A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 pressure-treated wood fence

I was wondering if it's safe to plant vegies next to my fence which has pressure-treated (containing arsenic?) poles? The fence is 2 years old, and I was planning on also trellising peas and beans along the fence-is this ok to do? Thank you!

I know treated woods put toxins into the soil, but I don't know for how long the process lasts. Wish I could help.

I know treated woods put toxins into the soil, but I don't know for how long the process lasts. Wish I could help.

I know treated woods put toxins into the soil, but I don't know for how long the process lasts. Wish I could help.

I don't think it's a good idea to garden near pressure treated lumber. You can pick up measurable traces of arsenic just by laying your hand on it, so I'm sure vegetables trellised on treated lumber would also be able to pick up the toxins. (arsenic isn't even the worst of the toxins in pressure treated wood, just the one most people have heard of).

Rains will also leach the toxins out of the fence and into the ground, so vegetables planted near the fence will pick up toxins even though not in direct contact with the fence.

OOOOOOO-I'm heartbroken!!!! :p My entire yard is fenced in with pressure-treated posts. How far away do you recommend staying from the fence? I might not be able to have vegies until the kids are bigger and need less room to run & play Near the house isn't any good either cuz they treated for termites before we bought the house 5 years ago. How long does that residue remain? I guess the biggest question is how far away I should stay. Oooo-I'm so upset!

Why not build a raised vege garden beside the fence? Then it won't affect it. Box it in with some timber or bricks or whatever. Even bales of straw works. There's a way. Just think about it.

Here's a bit of info on the subject

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/greenline/99v4/gl9904.02.html

Wow Longy! Thank you so much! That was a great, highly informative article! I guess I'll plant 2 feet out from the fence (further than they recommended, just to be safe, but not too far to significantly cut into my space-I'll lose just a couple of plants.) And I'll build the area up a bit, too. Hopefully, I may be able to start today-it's only 9:15am and it's already 48 degrees. Wish me luck!

Good article Longy! Thanks

when applying for my organic certification, they mentioned that for treated fences, it has to be 4 years to be considered safe. darn hey? why do they have to treat them soo badly?

dont know if it is fesible, but i like the raised bed idea. dont fret too much though, it could be worse!

hey, heres a thought...i think that corn may be one of those plants whom are such a heavy feeder that it actually draws up any impurities in the soil. maybe you could plant a couple rows of ortamental corn, and have them clean it up, and create some sort of buffer for you. and since it is ornamental, you wont be eating it.

after chernobal, they used hemp in those feilds for the same purpose, because it also 'cleans the soil'. just a thought... good luck, and in a couple more years, you will be able to grow peas along that fence...maybe

Great advice for anyone with this problem.

As an organic gardener I have a really BIG problem with those chemicals.

And as a mother,the thought of all those playsets made out of that lumber.

Gaaack... duckie