UGROW program does soil testing in old and new community gardens to measure fertility and soil contamination by lead and other heavy materials. This is the first step we take when planting a community garden. The presence of lead in the soil can cause health problems when ingestion through eating vegetables produced in the garden or simply through contacting the soil.

Once the soil is tested, we help the communtiy group to evaluate the possibilities of how to use the new site. In areas with a large amount of lead in the soil (over 900mm), soil remediation techniques are necessary. For new sites with medium levels of lead (400 to 900mm), UGROW recommends planting flowers and using raised beds. Other techniques such as planting in containers can also be an option.

For more information about lead contamination in soil, visit the websites of Worcester Roots and CleanDirt.