Treated Or Untreated Wood For Garden Box

Redwood and cedar are more rot resistant and last longer but are also more expensive.

Treated or untreated wood for garden box.

I am concerned about using pressure treated wood around my veggies because of the arsenic. You can isolate pressure treated wood by lining the inside of a bed with heavy plastic to prevent leaching of chemicals from the wood into the soil. Compared to untreated wood pressure treated lumber lasts longer and is available at a comparable cost. Stephen in huntingdon valley pais the new pressure treated nature wood safe to use as a framing material for a raised bed vegetable garden.

I want to build some cold frames but am confused about what type of wood to use. I also use some pressure treated wood for various garden structures including large raised beds. A cedar frame can last up to 10 years but one made of douglas fir may last only 5 to 7 years. Top your bed with boards of untreated lumber to make a flat top to sit on and to avoid contact with the wood particularly if you have cca treated wood in your garden.

The durability of untreated wood used for raised beds largely depends on the type of wood used. Untreated wood deteriorates more quickly in contact with soil and will have to be replaced possibly every two to five years though heat treated wood may last a bit longer. But i fear attracting termites with untreated wood. 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.

Creosote treated wood is not a good option for vegetable raised beds. The wood that people worry about leaching chemicals into the soil is cca chromated copper arsenate pressure treated wood or old railway ties.