Grow Your Own Magazine

In last month's GYO there was a question about arsenic leaching from tanalised timber into raised beds. I want to install raised beds and have done lots of research into this - I have been told that timber treated with Tanalith (which most people treat timber with now), does not have arsenic in it!

Even HDRA Ryton is not flagging up a problem

Anyone else know anything about this? The answer in GYO seems to imply that the only way you can do raised beds safely is with Linkaboard (v. expensive!).

I raised this question a few weeks ago and was told (think it was Pigletwillie) that the constituent mix of what ever they use to tanalise changed about 10 years ago and is now fine. My concern is that we built our raised beds almost that long ago and could have had old stock wood which could mean that it contains the nasties. The GYO article seemed to indicate that I could dig out the soil and line the wood rather than rebuild but this would be quite a major activity as they are deep beds so I'm not too sure what to do although will be planting further away from the edges this summer.

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Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

I hope you are right, cos it's a nuisance having to plant away from the edges or line them, and also I am always conscious of trying to be organic, (even if I don't always succeed!) and not eating the rubbish that commercial growers liberally spray all over their food!!!

I am thinking of buying timber from a local merchants who uses Tanalith.

i used treated wood for my raised beds and lined them with plastic sheet , this was not done because of what was put on the wood but to keep the soil and wood seperate so it does not rot .

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---) CARL (----
ILFRACOMBE
NORTH DEVON

a seed planted today makes a meal tomorrow!

www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf

now in blog form ! UPDATED 01 / 04 / 08

What sort of plastic? Doesn't it go brittle? Sounds like a good idea, but would like to know how long it would last.

the plastic is just general building clear plastic ( thick stuff) and its not uv stabilized but it doesn't have to been as only 4" will be seen at the top of the bed .
is it brittle or how lomg it lasts no idea they have only been in 3 months so no time scale to go by.

__________________
---) CARL (----
ILFRACOMBE
NORTH DEVON

a seed planted today makes a meal tomorrow!

www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf

now in blog form ! UPDATED 01 / 04 / 08

The main nasties in the old tanalised timber were copper and Arsenic.

Whilst you can get it leach out over time, the amounts are very limited. Most of the arsenic gets released if it is burnt which is why you should never burn it in an open fire or use off cuts as kindling.

I would be more concerned about creosote and such things.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated lots - Sunday 28th at 1640hrs