Help, I’ve Hinched my herb garden

[BettyCarver]

In an uncharacteristic Mrs Hinch-inspired burst of housework earlier, I rinsed out my food recycling caddy and left it outside the back door filled with boiling water and a dash of Zoflora. When I went to get it several hours later, forgetting about the Zoflora and thinking it was just water, I absent minded emptied it over my herb trough.
I’m now worried I’m going to poison the family if I cook with herbs from it. Dh is more concerned about killing off the herbs. What’s the verdict? Do we avoid using herbs for the foreseeable?

Anyone? Are my herbs edible?

Use a hosepipe or watering can on them. They'll be fine (to both eat and grow).

To be brutally honest, Zoflora (when wet) is poisonous to dogs and cats, to the point it can actually kill them and it is deadly to aquatic life and lasts a very long time if spilt in ponds and the like.
Personally, I would compost all the herbs and start again.
No way would I eat them.

@BigWolfLittleWolf that’s where my mind is heading, in fact even the thought of composting them is making me anxious

I wouldn’t compost them either. I’d clear out the trough and replace compost and herbs. I’m extra cautious because I have a friend who got very ill after eating herbs that she had watered from a rain water butt.

I wouldn't eat them, and I no longer use zoflora since reading the box and seeing how toxic it is. Yikes.

Good point.
Green bin them I suppose unfortunately.
Good thing potted herbs tend to be cheap!

@BigWolfLittleWolf

To be brutally honest, Zoflora (when wet) is poisonous to dogs and cats, to the point it can actually kill them and it is deadly to aquatic life and lasts a very long time if spilt in ponds and the like. Personally, I would compost all the herbs and start again. No way would I eat them.

I'm in this camp. I wouldn't eat the herbs or anything else grown in that compost.

@nimbuscloud

I wouldn’t compost them either. I’d clear out the trough and replace compost and herbs. I’m extra cautious because I have a friend who got very ill after eating herbs that she had watered from a rain water butt.

Rain water is fine

@BigWolfLittleWolf

Good point. Green bin them I suppose unfortunately. Good thing potted herbs tend to be cheap!

On this note... I tend to buy my 'frequent use' culinary herbs from a supermarket rather than a garden centre (then plant into containers/flower bed) as they tend to be much cheaper!

Standing rainwater with legionella bacteria isn’t

I thought hinching your herb garden was a euphemism!

Isn't it nuts that people are happy to spray something as desperately toxic as Zoflora all over their houses and fabrics willy nilly?

@RunningFromInsanity

You're right... clean rainwater is absolutely fine!
However it's worth considering that occasionally dead animals/rotting material/other nasties can end up in water butts and that would present a risk to health if using on edible plants etc.

Zoflora issued a warning that their products weren’t meant to be used in boiling water. It’s harmful when inhaled.

You have to inhale the legionnaire bacteria, so if she did get it, it wasn’t through eating the herbs.
When associated with water butts it is caused by people using aerosol or spray nozzles to water the garden, and then inhaling the water droplets.
Using a watering can to water the garden with rainwater is perfectly safe.

Oh dear, I didn't realise is was so toxic! Won't be buying that again.

Today 22:48 AlwaysLatte

I thought hinching your herb garden was a euphemism!

Zoflora (when wet) is poisonous to dogs and cats, to the point it can actually kill them and it is deadly to aquatic life and lasts a very long time if spilt in ponds and the like.

Why do people use it then (or even allow it to be sold) instead of using hot water, soap and a bit of scrubbing effort?

And no, neither the inside of a toilet bowl nor skirting boards or anything else needs to be disinfected - and even then hot water, soap and scrubbing will do the trick (even for the current plague).

@Prokupatuscrakedatus

Zoflora (when wet) is poisonous to dogs and cats, to the point it can actually kill them and it is deadly to aquatic life and lasts a very long time if spilt in ponds and the like.

Why do people use it then (or even allow it to be sold) instead of using hot water, soap and a bit of scrubbing effort?

And no, neither the inside of a toilet bowl nor skirting boards or anything else needs to be disinfected - and even then hot water, soap and scrubbing will do the trick (even for the current plague).

Because it "smells amazing" apparently

I have pets and no way would it ever come into my house.

Crikey, I didn't realise it was so toxic. DH sometimes uses it because he is a cleaning nut but I'm going to put a stop to that. We have dogs who lick everything

I think you have Hinched your herb garden because in a few days they’ll all be grey!!

Seriously though have a read about the link between house hold chemicals and COPD and you won’t use it again

I've stopped using zoflora now as it's SO strong, like spilling a whole bottle of bad perfume. I found the grapefruit Method cleaners and they smell amazing!