[Community_garden] Treated Wood in Raised Beds

[Dave Smead]

Margaret,

I'm not a pollution expert, just someone who has organically gardened
for a long time.

I'd suggest removing the treated lumber, but not the soil.  If you are
just now getting around to banning pesticides and herbicides then
potentially all the plots are contaminated.

The downhill plots from those with treated lumber are vulnerable but if
you have good drainage, the harmful chemical may have dissipated in
lower soil by now.

Short of having the soil tested or removed, you might turn the affected
beds into community flower beds and sell the flowers as a fund raising
activity.


David Smead
www.amplepower.com


On Tue, 8 Jul 2008, Chatfield, Margaret wrote:

> Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 12:58:36 -0400
> From: "Chatfield, Margaret" <Margaret.Chatfield at fairfaxcounty.gov>
> To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
> Subject: [Community_garden] Treated Wood in Raised Beds
> 
> We have a community garden plot program with over 650 plots distributed
> across 10 locations. At one of the sites, we have six 4 'x 8' accessible
> raised beds. These accessible plots were pulled out of service a few
> years ago, because of concerns with leaching from the treated lumber
> used in their construction. I'd really like to get these beds back in
> service. I think we're looking at a complete tear-down, but I'm hoping
> to hear of some options other than removing the wood and soil and
> rebuilding from scratch.
>
> Does anyone have suggestions on how to salvage the existing beds, or
> input on whether that's even advisable?  Has anyone dealt with this, or
> tried removing soil and lining beds made of treated wood? (These were
> originally lined with plastic, but it deteriorated in the first few
> years.)
>
> We've got very limited financial resources and will probably be
> depending on volunteer labor. And we're moving toward a program ban on
> pesticides, herbicides and treated wood in 2009, so I'd like the
> accessible beds to meet those same standards.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Meg Chatfield
> Garden Plot Coordinator
>
> Green Spring Gardens
> Fairfax County Park Authority
> 4603 Green Spring Road
> Alexandria, VA  22312
> 703/642-0128
> margaret.chatfield at fairfaxcounty.gov
> <blocked::mailto:margaret.chatfield at fairfaxcounty.gov>
>
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