Question from Gary
Hello! We’re planning to start an organic garden using raised boxes (the “Square Foot Gardening” method), and we’re unsure what the best material would be.
There seems to be some question about the safety of cedar around food, and most wood available untreated, such as pine, would be susceptible to unhealthy mold growth. Recycled plastic “lumber” claims to be nontoxic, but is it really safe for a box that will be in contact with the moist soil that food plants are growing in, or will it leach into the soil?
And would something like an AFM sealant be both a barrier between the soil and the box material (preventing leaching of the plastic into the soil, or mold-promoting moisture entry into the wood), and safe for contact with food-garden soil itself? Thanks for any information you can provide.
Debra’s Answer
I’m not sure where you read that cedar is not safe around food. Cedar planks have been used traditionally by Native Americans for imparting flavor to cooked fish and they are widely sold nowadays for this purpose (type “cedar salmon” in any search engine for more information).
In California, we made our garden boxes out of redwood, which is impervious to rot and insects, but now that we are in Florida, I am aware that redwood is not available everywhere.
Personally, I wouldn’t use recycled plastic lumber for this purpose. I just wouldn’t be sure it wasn’t leaching.
And I don’t think that AFM products are designed to withstand weather.
I would probably ask at your local organic garden center what the best wood to use would be for your location.
Readers, any suggestions?
