I just finished building my raised bed. I used brand new treated lumber. Do I need to line it with plastic?
Jim
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Meatburner
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rainbowgardener
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jal_ut
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I have never used raised beds. Just grow in the soil left on the lot by the creator.
I wonder, do you make it such that you isolate the roots from the ground underneath, or do you plan to let the roots go into the area under the bed? Plant roots will go quite deep,even down to eight feet or so, looking for water and nutrients.
I wonder, do you make it such that you isolate the roots from the ground underneath, or do you plan to let the roots go into the area under the bed? Plant roots will go quite deep,even down to eight feet or so, looking for water and nutrients.
Best way is to not isolate but let the roots be able to go deeper than the bed itself. Some people might have alot higher beds than the "normal" and they may not need it, anyhow I don't see any reason to isolate the plot.
On the other hand you might wanna make a raisedbed ontop of concrete or asphalt because you just don't have enough space with bare ground on it, thats a different story all toghether. Then you need to consider dept or grow stuf that doesnt go so deep.
Back to the main subject:
don't use plastic just use the wood as it is, the plastic wont last so long and soon you will have small pieces all over your soil.
About the wood, there are alot of different treatment methods some wood is simply just heat treated to kill bacteria while others can be impregnated with nasty stuff or less nasty stuff. Never stuff might not be any better than old since alot of new fluids and paints are water based... Sounds great but actually its not so great, it gets inside your body much easier and also disturbs micro organisms for example.
Its like here in Sweden they have reduced taxes for ethanol cars (enviroment friendly cars they call them along with modern diesel fueled cars.) But the production of the ethanol makes it less enviromently friendly than the standard gasoline fueled cars!
In the end your homegrown food will be healthier and more enviromently friendly than any alternative you might find in my opinion. But don't bury plastic.
On the other hand you might wanna make a raisedbed ontop of concrete or asphalt because you just don't have enough space with bare ground on it, thats a different story all toghether. Then you need to consider dept or grow stuf that doesnt go so deep.
Back to the main subject:
don't use plastic just use the wood as it is, the plastic wont last so long and soon you will have small pieces all over your soil.
About the wood, there are alot of different treatment methods some wood is simply just heat treated to kill bacteria while others can be impregnated with nasty stuff or less nasty stuff. Never stuff might not be any better than old since alot of new fluids and paints are water based... Sounds great but actually its not so great, it gets inside your body much easier and also disturbs micro organisms for example.
Its like here in Sweden they have reduced taxes for ethanol cars (enviroment friendly cars they call them along with modern diesel fueled cars.) But the production of the ethanol makes it less enviromently friendly than the standard gasoline fueled cars!
In the end your homegrown food will be healthier and more enviromently friendly than any alternative you might find in my opinion. But don't bury plastic.
I understand there have been tests performed and the chemicals used in treated lumber is at a "safe" level. But the lumber was soaked in preservatives and the chemicals will leech, albeit at an acceptable level to the EPA. Would you prepare food on treated lumber? Your vegetables would be in contact with it. For ornamentals, treated lumber would be okay. Personally, I would pay the extra money for cedar or cheap pine to get that peace of mind.
Yeah but who made the tests? Monsanto has had tests done on their corn that says its perfectly safe as well. People are different some people spray their food with lots of chemicals and still happily eat them while others as my self are not ok with any little bit of it.
But I'm still convinced you will grow better food than most of the commercial produce even in beds with treated lumber etc.
But I'm still convinced you will grow better food than most of the commercial produce even in beds with treated lumber etc.
I'm going to assume you are talking about 2X material
Older pressure treated wood here in the us was treated with Chromated copper arsenate. (CCA).
The newer pressure treated wood contains Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ)
Copper isn't absorbed easily into your body and is widely believed to be safer.
Redwood and Red Cedar are also alternatives with some weather resistance. You could always also use regular (SPF) untreated lumber.
Personally I use treated lumber but I try not to judge people unless they are Yankee fans.
Older pressure treated wood here in the us was treated with Chromated copper arsenate. (CCA).
The newer pressure treated wood contains Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ)
Copper isn't absorbed easily into your body and is widely believed to be safer.
Redwood and Red Cedar are also alternatives with some weather resistance. You could always also use regular (SPF) untreated lumber.
Personally I use treated lumber but I try not to judge people unless they are Yankee fans.
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HoneyBerry
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Myself, I don't use treated lumber for a food garden. But since you already did, you are probably okay. I'm thinking you could sandwich some regular wood between the dirt and the treated lumber.
Hello there Sweden. My Dad immigrated from Sweden when he was 8 years old. He did it legally. It was alot of work to do it right. I believe that my Swedish roots is where I get my farming instincts. And I love seafood and snow covered mountains. As a kid, my favorite dolls were trolls while other kids preferred Barbie dolls. I didn't know that they are a Swedish novelty until I got older. I love to ski. It's all in my genes. People say that I have the Nordic look.
Hello there Sweden. My Dad immigrated from Sweden when he was 8 years old. He did it legally. It was alot of work to do it right. I believe that my Swedish roots is where I get my farming instincts. And I love seafood and snow covered mountains. As a kid, my favorite dolls were trolls while other kids preferred Barbie dolls. I didn't know that they are a Swedish novelty until I got older. I love to ski. It's all in my genes. People say that I have the Nordic look.