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raised vegetable bed #745370

Asked April 20, 2021, 3:47 PM EDT

I built a raised vegetable bed and used treated plywood for the bed/base---should that be covered with some type of material to prevent leaching into the soil?---and if so what material is best? Should I drill some drainage holes in the base?---Thanks

Oceana County Michigan

Expert Response

Yes, your raised bed should have good drainage. Your plywood is likely ok, but it would depend on how it was treated. Modern treated wood is usually considered safe. Here are some bulletins that give a good explanation on the subject.

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/smallfarms/toxicity-concerns-about-raised-bed-construction-materials

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/treated-wood-in-the-landscape/

https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1027-5&title=Raised%20Bed%20Materials#Natural

Thank you for your question! Replied April 20, 2021, 10:24 PM EDT

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