Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Heather Marsh — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 12:26:52 GMT

Wolf berries can grow almost anywhere, so long as the temperature doesn't get too low, or too high, the soil is well drained, and they are in direct sunlight. Basically, if you can grow tomatoes, you will be able to grow wolfberries. :)

The plants must reach about 3 metres tall before they flower and fruit.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Duparc — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:47:47 GMT

I was born and brought-up in an era and environment where lead water-pipes were the norm. Lead is supposed to have an adverse effect on the developing brain. My IQ is around 148 (within the top 2% of the male population) so the qustion that arises is, if I were affected adversely by lead in my drinking water and enviroment (industrial) how might it have affected me? Just a thought.

One eminent child pychiatrist said on tv that we do not posses memories prior to the age of three; why then is it that my memories go back to when I was an infant in a pram and well before the age of three? Would he be mistaken or could it be the effect of that damned lead again?!

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Michel_203 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:54:31 GMT

I have a patient that is an avid outdoorsman (hunting and fishing) he makes his own sinkers (lead) and reloads his own shotgun shells (lead). He also eats everything he catches and kills. A couple of months ago he became really ill they did x-rays and found 3 little balls in his appendix (lead shots) after they did further testing and found out he has severe lead poisoning.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Anita_203 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:59:55 GMT

Fluoridation agents are commercial grade, contain heavy metals as arsenic, lead and more. The utilities dept. can provide the AWWA Standard for Fluorosilicic Acid B703-06, see pg. 13.

Fluorides are highly corrosive and leach lead more when combined with disinfection agents. See:

1: Neurotoxicology. 2007 Sep;28(5):1023-31. Epub 2007 Jun 30. Compound (MeSH Keyword), Substance (MeSH Keyword), LinkOut

Effects of fluoridation and disinfection agent combinations on lead leaching from leaded-brass parts.

Maas RP, Patch SC, Christian AM, Coplan MJ.

Environmental Quality Institute, The University of North Carolina-Asheville, One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804, United States.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

schnauzermom — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:38:33 GMT

Goodness! Can't buy at the grocery store as most food has junk in it plus the carbon footprint it makes. Now planting our own food may be dangerous too. Us humans just know how to destroy ourselves don't we?!! We can't even live on air (polluted) or water (polluted too!) Hope MORE people become aware just what the heck is happening. We just may make ourselves extinct (including other life forms) if we do not change our ways.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

rfontanes — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:12:48 GMT

My children have tested positive for Aersnic. 1st thing I said was I didnt do it! But I did. We eat tomatos and basil from a small 3 x 3 square cut out of a cement patio. The square was once filled with flowers and had those black treated wood chips in it. Ripped out all soil and replaced with organic topsoil.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

tittiger — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:36:14 GMT

Also check out the history of where you live. For instance if you move to Beaver County PA you will discover that there was a lead smelting plant in the country (St. Joe lead and zinc) that has contaminated most of the soil in the county to one degree or another. It still may be doing so as far as I know.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Alice Whaley — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:43:09 GMT

Earth Boxes are great! You can purchase them or make them. So much produce in so little space and you can make sure the soil is pure. Alice

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Heather Marsh — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:11:31 GMT

I am fairly complacent about the possibility of lead in my garden.

Where I am, houses only started being built in the late 50s-early 60s, and before that it was a wheat and sheep area.

My last lot of vegetables did really well - some of the broccoli heads were 1 foot across! And only compost plus the water from my worm farm for fertiliser.

I am building a well raised garden for my Wofberry/Goji plants (they are just seeds right now), but summer - and water restrictions - are on the way.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

go getter — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:00:40 GMT

I read recently that if you grow hemp that it will remove the toxins from the soil. Just one of the many benifits of growing the hemp plant.To find other benifits go to www.phoenixtears.ca. This site will amaze you !!!!!!There is so much we need to understand about this amazing plant!

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

curious7 — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:34:01 GMT

Before starting a garden anywhere, the first thing you would want to do is get a soil analysis, and I would do this before even buying a home. At the same time I would have a history search done to determine what was there before homes were built on the land. The threat of irradiated food, and GMO, make having a home garden, and greenhouse very attractive.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

feel_good_today — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:24:01 GMT

BackYard Gardens

its just a ploy to scare you to stop the gardens
well, when hell freezes over we will... till then I'm taking the lead chance--better than radioactive chance

something about glowing in the dark doesnt appeal to me

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Magnolia — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:51:31 GMT

You should be able to have soil samples tested at your local agricultural exchange office. I would look online and call them for instructions.

We grow everything in containers filled with natural compost so contamination isn't quite as much of a worry. Its good to keep these things in mind.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

Sheila C — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:04:28 GMT

When we were building our house 4 years ago, the town had just replaced the water and sewer lines on our street. When the plumber was hooking up our water lines, he asked if we wanted to just hook up to the lead water line that was already there. Of course we asked him to replace it. Keep in mind, some plumbers don't think there is anything wrong with lead water lines. I started wondering about all the people who look at their plumbing and see PVC or copper and feel safe, but do not know the water line pipe leading into their home is made of lead. The onus is on the property owner to know, it's not something that the town will tell you. Sure they replaced our water lines, but they hooked them up to the lead lines already in place. You have no clue what you're drinking unless you have your water checked. If you suspect you have lead water lines, run your water for at least 5 minutes before use.

re: Lead Lurks in Backyard Gardens

EarthWindFire — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:29:56 GMT

Use the square foot garden method and buy your soil from a local organic farmer if you are concerned. That's what we did anyway.