A soil test, and then raised beds if the soil is a problem (as mentioned above) seems quite a responsible way to garden in cities where the soil is contaminated. If there are toxins leaching and settling on leaves, then you're breathing the stuff in anyway, and most likely getting more of it than through the plants. BTW, the garden where they were getting high lead levels in the tomatoes actually goes against what I have learned about uptake of lead by plants (as nc makes clear above.) The U of Mass soil test says that levels up to 500 ppm are fine to grow in (but not for children or pregnant women to work/play in). I suppose there are places with very high levels -- in the thousands ppm. -- and the only responsible way to garden there would be in raised beds. A soil test may actually put your mind quite at ease. And should give recommendations according to what heavy metals you may have high levels of. Or you may be pleasantly surprised. Either way, information is power, so find out what you're working with. And never worry while you're in the garden -- the plants hate worry. :)

Welcome! The good news is- you can put away the snow shovel, but not the jackets. In a couple of years your blood will be so thinned out you'll be grabbing a sweater when it gets to the low 70's :-) You're right about the planting time frames being very different. A lot of people use planting guides from the extension office. I like the one on Fanick's nursery too. The website is linked below. I've lived in a few parts of SA, but not in Live Oak. Have you dug in the yard at all? There's this rocky stuff they call caliche in a lot of the city. If you have that you pretty much have to build/construct some kind of raised bed. There was a pretty good thread that talked about some things to think about. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/txgard/msg0313094626705.html When you look at where you put your garden make sure you have access to water hoses. You'll need them. Also there is a plant swap Oct 12. You should come if you have time. There's a whole lot of nice people and very experienced gardeners you could connect with. But feel free to post questions regardless. Lisa Here is a link that might be useful: Fanick's gardening calendar

My neighbor lets me use a part when f his garden for a few veggies. He has begun to use gasoline to kill off weeds/poison ivy within 2-3 ft of my plants & right n front of a few f his. Should I move my plants out? Not feeling too comfortable able it leaving the, there. Any help? Thx!

Be aware that if a scrappy repair company abuts onto a piece of unused land, they can consider that a dumping ground. You won't have a clue about that by looking at old pictures and proclaiming it "unused". I've seen it happen many times. Most superfund sites appeared to have been "unused" for many years. Those who know what they're dumping there sure won't be using it for anything else. You could just go and ask them what they've done with that land, but I suspect that they wouldn't admit to anything illegal. You should certainly just walk around there and see if there is any garbage that looks like it might once have been a chemical container. The days of presuming that "unused" land next to industrial operations must be clean are long gone.