Subject: Lumber for raised beds

From: [email-masked] (Eric Sieferman)
Date: 31 Mar 1995 17:17:24 GMT

I'm building a few raised beds for my herb garden this weekend.  I've
heard conflicting information about the types of lumber which are suitable
and safe for this purpose.  Some people have told me that pressure treated
lumber is essential because it doesn't rot as fast; others say that this
is a bad idea because of the possibility of poisonous elements leaching
from the lumber into the soil. 

Any opinions/experiences?

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From: [email-masked] (Prathima Venkateswar)
Date: 31 Mar 1995 19:23:04 GMT

Eric Sieferman ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I'm building a few raised beds for my herb garden this weekend.  I've
: heard conflicting information about the types of lumber which are suitable
: and safe for this purpose.  Some people have told me that pressure treated
: lumber is essential because it doesn't rot as fast; others say that this
: is a bad idea because of the possibility of poisonous elements leaching
: from the lumber into the soil. 

: Any opinions/experiences?

Yes, I would like to know too. I really dont want to spend a lot of time 
digging.

Regards,
Prathima

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From: [email-masked] (robert p blais)
Date: 2 Apr 1995 19:27:39 -0400

Prathima Venkateswar ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Eric Sieferman ([email-masked]) wrote:
: : I'm building a few raised beds for my herb garden this weekend.  I've
: : heard conflicting information about the types of lumber which are suitable
: : and safe for this purpose.  Some people have told me that pressure treated
: : lumber is essential because it doesn't rot as fast; others say that this
: : is a bad idea because of the possibility of poisonous elements leaching
: : from the lumber into the soil. 

: : Any opinions/experiences?

: Yes, I would like to know too. I really dont want to spend a lot of time 
: digging.

: Regards,
: Prathima

Pressure treated lumber is bad!!!
Cedar, cypress, locust, bricks, concrete blocks, and rocks are good!!
Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening says that wood treated with a 
borax-based preservative might be OK.
			Bob Blais

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From: [email-masked] (Steven Moore)
Date: Sat, 01 Apr 1995 15:07:36 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]

> : Any opinions/experiences?

I will e-mail an article I wrote on pressure-treated wood to any
interested people. It has turned out to be quite popular, but I'm happy to
share the information to anyone who requests a copy via my e-mail.
-- 
Cheers...Steven 
€ € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € 
   Steven Moore - Freelance Writer
          [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Nancy Roatcap)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 02:05:22 GMT

>: and safe for this purpose.

Used railroad ties are a safe bet. Whatever is going to leach from them
already has, and they won't rot for many years.

Nancy R.

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From: [email-masked] (L. R. Fortney)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 13:22:03 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]

> from the lumber into the soil. 
   There are clearly two schools of thought on pressure treated lumber,
but I think most will agree that it is better than new or used railroad
ties.  Cresote is clearly hard on some plants and used ties are only good
for about 10 years and difficult to despose of when half rotted.  Many
landfills will no longer accept it.
   I personally use a lot of pressure treated lumber for raised beds and
other outdoor construction and do not believe there is a serious problem. 
Freshly treated lumber is really heavy however.  Modern pressure treated
lumber is said to be good for 30 years.  If you use it, be sure and get
the kind intended for in-ground use.

-- 
Lloyd Fortney ---Opinions, just opinions---

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From: [email-masked] (Gerald Sacks)
Date: 3 APR 95 11:37:37

> : Any opinions/experiences?

It's a religious issue.  Wars have been fought over it in this newsgroup.
FWIW, I use green rough cut native softwood.  It's beginning to show some
rot after five or six years, but it's so much cheaper than pressure-treated
that I can replace it several times over and still save money.

Gerald Sacks	[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (robert p blais)
Date: 2 Apr 1995 19:27:39 -0400

: Regards,
: Prathima

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From: [email-masked] (Steven Moore)
Date: Sat, 01 Apr 1995 15:07:36 -0500

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From: [email-masked] (Nancy Roatcap)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 02:05:22 GMT

Nancy R.

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From: [email-masked] (L. R. Fortney)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 13:22:03 GMT

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From: [email-masked] (Gerald Sacks)
Date: 3 APR 95 11:37:37

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From: [email-masked] (Chad James Segura)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 18:08:22 GMT

Nancy Roatcap ([email-masked]) wrote:
: >Eric Sieferman ([email-masked]) wrote:
: >: I'm building a few raised beds for my herb garden this weekend.  I've
: >: heard conflicting information about the types of lumber which are suitable
: >: and safe for this purpose.

See my earlier post.  This depends a lot on where you live.

: Used railroad ties are a safe bet. Whatever is going to leach from them
: already has, and they won't rot for many years.

: Nancy R. 
I don't follow this.   Is there creosote still on the wood?  If so, then
under most uses, this would be more dangerous than PTW.

Chad

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From: [email-masked] (Chad James Segura)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 18:08:22 GMT

: Nancy R. 

Chad

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From: [email-masked] (Alan Louis Rudan)
Date: 14 Apr 1995 12:02:49 GMT

Chad James Segura ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Nancy Roatcap ([email-masked]) wrote:
: : >Eric Sieferman ([email-masked]) wrote:
: : >: I'm building a few raised beds for my herb garden this weekend.  I've
: : >: heard conflicting information about the types of lumber which are suitable
: : >: and safe for this purpose.

: See my earlier post.  This depends a lot on where you live.

: : Used railroad ties are a safe bet. Whatever is going to leach from them
: : already has, and they won't rot for many years.

: : Nancy R. 
: I don't follow this.   Is there creosote still on the wood?  If so, then
: under most uses, this would be more dangerous than PTW.

: Chad

An alternative to wood might be a product called Nova Wood.  From what I
understand it is recycled plastic.  They already manufacture compost bins
made from this material and are about to introduce landscape ties of 4
and 8 ft. lengths to this area of Maryland.  They have an 800 number
800-876-8735.  I called them the other day and they were quite helpful.

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From: [email-masked] (killand)
Date: 16 Apr 1995 19:28:46 GMT

I: : >: I'm building a few raised beds for my herb garden this weekend.  I've
>: See my earlier post.  This depends a lot on where you live.

Hi There!  In calgary we do use pressure treated and creosoted lumber/

Bearing in mind that Copper Naphalate is phytotoxic and the creosote
is on the hazardous waste list.  I would go with pressure treated 
material.

Place 6 mil poly on the all of the inside surfaces, being careful not to
have any showing when finished.  ( UV rays will destroy the visible 
poly.) And then next to rhe poly about 8 inches of gravel (pea) tamped
lightly and of course you loam.  This is a case of putting the loam in 
the middle and placing it as the gravel is placed.

This may need topping up in a year to allow for settling.  Other wise
a well constuctructed raised bed will las a long time.

Derry Killan

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From: [email-masked] (killand)
Date: 16 Apr 1995 19:28:46 GMT

Derry Killan

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From: [email-masked] (SGerngross)
Date: 16 Apr 1995 23:58:47 -0400

Check out Gardener's Supply Company.  Write to 128 Intervale Road,
Burlington VT 05401-2804 for a catalogue.  They have plenty of supplies
for creating raised beds (corners into which lumber fits).  Also one of
the kits features plastic wood--boards made out of recycled plastic,
similar to the plastic benches you sometimes see.

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From: [email-masked] (SGerngross)
Date: 16 Apr 1995 23:58:47 -0400