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<div>Hi Gardeners,</div><div><br></div>The University of Massachusetts tested a soil sample for me in March, and found enough lead in it to indicate it is not fit for growing vegetables whose edible part is the leaves or the root. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); "><a href="http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest/" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest/</a></span><div><br></div><div>Fortunately I used that section for things that are edible when grown in soil with a "moderate" amount of lead in a depth if the first seven inches. The area is along a fence that had been painted red more than 35 years ago, probably much more than that, and was pressure washed about eighteen years ago which scattered the paint chips into the soil below it.<div><br></div><div>The lab gave a list of things that can be grown in soils with a moderate amount of lead in it: tomatoes, squash, peas, sunflowers, corn, i.e. fruiting plants whose 'fruits' you eat. </div><div><br></div><div>Metals don't apparently go into the fruiting parts.</div><div><br></div><div>I received an eight page printout be email for $10 plus what it cost me to prepare and mail the sample, - one cup of dry, well-mixed soil in a zip lock bag.</div><div><br></div><div>I received so much useful information, I intend to do it on another spot this month to find out its health and what amendments it needs - same routine.</div><div><br></div><div>All Resilience and a Germinating Spring,</div><div>Carol</div>
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