Help Needed

[keejaay]

As a new allotment holder and a bit green about doing things Can i have some advice please.

I have just started to clear a section and have approx a fork depth below the surface hit some containers full of old car oil  , i have removed them correctly i might add to the council tip for disposal but a couple split ,

I have dug them and most of the earth below and around them out but have been left with a small amount under the surface and it stinks .

What can i do to get this ground fit for planting and What do you suggest i plant or am i wasting my time , the total area affected is 2 foot deep by 3 foot wide by 4 foot in length
Thank you

[keejaay]

[valmarg]

How about a bonfire?  It would burn off the oil.

valmarg

[Buster54]

If it were me I would dig as much out as possible of the contaminate and dump it in a quiet corner of the allotment and make a rockery out of it,then I would use the hole for a bonfire and then use it for a compost or manure heap for a couple of years and plant somewhere else.Are you 100% possitive it is old car oil,

[keejaay]

Yes my friend i am 100% certain it is car oil ,  the area i am digging is backed onto a garage and the former owner didnt give a d**n where he dumped stuff , i have found a couple of old car jacks , wheels , filters and even an old mini stove which had been covered by the bramble

[Digeroo]

Have you thought about growing in straw bales above the contamination, you can put a plastic membrane below them. 

I think you should report the problems to landowner. 

[davyw1]

Dig in chicken manure with the infested soil it will break it down in a couple of weeks.

[shirlton]

Could you perhaps slab the area and put either a shed or greenhouse on it.

[1066]

Or could you do some raised beds?

I'd definitely contact the landlord / committee about the problem though

[vitruvius8]

I would report it to the enviormental health dept, they are duty bound to clear up any envioromental contamination and i would press to get the culprit prosecuted.  >:(

[antipodes]

Yes I would be into:
Digging a trench where the oil is and having a bonfire.
Then I would really load that whole area with as much organic matter as you can - stable waste, manure, shredded paper etc
And I would leave it till next season. I would say that if you see weeds etc growing up from it at the end of winter, then it is pretty safe to plant in it (I wouldn't try spuds though!). Again pile on the organic matter and grow just in the top layer: shallow rooting things like beans? I think you will find that over time any residue will sink down into the bottom layers of the soil and disperse.

[keejaay]

THANK YOU ONE AND ALL

YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT HELP

[zigzig]

We had a site which was infected and grew crops on it that would absorb the contamination first. Destroyed the crops and then found that it was fine to manure and grow crops for eating.

It is up to you but growing on the site will mean that the crops are taking up the poison you do not want to ingest.

Your choice but I suggest  one or two years to get rid ( dispose on the tip) then go ahead with crops you want to eat.

Bearing in mind that there are some vegetables you could eat. They could make good, organic compost

[Robert_Brenchley]

If it's an allotment site the landlord is probably liable to sort it out. Have you discussed it with them? Get environmental health involved; I've heard of cases where they had to dig the soil out and replace it.

[willsy]

 Dont want to frighten you but I would be very careful if I was you as old used car /bike oil contains cancer agents/poisons. sorry cannot spell what I wanted to spell but sounds something like carsagenics. I wouldnt put yourself or your family in danger. I agree you should report this to your council.

[betula]

I th ink I would call in proffesional help too :(

[goodlife]

Hmm..I belong to the 'careful crowd' too..I would not deal with myself without  getting some advise from professional source at least.
And I do suspect that any contamination would take few years to clear out. Once the oil is removed from the site..I would go several green manure crops..all different sorts with starting some deeper rooted ones like rye and actually remove the rye once grown rather than dig it back in.
The plants will take some of  the 'nasties' in them and by disposing them you get rid of some chemicals. After few crops you can start growing greenmanure and building the soil up again by digging the plants back in.
There is many ways to deal with it..but seeking some advise from environmental health propably would be my choice no1. I would not like to eat anything from that ground until declared safe.
I do think it may take more than a year to get the soil sorted..I hope I'll be proved wrong.. :-\
Will you let us know how things develop?