Urban Soil Quality and Productivity for Growing Vegetables.

Urban soils are commonly used for vegetable production. The quality and productivity of these soils are generally ignored. South Florida urban soils are usually highly calcareous.  These soils are alkaline, with pH levels as high as 8.5. The predominance of limestone, or calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), underlying the soil has resulted from thousands of years of marine deposition.    Even soil that is not calcareous as a result of limestone near the O and A horizons can become calcareous if irrigated using the Floridian aquifer, as the water contains traces of dissolved CaCO₃. We have studied selected urban soils for physical and chemical properties and analyzed for the soil health for gardening and vegetable production. One such study was aimed at evaluating heavy metals concentrations particularly Pb, and the potential risk of Pb exposure to residents through gardening and vegetable production.