Workshop: How to Test Your Garden Soil for Lead & Heavy Metals

When:

September 24, 2016: 10:00AM to 12:00PM

Where:

Downing Park Urban Farm 270 Carpenter Avenue and Elm Street, Newburgh, NY map

Soil testing is a great way to measure the health of your garden soil and will help you grow healthy food.

Tatiana Morin, Director/Laboratory Manager of the New York City Urban Institutes (USI) will be leading an informal discussion on understanding urban soils; how to build soil health; and ways to deal with, and mitigate or eliminate exposure to contaminants.

Participants are encouraged to bring samples* of their garden soil and have it tested for lead, and other heavy metals. There is no fee for the test.

* How to take a soil sample in your garden:
· Use a clear one-quart zip-lock bag.

· Use a spade or trowel to take small samples of soil from 10 or more random spots in your garden or where you want to plant your garden. For very small areas, a minimum of 3 spots is recommended.

· Sampling depth should be from the top to 6-8 inches deep and be a slice of soil about one inch thick.

· Mix all 10 samples in a bucket. Remove pebbles, leaves and plant roots.

· Fill the zip-lock bag with a sample of the soil in the bucket and label the bag with the location of where the sample was taken.

· If the soil samples are wet air-dry them at room temperature before putting them in the plastic bag.

To register or for more information e-mail [email protected] or visit www.downingparkurbanfarm.org.