Hello, I am starting this year to grow all kinds of vegetables in containers. (Hopefully), the radishes are up. I have two 300 litre water butts, that collect rain water of out buildings, which I intend to use for watering the plants, these out buildings have coragated asbestos roofs. Is there any health risk in using this water. Jim PS. What is a Poll
Welcome to the garden. I don't know about the water u have sorry. I saw your topic. Last night at Borders I pick up a few books on this topic. I've already stared cucumbers and tomato plants with pellets. This weekend I'll transplant them into the large pot.
Hi Jim, Welcome to the Stew from north Texas. Please post an intro of yourself in our Welcome to GardenStew forum so everyone can get to know you. I think you should do a good web search...google.com or another search engine for corrugated asbestos roofing to find out more info. A couple of things I found recommend that water from such a roof should not be used on gardens. Potential damage to the roofing could cause asbestos fibers to dislodge. But there are so many 'Ifs' and Buts' on the subject that you probably should contact a your local county extention office or perhaps a local college environmental studies department. A Poll is a list of options that members can vote on. For instance in the Jokes and Games forum we have a Caption Competition...members submit a caption then after a few days Frank sets up a Poll so we can vote for our favorite.
Hi Jim!! :-D Sorry but if I were you then I wouldn't use the water in those butts just to be on the safe side. I'd get the local authority to come and remove the rooves for you (don't do it yourself please) and then replace them with heavy duty corrugated plastic ones so that the water can definately be used on your garden.
Hi Jim, A warm welcome to GardenStew, I hope you enjoy it here as we all do I found a link that you may want to look over as it may give you a picture of the levels of asbestos which may be dangerous in water. http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water- ... -water.htm I think the best advice is what Toni suggested and that is contacting an authority on this. My own personal advice however would be the old adage: "If in doubt leave it out" // Frank
asbestos Water that MIGHT contain asbestos fibers would not be good to sprinkle on lettuce for instance, nor would I eat root crops that were grown in it...BUT I think it would be OK for crops grown above-ground, like tomatoes(as long as they are trellised or caged)and peppers. Anything where the water goes on the ground and not the produce.I would wash the fruit thoroughly but you probably do that anyway.
Hi Jim, I grow lots of veggies in containers as well. So far this year I've planted peas, onions and carrots. It's still early to plant where I live (Ontario, Canada) but we had a warm spell at the end of March and I thought I would give these cold weather veg seeds a try. All are sprouting already and the peas are already producing tendrils to start climbing. Here are some photos of my peas http://sowthengrow.blogspot.ca/2012/04/peas.html I collect some rain water, usually have a line of buckets out when it is supposed to rain. I don't have a water barrel.
