[Community_garden] Treated seed question

[Mike McGrath]

If the seed is treated with a highly toxic chemical fungicide like Thiram or 
Captan, it MUST by law be dyed a bright color to warn of the danger. These 
highly toxic chemical fungicides are NOT allowed in organic growing, period. 
No excuses. They do not belong in an organic garden.
    In addition, the seed itself is extremely dangerous to handle, and the 
bright colors make it a temptation to children who might find some lying 
around. It is nasty, nasty stuff and you should say no.

Now, of course, this doesn't apply if the person making the request has 
found some super-cool, all-organic, chemical-free treated seed. Such things 
do exist. But "treated seed" typically means the toxins and the color tells 
the tale.

Oh and its not the clay. People who want to rush the season in cool climates 
use this stuff so their seeds won't rot in the cold ground. Untreated seed 
will grow just fine once the soil warms up.

                                                    ---Non-toxic Mike McG
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gretchen Harvey" <harvey at cord.edu>
To: <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 9:28 AM
Subject: [Community_garden] Treated seed question


> Dear All,
>
> We are a relatively new organic community garden in Minnesota (2004-) and
> are learning as fast as we can about what is and is not acceptable in an
> organic garden. We have some extra acres that we wish to plant corn in 
> this
> year and we have had a request to plant golden bantam seed that has been
> treated--with something that prevents it from rotting before it has a 
> chance
> to germinate. I should also say that we live in a river valley with lots 
> of
> clay in the soil and I'm getting the impression that using treated seed is
> common here.
>
> We realize that we could not tell people the corn is organic. But the REAL
> QUESTION for us at this point is:
> Does this seed leave a residue in the soil (or on the plant itself) that 
> we
> should be concerned about?
>
> Are there different kinds of seed treatments that are considered organic 
> or
> are all of them to be avoided?
>
> Thanks for you help,
> Gretchen
>
> Dr. Gretchen Harvey
> Department of History
> Concordia College
> 901 8th Street South
> Moorhead, MN. 56562
> 218-299-4307
>
>
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