Gardeners have used pressure treated wood for decades in raised beds and as posts but on december 31 2003 the environmental protection agency epa banned the sale of lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate cca for residential use.
Treated wood for raised bed garden.
Current treatments such as alkaline copper quaternary acq are deemed low risk by the epa and designated safe for use around humans pets plants and vegetables.
Best wood to make raised garden beds redwood expensive but long lasting redwood raised garden bed.
Raised vegetable bed with treated wood.
Lamiot wikimedia commons pressured treated.
Pressure treated lumber is used for fence posts garden beds decking playground equipment and many other structures that are either partially below ground or have significant exposure to the elements.
Wood that isn t pressure treated tends to rot fairly quickly in contact with the soil.
Can pressure treated wood be used as part of an organic vegetable garden.
The main reason is that redwood is naturally rot resistant.
Concerns have focused on the leaching of arsenic from pressure treated wood.
Years ago many folks including several national magazines and agencies suggested that it was possible for small amounts of chemicals to leach into the soil from treated wood when that wood.
This publication from pennsylvania state university does a good job describing the risks of using both cca treated wood as well as acq treated wood.
Compared to untreated wood pressure treated lumber lasts longer and is available at a comparable cost.
But i fear attracting termites with untreated wood.
I am concerned about using pressure treated wood around my veggies because of the arsenic.
This deep penetration of the preservatives is what keeps the pressure treated wood from rotting longer than lumber treated with a topical sealant.
Here s what i know.
Amazon this wood makes perfect raised garden beds.
For proper drainage the plastic material should not be used underneath the raised bed garden.
Joe mabel wikimedia commons there is a long standing controversy in the field of organic gardening.
Hence you can use redwood without having to treat it or apply any finish.
Redwood has been known to last for up to 20 years.
I want to build some cold frames but am confused about what type of wood to use.
Creosote treated wood is not a good option for vegetable raised beds.
Of course the primary concern with using pressure treated wood in raised bed gardens has been with the arsenic in cca chromated copper arsenate treated wood.