The Urban Soils Institute is proud to participate in GreenThumb’s 40th Annual Grow Together Conference, held at the Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center at 670 Lafayette St. in Brooklyn. Learn about lanternfly mitigation, trellising, and the basics of natural dyeing with plants. Join us for skill shares and hands-on learning experience to expand your gardening knowledge.
We will also be testing soil!
This event is hosted by NYC Parks GreenThumb. GreenThumb is proud to be the nation’s largest urban community gardening program, sustaining over 550 gardens throughout New York City. With GreenThumb’s support, community gardens are centers of environmental justice, ensuring that our city is fairer, safer, and greener for all. GreenThumb’s events are free and open to the public.
More info: 40th Annual GreenThumb GrowTogether Conference: Brooklyn - May 4, 2024 : NYC Parks (nycgovparks.org)
Registration:GreenThumb Workshops Registration : NYC Parks (nycgovparks.org)
Instructions:
1. Gather a plastic bag with about a cup of soil from your yard or garden, surface to 4’’ depth works best. Please clearly identify the bag so you can find it. Out of courtesy for other attendees, there is a maximum of 3 samples per person
2. Bring your sample to our drop-off station, located on the porch at SWALE House in the Nolan Park area of Governors Island. Location is indicated on the map.
3. We will test your sample for heavy metals content within 10 minutes and have it waiting for you on the porch at the pick-up table.
Sample drop-off deadline: 3:30 pm
Why Test Soil?
Soils are one of our most important resources, but they can easily become contaminated as a result of industrial activity and legacy pollution. Common soil contaminants, such as lead or cadmium, can cause negative health effects to folks who work and play with soils, with young children at particular risk.
Fortunately, remediating soil that is contaminated with heavy metals can be inexpensive and doesn’t require professional services when contamination is found – that’s where we come in! Our state-of-the-art handheld pXRF analyzer quickly screens soil samples for heavy metals content, and lets us know if remediation is recommended.