Railroad Ties
There are many kinds of materials you can use to build your raised vegetable garden. These include stone, rocks, cinder blocks, redwood posts, 8×10 pine, etc. However, I’ve heard of some gardeners asking about railroad ties also known as railway sleepers. I see the idea. It is a way to recycle huge pieces of wood and they are often inexpensive or even free.
The Problem With Railroad Ties
One big concern is the chemicals used to preserve the wood. These chemicals will leach into your vegetable garden’s soil. One of the major chemical components in railroad ties is creosote. Creosote is arsenic which means your vegetables might survive the poison but it will harm you. Other countries might have chemical free railway sleepers and in this case there is no concern.
Bottom line, stay away from railroad ties in all edible gardens. Why risk it? An alternative to railroad ties for your raised vegetable garden is landscape timber. This has the same dimensions but not treated with any chemicals. Caution: Be sure to ask before your purchase the landscape timber if it has been treated at all.
