I'm wanting to make another garden this year but the problem is that on top this hill, I have don't have much sutiable space with the woods surrounding me. The one place that would be ideal is the front yard. It slopes to the south, but our field line zig-zags across and down it. Question....how deep are the septic lines usually? Would I run into any trouble rototilling there? And would it be "sanitary" to plant veggies on the soil above it?

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), January 10, 2002

Answers

Our garden is over our field line. They should be more than 2 feet deep so no chance of tilling it up. However, in some parts of the garden we're having to deal with a lot of subsoil that is now on top instead of underneath. No big problem though. We just add compost, etc.

-- GeorgTN (dgkotarski@bledsoe.net), January 10, 2002.

We had a garden going over ours for 5 years and never had a problem.

-- David R In TN. (srimmer@earthlink.net), January 10, 2002.

When we bought the home we are in the woman who lived here before us had her garden over her septic lines & gardened there for over 40 years---she is in her late 80's & still doing well ----so I would say it didn't hurt her any!!

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), January 11, 2002.

I have read a lot of opinions both ways on this topic on the various forums. Seems like root crops just wouldn't be the best idea, I donno....

Here in Minnesota (where the frost goes down 4 feet or more) the septic lines _must_ be above the water line, which puts most of the new systems in at a foot deep or less. So do NOT assume they are 2 feet or more. The modern systems they want shallow, so microbes in the top soil can break down the crap & the sod uses it for fertilizer, instead of it leaching down or never breaking down in the deep soil.

You have to consider what your septic system is, does, and needs. Are you going to have to water your garden a lot? That could mess up the drainfield. With mostly bare ground in the garden, will it freeze up in winter, will it wash down the hill & expose pipe, without grass to sop up the fertilizer will you get a buildup?

I don't have a good answer for you, but some things to consider.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), January 11, 2002.

Raised beds?

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), January 11, 2002.

Our 1/2 acre garden is right over two field lines. Our lines are two feet down and we have never had a problem with growing anything. We've been gardening in this spot for about four years without any problems.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), January 12, 2002.

Thanks y'all for the responses. Just wanted to check before I started tilling.

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), January 12, 2002.