<html><head><base href="x-msg://4/"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I just read Carol's report on the UMass soil testing after I had read the webpage for the KingConservationDistrict FREE soil testing program for King County. And do check out <a href="http://EatYourYard.com">EatYourYard.com</a> for the latest from Cascadian Edible Landscapes. I may try the local program, since I've never had my soil tested, but I'm fascinated by the detail that Carol got about the lead paint. Interesting.<br><div><div>On Apr 1, 2011, at 4:31 PM, carol isaac wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div class="hmmessage" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><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></div>_______________________________________________<br>UrbanCropCircle mailing list<br><a href="mailto:UrbanCropCircle@lists.sustainableballard.org">UrbanCropCircle@lists.sustainableballard.org</a><br><a href="http://lists.sustainableballard.org/listinfo.cgi/urbancropcircle-sustainableballard.org">http://lists.sustainableballard.org/listinfo.cgi/urbancropcircle-sustainableballard.org</a><br></div></span></blockquote></div><br></body></html>