Soil analysis of urban gardens in Thuringia by means of citizen science

Urban horticulture has become increasingly popular in recent years. The success and quality in horticulture largely depends on the local soil quality. In addition to an ideal nutrient supply, the concentrations of harmful substances should also be as low as possible. The latter is a particular problem in urban areas. Historical contaminated sites, tire wear, pesticides or residues from combustion processes in industry, traffic or the housing sector are sources of possible soil contamination. The aim of the project is therefore to build up a comprehensive sample database. It is planned to take soil samples with the help of Citizen Science, i.e. by Thuringian citizens. Subsequently, the EAH Jena will examine the samples for pollutants as well as for the concentrations of classical nutrients in order to investigate the reason for under- or over-supply.