Is There Lead in Your Garden Soil?

Spring has sprung.  The weather's warming up, the ground is thawing, and the landscape is waking up, turning green and colorful as plants and flowers start to bloom.  Many people are starting to plant seeds indoors, eagerly awaiting that time when the danger of frost has passed and they can plant in the ground.  But, one step that many people neglect is to have their soil tested to make sure there aren't any contaminants.  This is particularly important if you are planting food, as what is in the soil can be taken up by the plants and be ingested.  You are going to all this trouble to prepare your garden beds, pick organic seeds and fertilizers and you don't want to undermine all that work by growing in contaminated soil.  And one contaminant that is prevelant in our soil that you really don't want to be feeding to your child is lead.  

Lead is found in soil all over the country because of our past use of leaded gasoline and paint and our current and past use of coal-fired plants.  (This is also why you want to always remove your shoes before entering your house to prevent bringing lead dust into your home).  It is also found in old orchards where lead arsenate was used as an insecticide.

Before planting be sure to have your soil tested at your local extension office.  Even if you don't plan to plant edible crops, if you have children who will play in your yard or you intend to spend a lot of time in your yard have the soil tested to reduce chances of exposure to your family.  Try to have your soil tested every few years.

If you have contaminated soil, you can still garden if you take some precautions.  The safest way to grow is in containers.  Just be sure to use containers that are appropriate for food as some glazed ceramic pots can have lead in the glaze.  You can also plant raised beds, being sure to make them tall enough that the roots won't penetrate into the contaminated soil underneath.  Whenever possible, plant as far away from houses as you can.  Test the PH of your soil and try to keep it between 6 & 7 which can help immobilize heavy metals.  And, finally, add organic matter to your soil and if you use commercially available compost rather than your own, be sure to have it tested too, as the materials in it may have been collected near roadways.

Some additional tips to avoid exposure from lead in your soil:  Be sure to take off your shoes before entering your home.  Remove gardening clothing in the garage or outside and wash separately from the rest of your laundry.  Wash gardening tools off and store them outside.  If working in dry, dusty areas, be sure to wear a mask to avoid breathing in lead dust.  Make sure kids wear gloves if they help you garden and remind them to keep their hands out of their mouths. Make sure they wash their hands immediately when they are done.  Be sure to wash all produce before eating it.

Resources:

http://www.rodale.com/lead-and-soil

http://www.sparks-of-light.org/Lead%20in%20Soil.html