Getting the Lead Out: Simplified

Urban gardens in Syracuse have received much attention in the past year, mostly of the good variety (lots of volunteers, lots of effort, and particularly the development of new community gardens all over the city - for the latest directory visit www.syracusegrows.org).  While the community gardening movement is still growing, the next area for development on the horizon is hopefully the backyard market garden.  We need to grow our own food, but also help provide food for others, and right livelihood in the process.  

The attention of the challenging variety that has been cast towards urban gardening in the recent past, both here in Syracuse and nationwide,  is not a secret. Fortunately, the obstacles being faced are generally not those of lack of support, but of practical matters that we have the tools to overcome.  One of the primary of these challenges is that of lead contamination in soil; and a new poster (illustrated by Michael Scott and James Owen of the Plain Dealer) with simplified guidelines gives everyone the immediate tools they need to overcome this issue in an affordable and grassroots manner.

No longer will urban gardens necessarily be faced with the expensive and resource consuming choice of importing loads of topsoil - the newest and best choices are now raised beds or adding organic matter to the urban garden soils.  Creating raised beds reduces the amount of imported soil necessary for a garden site.  However, It is still very important to reduce the exposure of gardeners to soil dust, especially children, so even with raised beds, access to the original site soil along garden paths needs to be neutralized somehow.  Paths can be green mulched with living groundcovers to further reduce the need to bring in outside resources such as wood chips.  A second option of mixing organic matter from manure or compost into the soil changes the "bioavailability" of lead and prevents it from migrating into the plant and eventually reaching your bloodstream; while providing nutrition and water conservation properties to the location. 

Both of these strategies have been employed in Syracuse gardens over the past two years.  Check out the Tapestry Garden on the Northside to see a great raised bed community garden in action; and visit the Hawley-Green Vegetable Garden to check out a community garden that has added manure and compost to reduce bioavailability of lead, while keeping  the green grass pathways intact between beds.  Green pathways can also contribute to a cooling and comforting effect for gardeners, require less yearly maintenance or input of resources, and act as a tool for biodiversity if alternative groundcovers such as clover are planted to replace the typical grasses we see on most lots.

"The Lead Question: Is Urban Farming Safe?" poster provides a simple explanation of the soil lead issue for anyone considering the problem and the solutions available to them.  Before starting your vacant lot community garden, or your own private backyard personal or market garden, be sure to take a peak at the recommendations and guidelines contained within and ensure that you are making the most informed decision you can.   Click here for the full sized version of the poster below.

 

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