No, not by getting rid of some of the old political cronies that permeate Washington but by simple organic gardening practices in the new White House vegetable garden!

Given the fact that I had posted a previous article on lead in urban gardens, it seemed fitting to create this as a follow-up.

I believe Washington D.C. is considered an urban environment

The White House Goes Green!

In case you missed it, First Lady Michelle Obama (with the help of staff and local students) broke ground and planted an organic fruit and vegetable garden on the White House lawn earlier this year.  The “fruits” (or should I say vegetables) of their labor started to be harvested and June with the intent to provide fresh, organically-grown produce for the First Family, White House staffers and even some State dinners!

See the video below for an up close look at the White House gardening venture:

Amongst all the initial hoopla associated with the planting of the garden was a report of “elevated” levels of lead in the soil of the garden plot.  According to a story in today’s New York Times, the initial level of lead reported was 93 p.p.m. which is less than 25% of the hazard level established by the U.S. E.P.A. (though countries like the Netherlands set hazard levels as low as 40 p.p.m.).

Through the actions taken to enhance the productivity of the garden plot, lead levels were decreased to as low as 14 p.p.m. Concentrations like these are typically found in areas where there has been little human activity and is indicative of natural levels of lead in the environment.

So what actions were taken exactly?

A few simple organic gardening steps were implemented to enhance the ground’s fertility and also reduce the availability of lead to the plants including:

• Addition of lime;
• Addition of green sand;
• Addition of crab meal;
• Addition of organic compost supplied by the National Park Service; and
• Adjusting the soil pH to between 6.5 and 7.

It should be noted, when developing compost to use in produce gardens be sure to avoid using organic material obtained along roadways or in high traffic areas since this material often has higher levels of lead.

So the next time your near D.C. and pass the organic produce section of a local market, think about the steps taken at the White House to produce contaminant-free and nutrient-rich fruits and veggies.  On the other hand, if the produce was grown on another urban garden, hopefully they used similar practices to “keep the lead out”.