HELP Commercial weed killer sprayed in raised bed area

[pebbles]

I hope you experts can help. I finally got a friend of mine to start a raised bed vegetable garden. Her husband thought he would help and sprayed the entire area where she was to put her raised beds with a commercial weed killer-something he got at work. YIKES.

Can she still put her raised veggie beds in this area if she waits a week or two? Her beds will be wooden frames filled with 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the bottom then cardboard then hay then a mix of soils. Will this be a big enough barrier not to leech the weed killer up into the beds?

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[lesa]

It will be a long time before her plants roots get down into that dirt that has been sprayed. It would have been nice if it hadn't happened, but it wouldn't stop me from gardening there- if it was my only spot...

 

[pebbles]

Yes, this is her only spot. I was thinking the same way. Veggie roots don't go so deep that they would actually grow down 8" and through the cardboard. I just didn't want to take a chance advising her to do it without consulting everyone here first.

 

[thistlebloom]

If she hasn't done so already she can accelerate the leaching by running a sprinkler on the area and saturating the soil.

 

[silkiechicken]

What kind of weed killer... some break down really fast... killing weeds with stuff like round up before planting is pretty common to do for example.

 

[pebbles]

Silkechicken, trying to find out exactly what was used. Will let you know. I am hoping it was Round-up but husband is a mechanic type and he brought home something from work that is commercial grade.

 

[patandchickens]

Yeap, it depends HUGELY on what was used, you just have to find that out first.

Pat

 

[seedcorn]

If it is a post spray, you will be fine already.

If it is ground sterilent, throw the soil away and replace.

If it is a pre-emerge, find out if for broadleaves or grass. If for grass, plant broadleaf (green beans), if broadleaf, plant grass (corn).