Re: Chemicals leaching from pressure-treated lumber?

Subject:

Comments:
: : : : We're putting in a small vineyard and I've used : : : : 2"x2"x8' pressure-treated wooden posts for the vertical : : : : support stakes for the grape vines. A co-worker just : : : : mentioned the possibility of chemicals from the wood : : : : leaching into the soil, and eventually ending up in the : : : : grapes we eat or the wine we make. I hadn't thought : : : : about this. Is this a concern? Should I replace these : : : : with galvanized pipe as he recommended? : : : : Thanks in advance for any info! : : : You don't want to use the pressure treated lumber. It is treated with CCA which is chromium, copper, aresenic. It will leach into the soil for years and your grapes will take it up. Galvanized pipe is either iron or steel that is coated with zinc. The only thing I can tell you in regards to the pipe is that you don't want to weld it as it will give off a poisonous gas. : : : Why not use cedar or yellow pine which is naturally rot resistant. It would last a long time. : : : Steve grows grapes, perhaps he has a comment on this? : : I agree with Judi's comments, you do not want to use pressure treated post. Any usage of pressure treated wood is prohibited from certified organic production systems. This has stirred quite a debate amongst the organic community, specifically with grape growers. The evidence is there, treated post do indeed leach into the soil and eventially to the crop. What scares me half to death is the "treated wood manufacturers" like to talk about building raised garden beds made from treated wood! I use standard galvinized grape stakes for my vines. I've used cedar post in the past, unfortunately they only lasted for about three years before rotting at the base. The old timers up here slightly burn the bottoms of cedar post. I've pulled these old post out of the ground, loaded with the old style cut nails. These post have to be at least fifty years old! If you could find recycled or second growth redwood, heart cedar, locust, or any other decay resistant wood, go with that. Plus, I think wood post look nicer than metal! : : : Steve brings up a very scary fact. Those PT lumber manufacturers have been inundating the public with all that hype of using the treated lumber for gardening beds. I think it is terrible! There ought to be a warning posted on the PT wood products that it should not be used around any sort of food production gardens! Master gardeners here recommend it to people!!! Truly the stuff is meant for foundations.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL: