TIL some community gardens are using treated railroad ties and that's a problem

I visited the community garden down on Elm Street last Saturday to see about getting a plot. Right away I noticed the raised beds were framed with old railroad ties, which are drenched in creosote. That stuff leaches into the soil over time, especially after a good rain. A master gardener I know warned me that creosote can stunt plant growth and even get into your veggies. Has anyone else seen this at their local garden plots?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlesj463d ago

Railroad ties in a food garden are a bad idea. Creosote is some nasty stuff and it doesn't just wash away. I'd skip that plot and find one that uses plain untreated wood.

west.alice3d ago

Wait, has anyone actually tested their soil after using railroad ties? I remember my neighbor, @charlesj46, tried growing tomatoes in a raised bed lined with old ties and his plants looked stunted and sad all season. He ended up pulling everything out and starting over with cedar planks. The worst part was when he dug out the soil, it had this weird oily smell and the worms were all gone. Honestly, I'd be more worried about what's already in the ground than what I'm adding to it at this point.

richard_hall3d ago

Skip that plot entirely. The soil is probably contaminated from years of creosote leaching into the ground. Better to build a new raised bed with untreated lumber and fresh soil.