Many Western North Carolina gardens produce fruits, herbs, and vegetables well into the fall. We look forward to enjoying our last tomatoes, making pesto to freeze for the winter, or savoring greens that taste even better after the first frosts. If Tropical Storm Helene flooded your garden, however, it’s important to know that it is unsafe to eat crops submerged or splashed by flood waters. Plant disposal also presents hazards and gardeners need to take care to assess when—or if—it is possible to plant and harvest edibles from flooded areas in the future.
What are the risks?
Floodwater may contain a wide variety of biological contaminants—such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites—from untreated sewage, animals, and other sources.
Another source of flood water contamination is chemicals from agricultural runoff—such as pesticides—and industrial pollutants—such as heavy metals and petroleum products.
These contaminants can cause a variety of illnesses and can contaminate your soil.
What to do now?
Wait until flood waters subside and dry out somewhat for your own safety and to avoid compacting wet soils. Wear protective clothing including gloves, shoes, and a mask (to avoid breathing in contaminated soil dust) to handle flooded plants.
Remove and discard—do NOT compost—the entire plant, including roots, even if edible parts look undamaged. Remember cooking and preserving might kill some pathogens, but not all and will not affect industrial pollutants!
Take care to clean your tools after working in flooded areas. When you wash hands after removing gloves, dry them with paper towels or cloths you can discard. Leave clothing and shoes outside of your house to avoid bringing contaminants indoors.
Future planning
Avoid planting edibles in floodplains. It is difficult for home gardeners to get soil testing for chemical contaminants and testing for biological contaminants is not available. At a minimum do not replant edibles in a previously flooded area for 60 days—100 for root crops—or harvest crops from such areas within 90 days.
Consider using containers or raised beds for edibles.
Article written by Debbie Green, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer in Buncombe County
Check out this article on Handling Storm Damage in the Landscape: Vegetable, Herb and Fruit Gardens Exposed to Floodwater