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wood for raised beds

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rdak:
Need to make some raised beds for veg in my garden. Was going to use fence gravel boards until I read that pressure treated wood can leach nasties (including arsenic) into the soil. Has anyone tried using wood outside that hasn't been pressure treated i.e. just plain rough timber? Wonder how long it would last?

Any other ideas for what to use are welcome. Thought about bricks on their side, but I want at least 1 foot depth. Has to look quite nice as it's in the garden.

Doris_Pinks:
Eeeek Rdak, guess what I have just used!  :'(   Now I am in a quandry!

rdak:
DP, I wouldn't worry too much. I have already used gravel boards before for veg beds..although haven't tried eating the veg yet!

Have a look on Google Groups under the newsgroup uk.rec.gardening. Some people are very anti using pressure treated wood in veg beds, others say that the amount leached would be minimal.
I'm not about to dismantle my existing one, but reading the threads on there has convinced me that any new ones won't be made from them.

anyway..risks are all relative. It's probably more risky to your health to drive a car every day!

Doris_Pinks:
Well Rdak if you and I grow a new heads outta our backs, or turn barnsley blue maybe we have to replace our original ones!! ;)

Ceri:
In my garden I use scaffold boards stained blue with environmentally friendly stuff - in the lottie I use them unstained.  Have also used scraps of untreated grooved boards like decking boards two high for small 80 cm x 80 cm herb beds - they look really nice with the grooves facing outwards and not like rough timber.

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