Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Soil Health Within Indianapolis Urban Gardens, Blake Moskal

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The growing trend of healthier diets and localized food systems has led to the emergence of many urban farms throughout Indianapolis. Communities now have access to arable land where they can grow high quality produce for families and communities. However, many of the farms are built on land with past industrial or commercial legacies. These postindustrial soils could contain contaminants, like heavy metals, some of which are potentially harmful to humans. These sites also have poor soil quality, so farmers often have to import soil and use large amounts of fertilizer or compost to ensure viable growing conditions. To isolate …