Safety of planting tomatoes near Septic field?

[Dewayne mater]

Can anyone recommend an article, book, etc. that discusses the parameters of how to safely plant tomatoes near a septic field? The beds in question are about 25 feet down hill from the septic field, and the slope is gentle. The soil is all fill soil, and underneath the fill the ground is very rocky, as in virtually 100%. My thinking is the liquids would likely be draining down through the rocks quickly. However, I know of at least one time historically years ago, during a very rainy season, with heavy use of the septic tank that the field was very wet. That has apparently only happened one time in 6 years, so I think that is aberrant.

I want to make sure to not poison the family with tomatoes with Ecoli or something else. Thanks for any insights you may have.

[coloken]

I will probably catch it for this, but.
I don't see any contamination at all. Even if growing in the septic. As long as the fruit never touches the ground. Or your hands from the dirt.
Please note: I did not say I would eat such stuff, I just said it would be safe.

[habitat_gardener]

I grew up eating raspberries planted about 10 feet away from a septic tank in the (flat) backyard. Never had any problems. The raspberries never had to be fertilized.

[carolyn137]

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-a...&pf=p&pdl=3000

The above link is from a general Google search which clearly shows that tomato fruits can have internal pathogens, so it isn't just isn't a matter of fruits not touching the ground and thus being safe.

THe one link indicated that pathogens could get inside the tomato plant via contamination of the foliage and thus to the fruits, the other one I read didn't indicate a mechanism.

As a retired Microbiologist with a specialty in infectious diseases who taught med students for many years I know I wouldn't grow tomatoes anywheres near a septic field.

But then I'm probably much too conservative and cautious about this issue, so why not read some of the other links, there are many and I only read two on the first page, and make up your own minds about it.

[wingnut]

I grow my families food useing composted human manure as the main fertilizer. That said I would not grow near non-composted human waste. Our manure has been through multiple turnings and six months as worm bedding before being used, but some would feel even that is not safe enough for them.

[dustdevil]

If you are pressed for more useable gardening space, maybe you should consider container growing.

[ddsack]

There are many municipalities that contract to have their treated city sewage sludge spread on farm field crop acreage as fertilizer. My husband's brother-in-law in southern Minnesota always laughed about the sewage tomato seeds surviving and coming up in his corn fields.

[mcsee]

I found this in an article here -
http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/19...235walcott.htm

Sewage sludge may contain a range of contaminants, including metals such as cadmium, arsenic, copper, lead, mercury and zinc and pesticide residues such as organo-chlorines aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, DDT and lindane.

[lakelady]

Originally Posted by mcsee

I found this in an article here -
http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/19...235walcott.htm

Sewage sludge may contain a range of contaminants, including metals such as cadmium, arsenic, copper, lead, mercury and zinc and pesticide residues such as organo-chlorines aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, DDT and lindane.

Sewerage sludge also contains traces of most drugs people consume (legally and not), including antidepressants, cardiac meds, etc. There's even been talk about the "prozac nation" ! how scary is that?

Amazing that little tomato seeds can survive the digestive tract, and yet, once we want them to grow and we baby them and care for them, they decide to get finicky! lol

[k3vin]

My tomatoes were intentionally grown directly on top of my leach field for several years. They did great! I never perceived any chance of contamination, nor do I recall getting sick. My experience may be typical of that told by the survivors, so use your own judgement.

[coloken]

If it is your own sewage, I don't see how you could catch any thing that you don't all ready have

[semi_lucid]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

I know I wouldn't grow tomatoes anywhere near a septic field.

I have read that raw, untreated sewage water is sometimes used to directly irrigate vegetable crops in Mexico and other places.

http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publicatio.../PDF/wpb17.pdf

[eyolf]

I don't know how Texas' regulations control leach fields and private septic systems, but here in the midwest, they are designed around evaporation to take care of the water and bacterial action to handle everything else. The ideal septic site is situated above soils of limited permeability to keep wastes in the biologically active zone long enough that pathogens don't leach away. In areas with extremely porous soils, near surface water or just above high water table, leach fields are not usually permitted.

In many places these leach fields are in people's yards where children play with no ill effects; the biologically active zone is stratified such that the really nastys like E. Coli find conditions inhospitable in the well-aerated and sunlit upper layers which are home to the "friendlys" As long as the soil in your leach field doesn't become damp and muddy, evaporation and bacterial action is working to keep you safe.

I'm also mindful of research that is concluding that constant, limited exposure to bacteria is actually helpful, especially to kids. We occasionally hear about contamination crises, and must assume that far more people are exposed than become ill. As a country person and outdoorsman, I'm certain I get my fair share of exposure, but get sick no more often than my city cousins.