this article: Herbicide Injury to Garden Plants.