Healthy Gardening Practices

Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities is a research and education partnership with urban gardeners.

Urban community gardens provide many benefits, yet garden soils can contain contaminants. The Healthy Soils project helps urban gardeners and other community members understand potential risks associated with soil contamination and implement healthy gardening practices.

Please visit our updated Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities website for more information and resources.

• "What Gardeners Can Do: 10 Best Practices for Healthy Gardening" (English and Spanish versions), 1-2pg (PDF), updated June 2014.
• "What Gardeners Can Do: Tips for Urban Chicken Keepers" (English and Spanish) 2pg (PDF), updated July 2013.
• "Metals in Urban Garden Soils." Information about metals commonly found in urban garden soils, including sources, behavior in garden soil, concerns about human and plant health, what gardeners can do, and related topics. 9 pg (PDF), March 2015.
• New York State Department of Health Healthy Gardening page and brochure, 2pg (PDF).
• "Understanding Your Test Results: Lead in Chicken Run Soils and Chicken Eggs." Recommendations taken from project results shared with gardeners, 6pg (PDF), updated October 2012.
• "Understanding Your Test Results: Metals in Garden Soils and Vegetables." Recommendations taken from project results shared with gardeners, 6pg (PDF), updated December 2012
• Cornell Waste Management Institute's fact sheet "Soil Contaminants and Best Practices for Gardens," 4pg (PDF), updated October 2009.