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2019 ASHS Annual Conference

Managing Lead Contaminated Soil in the Home Landscape

Tuesday, July 23, 2019: 9:15 AM
Partagas 3 (Tropicana Las Vegas)
Ed Bush, Professor, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA
Grace Ragland, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA
Soil Pb concentrations can vary widely in native soils throughout the United States. Testing and managing increased soil Pb levels can be a challenge when planting landscapes and gardens. The objective of this research was to develop economically feasible strategies to minimize dust and Pb movement into family gardens. Managing soils with irrigation and raised beds lined with approved geotextiles can reduce upward movement of Pb into gardens. Research showed that proper irrigation, soil stabilization using turfgrass and groundcovers can reduce dust and if desired can be used for phytoremediation. Using introduced soil products that have minimal Pb content is the best choice.
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