Another raised bed question or 2.

Evening all bob flemming here,

I have recently acquired a job lot of railway sleepers (used),which i had to cut in half as they were about 10ft or so.:eek:

I plan to use them to make raised beds,would i have any problems with the oil/creasote affecting the soil at all ?and at the bottom of my new beds is it advisable to line the soil with any matting to stop weeds etc. Thank you all and good evening

 

I just want to say wow Bob those beds will look lovely look forward to the pictures :D

 

i have had no problems with the creosote/oil affecting my plants or my veg and i don't think u need to put any matting down

 

The oil will only stop you from sitting on them not affect the plants, and if the beds are deep enough there is no need for matting. Not that I know anything from experience. Thanks to the good folks on here I am halfway through my ABC of vegetable gardening book, and raring to go. As I assume you will be roughly at the same time frame as myself please post some pics so I can see if I am doing it right.

 

No problems but I always line the beds with landscape fabric just to be safe.

 

Although used sleepers have been used for a long time in gardens, I have seen it written somewhere, and I think that it was mentioned on TV, that the tar/creosote in them could get into the veg, and the stuff is carcinoma's. It might therefore be possible for it to cause cancers, through eating the food produced in the beds. I have no idea however, if the statements are meaningful.
stony

 

I would have thought leaching would be minimal, but if woried then use western railroad sleapers (heavy unntreated hardwood) expensive though.

Personally I dont like the modern pine or oak ones and the treatment used on pine ones has equal potential to leak.

 

It's the cresote that's the problem it does contain carcinogens which can cause cancer,I would use a membrane as suggested by Pro just to be on the safe side,you may want to read this article.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2003/02/13/gsleep13.xml

 

That articles from 2003 and the sleepers are still on sale. Loads of stuff is carcinogenic and things go in and out of fashion each year for being bad for u. I've got cancer running in my family so I'm prob destined to get it anyway. Just my opinion