Topic: wood for raised beds

[willybell]

Should I use tanalised or untanalised? How long would untanalised rough-sawn wood last?

Thanks

[Derekthefox]

Untanalised will perhaps last 5 years max if you are lucky. Tanalised should give you longer, but it is not recommended for contact with foodstuffs ...

http://www.tanalisedecowood.com/eco_content.asp?id=29&parent_id=0

[jennym]

Yes, 5 years is about right for untreated wood - last year was the 5th year on my allotment, and a lot of the time was spent ripping out rotting wood that I had used for raised beds. I don't have them now, I just mound the soil in long narrow beds with paving slabs for paths in between, and build these beds up by adding composted kitchen waste and well-rotted horse manure. It's a lot easier to manage, and I can get to the soil to dig if I want to, and the slugs haven't got so many hidey-holes.

[willybell]

Thanks for your posts. As a newcomer to allotmenteering, it's all a bit baffling and the idea of making the paths instead of the beds seems easier and cheaper.

Will the presence of the pavers increase the pH of the soil?

[Larkspur]

I wouldn't have thought paviers would degrade enough to have any effect on the PH.