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Re: Vegetable Gardens on Septic Fields?

I think it's important to differentiate between a septic tank and a septic field.  Since the tank is sealed there really isn't any danger in planting above it.  The field, however is another issue.  If it's an older field that may only be leaching at a marginal level and may have not been built to code...I'd be dubious.  If it's a newer field that has been properly  constructed I wouldn't be nervous about growing greens on it but I'd think twice about root crops.  Keep in mind though that in a properly functioning system the solids go into the tank (which should be pumped out ever two or so years...or at least checked) and the gray water is distributed into the leaching field.  The one mistake that I've seen is in people building raised beds over the leaching fields.  This reduces the evapotransporation (?) from the field and can reduce it's ef! fectiveness.

Andrew Messinger
The Hampton Gardener
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