New Family Garden

[ill bosstino]

Hi

So we want to start a new family garden(fruits/veggies/herbs ect)in our backyard and have a 16x9½ area to do so. The problem is this area* has been used to dump paint,stucco mix and alot of other stuff by the previous owner.

So my question is how deep should I dig to ensure that anything we grow will be okay to eat and what type of soil/mulch/compost should I use to refill it?

thanks.

[ill bosstino]

[Newt]

Hi Ill Bosstino,

How deep to dig is difficult to say.* My suggestion would be to dig down until you no longer see any debris.* Then dig out another 12 inches of earth.* All this will need to be properly disposed of as it will most likely contain heavy metals and other toxic chemicals.* Contact your local landfill and ask about how to dispose of the soil and debris.* Then contact your local extension service if you are in the US and have a soil analysis done for toxic chemicals and heavy metals.

Another option would be to dig down as I have mentioned and build a raised bed for your veggies and fruits.* Add enough soil so the new soil is 3 feet deep.* I would suggest a mix of 60% screened topsoil and 40% aged compost.* Your veggies will love you for it.

Newt