Pressure Treated wood for Vegetable Garden?

Scooby074 · May 8, 2011

I 'd like to build a raised garden this summer for veggies.

Any opinions on using new ACQ type PT for the frame? I know Cedar would be preferred, but $$$.

Theres a bit of mass hysteria out there re: PT wood but how much is fact based? Ive seen opinions ranging from "you can eat it", "Wont kill the fish in your fish tank" to "OMG, your going to kill your family". ACQ companies of course say there's no risk. Creosote timbers are out though... they just leach far too much to be safe.

Dont want to use spruce, as i dont want to redo in a few years. I might be able to get some rough Hemlock that has good rot resistance but not sure if its available currently and at what cost.

Opinions?

moored4 · May 8, 2011

Could you make it out of PT and the line the sides with plastic sheeting to keep the contact down to as little as posiable!:confused3:

Scooby074 · May 8, 2011

Lining is an idea for sure. Leave the bottom unlined to allow drainage.

My personal opinion is that PT wont leach enough to be a problem, but im hoping for confirmation before i build anything.

forgeblast · May 9, 2011

I bought landscape timbers for all my raised beds, they were a dollar something a piece at a box store when they were on sale. They have been fine, hold up well too. I just keep a couple of inches away from the edge when planting.

grnspot110 · May 9, 2011

I've used PT around this garden for over 25 years with no ill effects! And the frame work of my greenhouse;

Also, I know they're not supposed to, but how many picnic tables are made with CCA (NLA) lumber? ~~ grnspot

czechsonofagun · May 9, 2011

We have PT lumber in our veggie beds too, I don't think there is a problem.

DAY · May 9, 2011

Just a thought: Build some slip forms (google it) and make your beds out of concrete.

ericrm2005 · May 9, 2011

I had the same question years ago. I ended up NOT using PT wood. I really could not find any definitive proof that it would be ok, so I decided to be safe and not use them. It is PROBABLY ok to use them, but if you can use something else why risk it. I actually used 2x10 rough cut hemlock lumber from the local mill to make my raised beds. They were very cheap at a couple bucks a board. It has been about 5 years and they are still holding up very well with very little rot. I could see them lasting another 3 or 4 without having to be replaced. That would give me about 8 y ears or so on these boards before having to replace. Not bad, and well worth it to put my mind at ease over the PT question.

jinman · May 9, 2011

I just had the dried out and cracking cedar siding pulled off the south side of my house and replaced with HardiPlank siding. I also had a new bathroom addition to my house under a raised deck. To facilitate putting on the roof on the addition, we had to take up approximately 80 sf of treated lumber on my deck and then replace it with new planks. When all the additions/renovations were done, I waited for a good non-windy day just after a rainstorm and called my county sheriff to let them know I was burning. When there is no burn ban in place, you do not have to call, but they request you call the sheriff and give your name and location if you have a large amount of burning to do. The sheriff then knows it is you in case someone spots the smoke and reports a fire. People are rightfully paranoid around here lately with the wildfires west of here. Anyhow, the sheriff asked what I was burning and I told him construction debris, mostly cedar siding, cardboard, and wafer board and the old deck materials. "You can't burn treated lumber!" was his instant response. Oops! :ashamed: So, I told him I would separate out the treated lumber and not burn it. Sheesh! This was the first time I had heard of such a restriction. I used my backhoe to turn over the pile of debris until I had picked all the deck lumber out and stacked it to the side of the bonfire. Now, I guess I'll just bury the treated lumber. If you can use it on decks and other ground contact structures, surely burying it is a viable disposal method, but I ain't gonna call and ask for permission.:confused3:

ericrm2005 · May 9, 2011

jinman said:
I just had the dried out and cracking cedar siding pulled off the south side of my house and replaced with HardiPlank siding. I also had a new bathroom addition to my house under a raised deck. To facilitate putting on the roof on the addition, we had to take up approximately 80 sf of treated lumber on my deck and then replace it with new planks. When all the additions/renovations were done, I waited for a good non-windy day just after a rainstorm and called my county sheriff to let them know I was burning. When there is no burn ban in place, you do not have to call, but they request you call the sheriff and give your name and location if you have a large amount of burning to do. The sheriff then knows it is you in case someone spots the smoke and reports a fire. People are rightfully paranoid around here lately with the wildfires west of here. Anyhow, the sheriff asked what I was burning and I told him construction debris, mostly cedar siding, cardboard, and wafer board and the old deck materials. "You can't burn treated lumber!" was his instant response. Oops! :ashamed: So, I told him I would separate out the treated lumber and not burn it. Sheesh! This was the first time I had heard of such a restriction. I used my backhoe to turn over the pile of debris until I had picked all the deck lumber out and stacked it to the side of the bonfire. Now, I guess I'll just bury the treated lumber. If you can use it on decks and other ground contact structures, surely burying it is a viable disposal method, but I ain't gonna call and ask for permission.:confused3:

-I would have just burnt it anyways, im not sure there is any real GREAT way to dispose of the chemicals in the treated wood-