proximity of garden to traffic
- Thread starter kees
- Start date
DrakeMaiden
Deeply Rooted
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2007
- Messages
- 729
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 114
I think the biggest concern is lead in the soil, from the days when gas was leaded. So you might want to have raised beds and avoid growing in the soil on-site. It is my understanding that lead is no longer an additive in gasoline. But I would think the farther from the road, the better. There are cancer-causing compounds associated with pavement and tires, and probably also in vehicle emissions, though I don't know for sure what they are or how they might interact with vegetation.
- Thread starter
- #3
Hmm...I didn't even think about the other factors that you mentioned aside from the carbon monoxide that would be emitted from cars. Is there any way that I could find out the answer to these questions? It would be difficult for me to plant elsewhere because the backyard isn't level, and, every time I buy soil, it washes down into my neighbor's yard which is 1-2 ft. lower than mine. In this economy, it would be hard for me to spend a lot of money.
Suzy
Suzy
setter4
Garden Ornament
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
- Messages
- 440
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 94
How far from the actual road are we talking here? And how busy is the road?kees said:
DrakeMaiden
Deeply Rooted
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2007
- Messages
- 729
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 114
I think the worst problem is the lead. If you can build simple raised beds (just mound the soil) with soil from your backyard (moved to the front yard), that would be a lot healthier than using the soil next to the road. Also, some plants will absorb more lead from the soil, so you could prioritize what you grow in the cleaner soil. Root crops are particularly susceptible to absorbing lead, then leafy ones, finally the fruiting ones. So growing tomatoes in the native soil by the road may be ok, but I still wouldn't advise it. Get the soil tested for lead, if you can possibly afford to, as it may indicate you are ok. Good luck! Lots of veggies grow well in containers, so consider that too!
setter4
Garden Ornament
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
- Messages
- 440
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 94
Cars have not used leaded gas since the 1970's . Depending on where you live I'd be more woried about road salt.DrakeMaiden said:
- Thread starter
- #7
The closest area to the road would be about 15 ft away. The road is not often traversed at night. It's hard to say how many cars pass during the daytime, but it's a quaint, little town with only one supermarket, one school, and one traffic light.setter4 said:
setter4
Garden Ornament
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
- Messages
- 440
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 94
Take a soil sample to your local extension office and tell them your concern and they will know which tests to run other than the usual Ph and fertility stuff. My guess is that you won't really have an issue. You are far enough away that even the road salt shouldn't really be a problem.
If you stop by the extension office they will give you a bag to put your sample in.
If you stop by the extension office they will give you a bag to put your sample in.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Google something like "soil contamination along roads vegetables" and you will get a buncha results to pore over -- I'd ignore the ones from nonWestern countries since we've been without leaded gas for longer.
I remember sitting in a departmental seminar in the early 1990s about soil contamination along roadsides (emphasis being on natural plant communities, not gardens) and while I certainly do not remember any details I seem to recall that the general take-home message was that lead and some other things were there in nonzero and not totally unproblematic levels.
I have NO idea how this maps onto fifteen years later and relevant levels for human health considerations, but I can see your wanting to look into it more.
Good luck, let us know what you find,
Pat
I remember sitting in a departmental seminar in the early 1990s about soil contamination along roadsides (emphasis being on natural plant communities, not gardens) and while I certainly do not remember any details I seem to recall that the general take-home message was that lead and some other things were there in nonzero and not totally unproblematic levels.
I have NO idea how this maps onto fifteen years later and relevant levels for human health considerations, but I can see your wanting to look into it more.
Good luck, let us know what you find,
Pat
beak
Chillin' In The Garden
It wouldn't seem like a big issue. There are crops planted within 10 ft or so of many busy rural roads. Of course those crops are fertilized too and used for regular consumption by humans. People grow gardens in LA and you can't even see mountains a mile away there because of air pollution.
