Glyphosate residues

Well I haven't looked this up since at least a year ago - then, the jury was out in how long it could persist and how much could get into crops. In one case, there were residues in a crop of carrots 18 months after use of glyphosate, although if memory serves, it was actually Round Up rather than straight glyphosate. In other instances, it varied between 2 - 9 months, and worse in root crops, but there may be more info out there now. I'm talking about ordinary crops, not glyphosate resistant ones...

I wouldn't be surprised if this is why our bees are disappearing. What about those chem trails; what is that stuff?

As far as soil content breakdown there are several variables involved. "G" binds tightly to soil and is broken down by soil microbes. The variables are soil type, microbe content and temperature which determines G microbial breakdown rate. The answer to you question of persistence in the soil in accordance with the above variables will be site specific. Example, in some locales complete breakdown may take a few weeks and a few years in other areas. As far as to the second part of your question I could only give you an answer based upon conjecture which I will not do.

Well, Loosestrife, that certainly explains why some carrots had residues after 18 months and others didn't ... the trouble is, without knowing the factors you mention for your own soil, there's no way of working it out... on the assumption you're thinking of your own home grown crops, Steragram, or are you just interested so you know what you're buying veggie wise?

As for the dead weeds being left on the surface, I wouldn't leave them, just in case. They always look awful anyway...

Good advice Bamboo. I will also add that in a few years it will become known that G will not only be known as the cause for bee colony collapse but the cause for a legion of human illnesses too.

Loosetrife that's extremely interesting -thank you!

Bamboo I was actually only thinking about a blackcurrant bush that had a large tuft of strong grass growing right in the centre and I couldn't get it out any other way. (It grew in a period when I was unwell and not up to gardening much) The small quantity of blackcurrants we eat would mean any G takeup was insignificant but it made me think.

I have never put any weedkiller of any kind on the veg plot and the question about leaving dead weeds was just out of interest.

It would make sense for it to be worse in root crops. It makes me glad I get most of my root veg from a chap who grows them in the village Bamboo, but I think I'll ask him if he uses any all the same! Carrots don't even germinate here and the only roots I grow usually are a small amount of first earlies.

Thanks again folks.

In my experience, Stera, glyphosate does not kill weed or couch grass growing in the way you describe, it always grows back, sadly. I'd rather put up with the grass and tug out what I can rather than risk eating glyphosate...

Well its too late now! It didn't grow back all last summer so I'm hoping for the best and fearing the worst...

The jury is out on Glyphosate and its negative effect on bees.
However, the manufacturer is aggressively litigious, which suppresses criticism.

I found this in support of Loosestrife2's assertion:
J Exp Biol. 2014 Oct 1;217(Pt 19):3457-64. Effects of field-realistic doses of glyphosate on honeybee appetitive behaviour. Herbert LT, Vázquez DE, Arenas A, Farina WM.

A reputable journal with a peer review process.

Thank you for this. Its all rather frightening isn't it? If we lose the pollination by the bees we will be in real trouble, but all that worries the big commercials is today's profit and never mind tomorrows food. And the way the large companies are trying to control even legislation makes my hair curl, and believe me that takes some doing...

Perhaps the Monsanto company can hire a few crackerjack entomologists to find a way to breed a strain of bees resistant to these herbicides and some insecticides, theirs and others.....think of the money they can make off of that patent, there's a good profit motive, let's get going guys!

...and so it goes on! that's lateral thinking Loosetrife!