Looking to plan out your garden bed this year? Check out VINES’ YouTube Channel for helpful videos and the below materials to help you get started.
Sample Easy-to-Grow Garden Plan
Growing at Home: A Gardening Guide
Growing Tomatoes: Planting to Harvest
Healthy Soil for Community Gardens
Soil Testing
Check your soil before you plant for lead, acidity and nutrient levels. If you live in a home that was built before 1970 or you live near a major highway, your soil may be contaminated with lead from lead paint on your house or lead gasoline dust. To keep yourself and your family healthy, you should not grow in soil that is or may be contaminated with lead. To be safe, grow in clean soil in a raised bed or bag.
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- Read this article on gardening and lead contamination for more information.
- If you are concerned about you or your child having been exposed to lead, contact the Broome County Health Department.
- Order a Soil Test through UMASS Amhert
- VINES has limited funding for lead soil tests from time to time. Contact us for more information.