If you just found out that your raised garden bed was made with arsenic treated wood if rebuilding is not an option know that plants will not absorb arsenic when they have enough phosphorous.
Treated lumber for raised garden.
Plants normally don t absorb arsenic unless the soil has a phosphorus deficiency more info here.
If you already have raised beds made of treated wood you needn t panic.
Certain woods such as cedar black locust redwood and cypress are naturally less prone to rot due to the oils in the wood.
Yes you can use pressure treated lumber for your raised garden beds homeowners ask if it is safe to use treated lumber for garden vegetable beds.
If you want to grow the healthiest best organic food possible it s probably not a good idea to use any kind of pressure treated lumber.
While there is scientific consensus that it is safe to use for garden beds the information below explains what chemicals are used in viance ground contact treated wood for residential use and the results of numerous scientific studies.
In 2003 the environmental protection agency epa banned the use of lumber with added chromate copper arsenate cca due to the copper and arsenic content.
There are several different alternatives to using pressure treated lumber to build raised beds.
Homeowners ask if it is safe to use treated lumber for garden beds.
Some have the same look and others are a different approach altogether.