| Title: | Soil Lead Analysis at Allegheny Commons Community Garden |
| Program: | Urban Soils |
| Location: | 300 Stockton Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 |
| Website: | https://deutschtown.org/community-garden-at-allegheny-commons |
| Instagram: | @acommonsgarden |
Garden Description
Located across the Sue Murray Swimming Pool in Deutschtown, the Allegheny Commons Community Garden has been “aim(ing) to provide access to fresh food, education, environmental stewardship, and social connection—empowering people of all backgrounds to grow together and nourish both land and community” since 2018.
Dennis Ginther and Art Perkins began planning the garden after the City of Pittsburgh decided to find alternative use for the run-down tennis courts on the 300 Stockton Ave site. Beginning with 17 raised garden beds, the community garden has grown to 54 raised beds to date. As an allotment style community garden, participating members can apply for either a full 12 ft or half 6 ft bed in the garden to maintain over the season. Members grew around 600lb of food and harvested 50lb of honey in 2025.
The Allegheny Commons Community Garden offers a wide variety of engagements beyond having a garden bed. They offer volunteering for those who do not have their own bed. A Potluck Community Night is hosted every Thursday at the site. Farm-to-table fundraisers are hosted annually at the garden featuring local Deutschtown chefs. They support various programs like can recycling, general gardening education, and soil lead testing. The Allegheny Commons Community Garden is also a drop-off location for ACCD’s Lead Testing Drop Off series.
ACCD's Assistance with Orchard Expansion
In 2024, Allegheny Commons Community Garden envisioned expansion of their gardening efforts by adding a fruit tree orchard along the perimeter. Since this was the first inground planting that would occur on site, ACCD’s Hayly Hoch, who had been a member of the Allegheny Commons Community Garden in the past, advised that the soil be screened to identify the presence of heavy metals. This educational experience assists the public in learning the risks associated with different levels of lead and the steps to remediate any soils necessary. ACCD’s Urban Soils Program screened and mapped the soil’s lead content via pXRF analysis to provide this information.
The analysis of the Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s expansion yields an average lead content of 93.55 PPM Pb. Interpreting soil lead results can be challenging and there is no single threshold that defines acceptable levels of lead in soil. ACCD utilizes a set of guidelines developed in consultation with industry experts to indicate the degree of risk associated with various soil lead concentrations.
The average site lead content for Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s orchard planting falls within the threshold for “Very Low Risk”, the range of lowest risk and allows for in-ground gardening without restrictions. However, because lead contamination occurs on a continuum, depending on level frequency and duration of exposure, it will be important for garden volunteers to wash hands immediately after working in the space, and for any bare soil to be covered with 3- 4 inches of mulch or live plant material to reduce risk of exposure via soil particle ingestion or inhalation.
ACCD's Impact
ACCD’s soil testing service was the bridge that the Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s needed to bring the orchard to fruition. “Tree Pittsburgh directly reached out to [Allegheny Commons Community Garden because we] had been a part of the soil testing program,” according to Rosemary Fehlner. There are now six fruit trees that include a tart cherry, two varieties of pears, a persimmon, a fig tree, and a sweet cherry bush.
ACCD’s partnership with the Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s has strengthened its relationship with the City of Pittsburgh by highlighting the important work taking place in the garden. It has given community leaders like Art Perkins the “benefit of having conversations with people” inside and outside of the garden about food security, conservation, and even starting new gardens.
Located across the Sue Murray Swimming Pool in Deutschtown, the Allegheny Commons Community Garden has been “aim(ing) to provide access to fresh food, education, environmental stewardship, and social connection—empowering people of all backgrounds to grow together and nourish both land and community” since 2018.
The Allegheny Commons Community Garden offers a wide variety of engagements beyond having a garden bed. They offer volunteering for those who do not have their own bed. A Potluck Community Night is hosted every Thursday at the site. Farm-to-table fundraisers are hosted annually at the garden featuring local Deutschtown chefs. They support various programs like can recycling, general gardening education, and soil lead testing. The Allegheny Commons Community Garden is also a drop-off location for ACCD’s Lead Testing Drop Off series.
ACCD's Assistance with Orchard Expansion
In 2024, Allegheny Commons Community Garden envisioned expansion of their gardening efforts by adding a fruit tree orchard along the perimeter. Since this was the first inground planting that would occur on site, ACCD’s Hayly Hoch, who had been a member of the Allegheny Commons Community Garden in the past, advised that the soil be screened to identify the presence of heavy metals. This educational experience assists the public in learning the risks associated with different levels of lead and the steps to remediate any soils necessary. ACCD’s Urban Soils Program screened and mapped the soil’s lead content via pXRF analysis to provide this information.
The analysis of the Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s expansion yields an average lead content of 93.55 PPM Pb. Interpreting soil lead results can be challenging and there is no single threshold that defines acceptable levels of lead in soil. ACCD utilizes a set of guidelines developed in consultation with industry experts to indicate the degree of risk associated with various soil lead concentrations.
The average site lead content for Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s orchard planting falls within the threshold for “Very Low Risk”, the range of lowest risk and allows for in-ground gardening without restrictions. However, because lead contamination occurs on a continuum, depending on level frequency and duration of exposure, it will be important for garden volunteers to wash hands immediately after working in the space, and for any bare soil to be covered with 3- 4 inches of mulch or live plant material to reduce risk of exposure via soil particle ingestion or inhalation.
ACCD's Impact
ACCD’s soil testing service was the bridge that the Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s needed to bring the orchard to fruition. “Tree Pittsburgh directly reached out to [Allegheny Commons Community Garden because we] had been a part of the soil testing program,” according to Rosemary Fehlner. There are now six fruit trees that include a tart cherry, two varieties of pears, a persimmon, a fig tree, and a sweet cherry bush.
ACCD’s partnership with the Allegheny Commons Community Garden’s has strengthened its relationship with the City of Pittsburgh by highlighting the important work taking place in the garden. It has given community leaders like Art Perkins the “benefit of having conversations with people” inside and outside of the garden about food security, conservation, and even starting new gardens.
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ACCD provides technical assistance to improve water and soil resources throughout the region.