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What muck to worry about?
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What muck to worry about?
I am presently rearranging my garden. There is a big gully that has obviously been accumulating, probably since the house was built: bricks, soil, litter and debris... but next to the parking space, so possibly also motor fluids, etc. Think I'd notice a significant oil spill though.
So I've been dumping the soil there, there and there, with intent to call them beds.
But is there anything I should worry about with regard to contamination or owt?
I can't think of any good reason, but I can hear certain people describe the soil as filthy on account of all the litter that was in it... but there is nowt toxic in litter, else they wouldn't wrap food in it.
So I've been dumping the soil there, there and there, with intent to call them beds.
But is there anything I should worry about with regard to contamination or owt?
I can't think of any good reason, but I can hear certain people describe the soil as filthy on account of all the litter that was in it... but there is nowt toxic in litter, else they wouldn't wrap food in it.
Hairyloon- Posts : 649
Join date : 2009-12-09
Location : UK
Re: What muck to worry about?
I would plant something that thrives in crap soil like blueberries, any of the vaccinium family for that matter.
Re: What muck to worry about?
A nice bed of stinging nettles for the bees ect & to make wine or have with salads. Very good for arthritus.
polgara- Posts : 3028
Join date : 2009-11-16
Age : 77
Location : Sunshine Isle
Re: What muck to worry about?
I think it is actually pretty good soil, once it's separated from the bricks and litter; mostly dark and crumbly.Badger wrote:I would plant something that thrives in crap soil like blueberries, any of the vaccinium family for that matter.
Quite likely it is largely composed of leaves that have blown in.
Hairyloon- Posts : 649
Join date : 2009-12-09
Location : UK
Re: What muck to worry about?
Might want to be concerned about toxins from cars...?
perhaps grow something which has fruit on, for a year at least....as Badger suggests...or plant some soft fruit bushes in there..
I wouldn't grow any root veg for a year or two if you are at all concerned....
perhaps grow something which has fruit on, for a year at least....as Badger suggests...or plant some soft fruit bushes in there..
I wouldn't grow any root veg for a year or two if you are at all concerned....
Compostwoman- Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08
Re: What muck to worry about?
Certainly don't /want/ to be concerned about them. Question is, should I be? And by how much?Compostwoman wrote:Might want to be concerned about toxins from cars...?
What toxins might we be talking about, and how do they behave?
What would fruit bushes do with the alleged toxins?perhaps grow something which has fruit on, for a year at least....as Badger suggests...or plant some soft fruit bushes in there..
Would they take them up and not put them in the fruit?
Hairyloon- Posts : 649
Join date : 2009-12-09
Location : UK
Re: What muck to worry about?
All plants you grow there will "take up" the alleged toxins...but what you want is to be eating the end result which is as far away as possible ( growth wise) from the take up process as you can...so root veg, growing in the soil would be a less good idea..quick growing leafy veg ( salads) likewise..but something where a lot of growth has to happen before you even get to the end result ( like soft fruit or a fruit tree, say...is more likely to have less of an alleged toxic burden in it..
Or you could just grow a sacrificial crop of soft sappy stuff ( any ols seed, tares, etc...mow it and dispose of it, repeat a few times and burn the "crop"..and then plant stuff.
Or you could just get on with it and not worry..
Or you could send a sample of soil off for analysis, then you would know if you DID need to worry about it..
Or you could just grow a sacrificial crop of soft sappy stuff ( any ols seed, tares, etc...mow it and dispose of it, repeat a few times and burn the "crop"..and then plant stuff.
Or you could just get on with it and not worry..
Or you could send a sample of soil off for analysis, then you would know if you DID need to worry about it..
Compostwoman- Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08
Re: What muck to worry about?
I was wondering about that. How is that done?Compostwoman wrote:Or you could send a sample of soil off for analysis, then you would know if you DID need to worry about it..
I'm thinking that you either look for specific things, or you chuck it through something generic like a mass spectrometer, and I'm thinking in the latter, most of the work is in preparation and interpretation...
So if I do that, I've just need to find someone who can bung it through the machine for me.
Hairyloon- Posts : 649
Join date : 2009-12-09
Location : UK
Re: What muck to worry about?
I wouldn't eat anything grown there for awhile. I do have a book that talks about planting that cleans out run off from car parking areas but its with a friend at the momment and I didn't read that section very intensely as I don't have the problem...I should get it back next week.
I do know sunflowers are used to clean soil on land fill sites.
I do know sunflowers are used to clean soil on land fill sites.
Guest- Guest
Re: What muck to worry about?
A few snippets from that would be very handy. Thanks.Zoe wrote:I do have a book that talks about planting that cleans out run off from car parking areas but its with a friend at the momment and I didn't read that section very intensely as I don't have the problem...I should get it back next week.
Hairyloon- Posts : 649
Join date : 2009-12-09
Location : UK
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