[UrbanCropCircle] Question about lead and soil

[sean forde]

Hi Chris,
I have a similar situation - I live in an old house that has had lead paint
in the past that has most certainly gotten into the soil. To be sure, I took
soil samples from different parts of my yard, and sent them to the lab at
UMass - http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest . It was inexpensive (about
$60 for 5 samples), and I learned what the lead levels were. They also
provide a lot of information that is helpful.

As I expected, the levels close to the house were much higher than those in
the surrounding areas. However, while they were higher they were not scary.
So, I have done all vegetable gardening away from the house, or in a raised
bed with imported soil. I am considering planting some fruit trees closer to
the house, because apparently very little lead is taken up into the fruits
of trees.

There is a lot of info on the internet. One page quotes a CSIRO study which
categorizes plants according to their lead uptake:

*High uptake:* lettuce, spinach, carrot, endive, cress, beet and silverbeet
leaves

*Moderate uptake:* onion, mustard, potato, radish

*Low uptake:* corn, cauliflower, asparagus, celery, berries

*Very low uptake:* beans, peas, melon, tomatoes, fruit
(source: http://www.sgaonline.org.au/info_lead.html)

So, don't let lead keep you from gardening. I would get test done so you
know what you are dealing with, and plan accordingly.

 -Sean

On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 12:02 PM, Chris LaRoche <laroche at speakeasy.net>wrote:

> Hello Urban Crop Circlers,
>
> Some friends and I have an ongoing discussion, and I think we need some
> professional input.
> I've been doing some work around my house which involves old chipped paint
> falling onto the ground.
> We assume the paint has lead in it.
> Can the lead leak into the plants (including the vegetables).  One friend
> says the lead particles are too big to be absorbed by plants.  Other friends
> don't garden in their house, cause they assume the yard is filled with lead
> (among other chemicals).
> Does anyone have more info about lead in soil, if it can be absorbed by
> plants, and if this is reason enough to deter home gardening?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris LaRoche
> _______________________________________________
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> UrbanCropCircle at lists.sustainableballard.org
>
> http://lists.sustainableballard.org/listinfo.cgi/urbancropcircle-sustainableballard.org
>
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