Potential contamination?

[mariak]

Hello! I just talked with my neighbor who told me he was planning on using a grub killer and weed killer on his lawn this weekend. I have a large vegetable garden along the fence that separates our yards. Will this affect my garden?!?! I am wanting to grow all of my vegetables/fruit organically without any contamination. Should I be worried? Thanks for your help!

[tomc]

Herbicides work all too well on garden vegetables.

[hit or miss]

Granular or liquid? If he is spraying liquid it could drift over your garden and do some damage. At least he is a nice guy and warned you what his plans are... Too bad he is married to poisons for his lawn.

[applestar]

Unfortunately, there is a tendency to place the veg garden at the edge of a small property. It would help if your property sits higher above the grade/slope than the neighbor's. If at all possible, it's probably better to maintain even a small buffer space of ornamentals or have a solid fence separating the properties.

Believe me, I would design some of my own garden spaces differently if I could, though I'm making small changes year to year.

One good way is to change your perspective and consider edible landscaping -- I.e. Don't limit yourself to a dedicated vegetable garden.

[Vorguen]

what do you mean by edible landscaping? that really interested me..

[Marlingardener]

Edible landscaping is very simple--mix vegetables in with flowers and shrubs. I have herbs (edible) mixed in flower beds. Oregano, fennel, basil, marjoram are all pretty plants, and provide a contrast to the roses (who LOVE garlic, by the way) and other perennials.
Curly kale makes a great border, as does many of the lettuces. I use rosemary as a background plant for annuals like cosmos. You can trellis cucumbers and pole beans in a flower bed to add height and "vertical interest" which means you use less space and get more!
Experiment on your own, using the vegetables you like, and see what happens.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Edible Forest.

Canopy, Fruit and nut tress etc....
Under story, Currants, gooseberries, aronia etc....
Forest floor, vegetables, strawberries, clover, vetch, comfrey etc.....


Layered just like nature.

Eric