Protecting Your Urban Garden From Pollution

While having your own garden in the city is a great way to give yourself and your family access to fresh produce, it can also be a bit of a hazard if you are not careful about where you are planting your garden. Unfortunately, pollution is a concern in many urban areas. The constant exhaust from cars, emissions from industrial areas, and just general hustle and bustle from the city can leave grit and grime of your produce which isn't exactly something you want to be putting in your body.

However, urban pollution doesn't mean that you should abandon urban gardening altogether. In fact, most of the air pollution itself is fairly harmless. You just don't want to be using your fire escape as a herb and lettuce garden if it is lining a busy highway. When planting your garden, you want to make sure that you plant it in an area that is farthest away from highways frequented by tractor-trailers and mass rush hour traffic. Otherwise, your garden should be okay from air pollution. You'll just want to make sure that you are thoroughly washing your produce prior to consumption.

For years, the pesticides and certain fertilizers used on crops were a huge concern for gardeners. However, advancements in crop protection agents, which came about through research performed by firms such as Huntingdon Life Sciences Inc, have made these agents more safe for both humans and the environment – even though pesticides are still not a preferable control method for urban gardeners.

What is actually a bigger concern for urban gardens is any pollution that may reside in the soil. Many apartment buildings and homes are built on reclaimed soil in areas that were once industrial. For areas that were once industrial or for those that are near current industrial areas, you will want to have your soil checked prior to planting anything. The pollutants in the soil are actually more likely to be harmful to you and your produce than any air pollution or chemicals you may use to keep pests away.

What should you do if you're apartment or home is right alongside a busy highway or has questionable ? Don't grow. While there are several treatments used to protect crops from diseases such as blight and from certain pests, there isn't really anything you can do about pollution. Instead of risking growing contaminated foods, become a part of your local food crop.

In numerous urban areas, there are community gardens and food co-ops, which for a small fee, you can join and enjoy fresh produce without all the hard work or hassles. You simply join and get fresh produce generally once a week or every two weeks. You'll get great produce, support a local organization, and you will know that your food is safe.