Treated wood...

[LaurieG]

I'm breaking ground on our garden today. Never had any success at half hearted garening attempts in the past so I'm turning to you all to hopefully help guide me to better results.

First question I have is on location - the site we have chosen has good sun, which is why we chose it. But it is bordered on one side by old railroad ties and it just occurred to me today as I was clearing away the vines that are growing there that there could be arsenic in the soil from the treated wood. The railroad ties are probably 15 years old I would guess. Can I test the soil, and if there is arsenic is there anything I can do about it? Thoughts?

[tankgirl73]

I'd like to know the same thing. I've got flower boxes around our house, (which were already there when we bought the house) some of which are empty right now and I'd like to put food in some of them... even just something like strawberries. But I've heard the same thing about railroad ties and I don't know how I could test the soil.

I also don't know how to tell if they are real rail ties, or decorative ones. I LOVE the look of them... I just wish I knew if I could put edibles in there to grow or not!

[ShwarmaQueen]

Hmmm I suppose you could dig up a couple of feet and replace the soil, but that would really be a pain...

I have treated wood for my border so I'm wondering about the chemicals too.

[LaurieG]

Okay, so I got a tip on the "what are you up to thread" to call the local county extension office about soil testing, which I did. There's a lab in town that will test for ph, organic matter, etc and also for heavy metals. It is $25 per heavy metal so I don't want to go extreme but I'm wondering which ones I really should test for. Obviously arsenic is at the top of my list. How important is it to know about the others (lead, nickel, chromium, and one other I forgot to write down) before you start gardening?

[Isaac'sMa]

lead is important. I would def. pay the $25 for that test.

Some soils naturally have more of certain elements depending on what area of the country you are in and what was on the land (if anything) before you were there. I would ask at the local Co. Extension office and see what they recommend and/or which tests usually come back with high levels in your area.