Vegetables - Ask Extension
Can I eat vegetables that I planted on top of a septic tank?
Knowledgebase
Vegetables #880737
Asked August 08, 2024, 3:29 PM EDT
Can I eat vegetables that I planted on top of a septic tank?
Columbia County Oregon
Expert Response
Greetings,
It is not recommended to plant vegetable gardens over septic systems or their drain fields. Though properly functioning septic systems won’t contaminate the soil with harmful pathogens, there is no easy way to guarantee that the crops grown over a leach field will be safe to eat. Leaks can occur, and there is also risk of impacting the system with the foot traffic and soil disturbance that gardening creates.
Furthermore, vegetable gardeners may not be keen on growing their food plants in soil that is frequently inundated with household chemicals. Unfortunately, placing raised beds over the drainage area isn’t a good solution either. The added soil depth of the beds may inhibit evaporation and limit the effectiveness of the septic system.
You can read more here:
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/12/it-okay-plant-garden-over-leach-field#:~:text=Vegetable%20gardening%20over%20a%20leach%20field%20is%20a%20bad%20idea,will%20be%20safe%20to%20eat.
It is not recommended to plant vegetable gardens over septic systems or their drain fields. Though properly functioning septic systems won’t contaminate the soil with harmful pathogens, there is no easy way to guarantee that the crops grown over a leach field will be safe to eat. Leaks can occur, and there is also risk of impacting the system with the foot traffic and soil disturbance that gardening creates.
Furthermore, vegetable gardeners may not be keen on growing their food plants in soil that is frequently inundated with household chemicals. Unfortunately, placing raised beds over the drainage area isn’t a good solution either. The added soil depth of the beds may inhibit evaporation and limit the effectiveness of the septic system.
You can read more here:
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/12/it-okay-plant-garden-over-leach-field#:~:text=Vegetable%20gardening%20over%20a%20leach%20field%20is%20a%20bad%20idea,will%20be%20safe%20to%20eat.
