I'm not sure in which forum to write this, so if I am in the wrong place, please let me know.
I thank you in advance for any advice. A few months ago there was a gas leak under my garden. The line going to my back neighbor's house got a leak, and the pipe runs under my garden. The gas company had to dig up my garden to fix the leak.
Since it is an above ground garden, there was no digging, plus, I didn't know the gas line was there. Before I knew there was a leak, I was pulling weeds. They were coming up as if they had been sitting on top of the soil. After the leak was found, I asked a gas company employee if the leak could have affected my garden. He said it definitely could.
I am afraid to plant anything because I don't know how the ground should be amended. I tried to find an answer online, but couldn't find one. I got rid of a lot of mustard greens. :( I would appreciate any help about what to do to make the soil safe for growing veggies for me, and flowers for the bees and butterflies.
Gardening after gas leak
I have no clue but the gas should dissipate rather fast. Can you call your gas company and ask?
I do not think the soil itself gets toxic with a gas leak for I read "Natural gas, composed mostly of methane, is not directly toxic to plants, however when a gas leak occurs it displaces the oxygen in the soil pore spaces. This can lead to development of anaerobic conditions and eventually the production of hydrogen sulfide gas. Hydrogen sulfide inhibits root respiration and nutrient uptake causing root death and plant decline." https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/natural-gas-injury"
I did find this too -
"Dying plants: Plant life near a gas leak will become sickly and eventually die. While plants can certainly wilt and die due to a variety of reasons, plants that die without an obvious cause can indicate a gas leak. A natural gas leak blocks a flower's source of oxygen and fruits and vegetables will change color when they come in contact with natural gas. If you see dead or discolored plants surrounded by healthy green plants, it is worth investigating." So I assume if there was gas in the dirt, the plants would not grow,
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-spot-signs-of-a-gas-leak-2718710
Call your gas company. They must have customer service that can find the answer for you.
Thank you, Kell. I appreciate your help. It makes me feel better. Since the leak was back in August and September, maybe it will be okay to plant something by now.
Gas leaks aren't safe for humans and plants. And the latter can begin to die even before you smell anything. That's how dangerous a gas leak is to your plants. A gas leak actually displaces the oxygen in the soil pore spaces thus killing the plants or they'll be stunted. Sometimes plants with smaller leaves than normal are possibly victims of exposure to a gas leak. So take your time before you do some replanting.