http://intheloop.groworganic.com/2009/11/lead-contamination-of-soil/ Timely organic farm and garden info from GrowOrganic.com Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:34:32 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 http://intheloop.groworganic.com/2009/11/lead-contamination-of-soil/comment-page-1/#comment-5810 Mark @ Peaceful Valley Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:32:15 +0000 http://intheloop.groworganic.com/?p=1226#comment-5810 You can get your soil tested for lead at most Ag labs. If your soil is high in lead, it is usually from old flaking paint deposited in the soil or from living near busy highways (when leaded gas was the norm) or airborne lead from local industries. If your soil proves to have high levels of lead, two things can help keep the lead bound up and less available to plants. Adding lots of organic matter, since organic compounds bind lead and make it less available to the plants. Also, keeping the pH of your soil above 6.5 will make the lead less available to the plants. There are lots of good websites with info about lead in the soil, just search under "lead in soil". Good luck. You can get your soil tested for lead at most Ag labs. If your soil is high in lead, it is usually from old flaking paint deposited in the soil or from living near busy highways (when leaded gas was the norm) or airborne lead from local industries. If your soil proves to have high levels of lead, two things can help keep the lead bound up and less available to plants. Adding lots of organic matter, since organic compounds bind lead and make it less available to the plants. Also, keeping the pH of your soil above 6.5 will make the lead less available to the plants. There are lots of good websites with info about lead in the soil, just search under “lead in soil”.
Good luck.

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