Post-Hurricane Garden Care: Ensuring Safety & Soil Health After Flooding
A guide for home gardeners on safely managing soil and garden produce affected by hurricane-related floodwaters, addressing potential contaminants and providing long-term recovery tips
photo courtesy of Green Toe Ground Farm
As we move into the fall season with the first frosts gracing our mountains, more home growers in our region wonder how much of the garden produce can be salvaged and what to do about their soil. A number of factors come into play if your garden (in-ground or raised bed garden) was affected by the hurricane or the aftermath.
If your garden was exposed to floodwaters:
Some floodwaters in WNC have not been tested for biological contaminants (bacteria including E. coli and coliform, viruses, and parasites) or industrial pollutants such as chemicals or heavy metals. Currently, home gardeners do not have the means to test for these contaminants in the soil, as the soil testing available through Extension services does not include this type of testing.
Avoid compacting wet soils in/around your garden.
Wear protective clothing, including gloves, shoes, and a mask.
Remove and discard (NOT compost) the entire plant, including roots, even if it looks edible and undamaged. This includes leafy greens, root crops, and crops with a hard outer skin (winter squash). Any leafy greens, berries, or other soft fruits that have had only indirect contact with floodwater should also be discarded, as they are challenging to wash.
Cooking or canning will not eliminate the risk posed by industrial pollutants.
After disposal, thoroughly wash your hands and dry with a paper towel or cloth.
Prevent cross-contamination by cleaning surfaces, tools, and harvesting equipment with disinfectant such as bleach solution (one part bleach to nine parts water) or alcohol.
If your garden was not exposed directly to floodwaters:
If you water your garden with an unknown history (nonpotable water from distribution sites, untested well water from damaged wells, spring water), note that this water may contain some of the abovementioned contaminants.
The safest route is to dispose of the affected plants in the same way as above. You can get spring or well water testing to ensure your garden watering is unaffected. Some options are Buncombe County Well Water Testing and Aquatic Analytics.
Gardeners whose gardens received heavy runoff from higher sites, mainly if these include farm, pasture, or industrial land, may also need to consider the potential for contamination.
Replanting and long-term considerations:
At a minimum, do not replant edibles in a previously flooded area for 60 days. For root crops, the waiting period is 100 days. Do not harvest crops from such areas within 90 days.
Michael Rayburn, Urban Agriculture Agent for Buncombe County, says, "When it come to feeding the soil, think of it like our soils are in the ICU right now, they need rest not food." Allow the soil to rest and recover with minimal disturbance; this includes not adding biochar, compost, topsoil, or fill to the garden at this time. These may become best practices later, but save your dollars and resources for now.
One practice you may consider this fall is to plant a winter cover crop with rapid growth and an extensive root system. It will help stabilize the soil, reduce erosion, and stimulate soil biological activity. Cover crops can be terminated - killed off - in various ways in the spring, ready for planting. Go to a local garden center (like Fifth Season Asheville) for cover crop seed - supporting our local businesses is especially important right now!
If your garden was flooded or received a heavy deposit of soil from elsewhere (a two-inch layer or greater), your soil fertility may have been affected; this is where you might consider soil testing (for nutrients, pH, etc.) in the future.
We will update this page as more information and updated guidance becomes available.
photo courtesy of Mystic Roots Farm