Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: Raised Beds

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Allan Balliett <igg AT igg.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Raised Beds
  • Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 21:04:27 -0400


I think you miss the point, Heather. Cadmium and other heavy metals raise hell with children and seniors but don't do harm to healthy adults until their later lives. We're not talking soil test quantities, I'm sure. (Nor do I remember seeing cadmium tested for on my Perry Labs soil tests)

I was working with a urban gardening program about 10 years ago. It was funded by the Luthern church and I believe it operated out of Philadelphia. We were fashioning container gardens for yardless seniors out of old tires. (Put landscape cloth on the ground, lay the tire on it, cut out the upper sidewall, fill with growing mix, stick a couple of tomatoes in it and leave watering instructions.)

The program was stopped because of the information about the contaminants that come from tires that have tracked 50,000 or so miles on asphalt that is coated with by products of various effeciencies of exhaust and fuel mixture.

If I find more exact info, I'll post.

In the meantime, to each his own, no?

-Allan

PS Metals are only taken up by plants that do not receive full nutrients otherwise. If they can't find what they want/need, they start experimenting.


I dunno about that, Allan - I've had my soil tested every year and never
had a problem with cadmium or anything else. I know a number of people
who use tires in their gardens also, and haven't had any problems with
the produce grown in them. Maybe it's just tires from a specific area or
something. Heck if I know for sure. I just know I haven't had problems.
<G> They are great for the heat-loving veggies especially - soak up the
sunlight like crazy - you should see my peppers and tomatoes, lol.
(About the only thing that grew well for a while, thanks to a very cold,
damp spring....Rrrrrr)





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page