Lead in soil and home gardening

You can still garden in areas potentially affected by lead, but it is important that you take the proper precautions.

Lead is a highly toxic metal that was used for many years in products in and around our homes, including paint.

Exposure to lead

Lead occurs naturally in the environment and has many industrial uses. Everyone is exposed to trace amounts of lead through air, soil, household dust, food, drinking water, and various consumer products.

Lead is a highly toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Exposure to lead has decreased significantly since the early 1970s with the phasing out of lead-based paint, leaded gasoline, and lead solder in food cans.

If you have individual concerns about lead and your health, please contact your health care provider.

Understanding sources of lead in soil

While lead occurs naturally in the environment, high lead levels in garden soil is usually the result of some human source of contamination. Home gardening can still be enjoyed in areas possibly affected by lead if the garden is properly planned to avoid potential sources of lead contamination.

Lead contamination usually originates from one or more of the following sources: past and current industrial fallout, old external paint, past use of leaded gasoline and pesticides that contain lead, street dust, and industrial waste disposal.

In garden planning, proximity to possible lead sources should be considered:

Planning a garden

Choosing an appropriate site

Garden sites should be chosen to avoid potential sources of lead contamination. Potential indicators of concern include:

It may be important to have soil tested if lead contamination is suspected. Other protective measures are described below.

Developing garden plots

The risk of exposure to contaminated soil can be reduced in a number of ways. Effective measures depend on the type of garden being planned. For example, perennial or ground cover plants will require different solutions than vegetable gardens. Here are some general guidelines:

Choosing plants for the garden

Soil exposure can be reduced by carefully selecting garden plants. For example, perennials and ground covers require less regular soil preparation than most annual plants. Some vegetables are less suited for contaminated soil than others. Soil lead testing can provide valuable information on the safety of consuming homegrown produce. Some general guidelines on vegetable selection follow:

Clean fruit and vegetables to minimize exposure

Clean vegetables thoroughly before eating in order to minimize exposure to contaminated soil. Keep in mind the following basic guidelines:

Other guidelines for healthy gardening

Gardening can be a wonderful and safe activity when the proper precautions are taken:

Children are more susceptible than adults to the health effects of lead exposure. Take the following precautions:

For more information on lead and gardening, contact us at 705.522.9200 (toll-free at 1.866.522.9200).


This item was last modified on April 27, 2016