Treated Pine for Vegetable Garden

[patty]

After advice I am building some raised garden beds out of H4 treated pine in one section I am planning putting in a Vegie Patch someone told me you should not use treated pine for Vegie gardens as the chemicals in the pine eventually leech into the soil and are absorbed by the plants is this true or BS I have seen thousands of gardens and vegie patches made using these any thoughts

[glock40sw]

G'day.

Have a read of the other threads on treated timber...


It is a big furphy. Use the treated pine and don't worry.

[Honorary Bloke]

is this true or BS

What Glock said. It's BS. Go for it.

[bugsy]

i wouldnt be too hasty to disregard treated pine as being safe.
Treated pine play equipment and seats are now being taken out of school and has been under review for a couple of years now.

If these bits of wood are going to be wet all the time then i would think of using something else

[JackoH]

That's 'cause the little kids tend to eat stuff like that, or at least have direct contact with it bugsy.

[fenderbelly]

IMO if the vegies are just for you then it's only your health you have to worry about but if you have kids i would seriously think twice about using treated pine in the vegie garden.

[Mcblurter]

Hi Patty
I have used treated pine but painted it with a water based bitumen. My main concern was my two young boys playing on it and touching it then putting their hands in their mouth. I have read a lot on treated pine and the more I read the less concerned I was, but have played it safe with the bitumen.
Cheers
McBlurter

[echnidna]

i wouldnt be too hasty to disregard treated pine as being safe.
Treated pine play equipment and seats are now being taken out of school and has been under review for a couple of years now.

Another urban myth gone mad.
CSIRO reports state there is neglible risk from treated pine in playgrounds.

[Geoff Dean]

I've used treated pine around my vege gardens for the last 7 years, All veges have grown exceptionally well.

Apart from the extra arm that has started growing from the middle of my back, there appears to be no side effects.

[bugsy]

Another urban myth gone mad.
CSIRO reports state there is neglible risk from treated pine in playgrounds.

imagine the backlash if any risk was identified in public school grounds?

CSIRO are government funded.

You are entitled to believe whatever you are told or read and form your own opinions.
As i am.

That's 'cause the little kids tend to eat stuff like that, or at least have direct contact with it bugsy

yes. But it also about leaching when wet.
And that is what the original topic is all about.

[SilentButDeadly]

CCA timber has been banned from new playgrounds since early 2006.....but is otherwise considered 'safe'.

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/b...ed_timber?Open

Personally, I would choose untreated hardwood sleepers....but that's just me.

Have a squiz at http://www.apvma.gov.au/chemrev/arsenic_faq.shtml about 2/3rds the way down is a specific reference to vegetable patches

[rod1949]

On "is your house killing you" last night on SBS the program was exactlly that a bloke had treated pine eveywhere... the chemicals were leaching out into his veggie garden... everything was contaminated

[Bleedin Thumb]

Even though I am firmly in the "There is nothing wrong with TP for playequipment camp", I too would use untreated hardwood for my veg garden. Isn't that the whole point of growing your own vege's - having control of what chemicals you use on them.

BTW copper is toxic to plants over a certain concentration and pH.

[HappyHammer]

Patty,

I played it safe with mine and lined it with thick black plastic stapled at the top and tucked under the pine where it touches the ground. Whether true or not this gave me some peace of mind.

HH.

[echnidna]

and some plants look for heavy metals for their nutrients (beetroot for example)