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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] raised beds made with railroad ties

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  • From: "Barbara Fischer" <cen12205@centurytel.net>
  • To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] raised beds made with railroad ties
  • Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:58:52 -0600

To each his own.....has not killed me yet and I'm 77.  I do use OLD RR ties in which I expect the treatment is minimal.
 
BArbara
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 1:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] raised beds made with railroad ties

Hi Lucile,

Railroad ties are treated with creosote, a very persistent chemical, actually a blend of chemicals that are quite toxic. See http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts85.html

Creosote does accumulate in plant tissues. I would not eat vegetables grown in a raised bed made with treated railroad ties.

Jerome

At 12:26 PM 2/15/2007, you wrote:
Question

I have access to a nice stack of old railroad ties

Is it ok to use them for raised beds?

Does the no till make a difference on this as I had heard migration of nasty
things from pressure treated wood was only a couple inches? 

And what about pressure treated wood?  I have a few areas that were built up
with landscape timbers for flowers I would like to ad some ornamental
veggies to.

Thanks

Lucile
 

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