I'm new to gardening and recently went to Home Depot to make a raised bed. Unfortunately, they were out of cedar and sold me some pressure treated wood instead. After I got home, I found out that using pressure treated wood might be a bad idea for a garden bed. Can I still use this wood, or should I find a different option?
3 Answers
Don't worry too much about it! The pressure treated wood available these days is perfectly safe for garden beds. Just avoid using wood that's older than about 15 years, since it might have harmful chemicals.
I personally wouldn't advise growing food directly in pressure treated wood. It might be safer to line the inside with plastic to prevent any chemicals from leaching into your soil.
You're good! The concerns about chemicals like chromium and arsenic are based on older pressure treated wood. Nowadays, they use pure copper, which is safe.
I read that lining with plastic is a common method. Does it really help keep things safe?