skip to main content

Organic Gardening

100 year old railroad ties - safe?

16 years ago

I've got railroad ties that I just acquired that are over 100 years old. Are these safe to use in a vegetable garden?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

Kimmsr
16 years ago
These are no more of a problem, or no safer, than new railroad ties. The creosote will not leach out of these ties into your soil very far so keeping plants roots 6 inches or more from the ties is all that is needed to prevent any uptake of that stuff plants might make.
Organic gardeners should be concerned about recycling and should practice that as often as possible, but there are some things that simply should not be recycled and RR ties are one.
marylandmojo
16 years ago
loveapplefarm: Just as a point of fact, NO chemically treated wood is allowed in the production of organic or certified organic products. When your property/farm is inspected for certification, believe me, it's one of the FIRST things they look for. Thankfully, when we buy certified organic produce, we KNOW it was not grown in a bed surrounded by railroad ties or other chemically-treated wood. What is your motivation for wanting to use such material--because it's free, or cheap? If you think it through, even free material which has been injected with a known carcinogen, could be hazardhous to your (and your family's) health, and really not worth the risk. Organics is based on working with natural products. I, personally, wouldn't want that stuff anywhere on my property, whether it involved food production, or not. I have a friend who grows Kiwi Fruit in Southern California, and (because he works for the power company and gets them free) uses pieces of telephone poles for the poles in his trellis system. As much as I like Kiwi Fruit, I have to pass on the bushel of them he tries to give me each year.
Related Discussions
used railroad ties
Q
Comments (7)
Welcome to Far North forum from a fellow Albertan. Lots of information here and many knowledgeable gardeners. Your question about railroad ties! You could try Hillside greenhouses between Onoway and Calahoo. They used to advertise railroad ties but I do not know if they still carry them, but they may know where you can get them. I believe they are in the Onoway phone directory. You could also try some of the lumber yards, sometimes they also carry them. Cheers Al
...See More
Mulch, Railroad Ties and termites/water bugs/creepy-crawlies?
Q
Comments (8)
The Term-a-Rid mulch says it lasts longer than most mulch, but I didn't see any claim of a certain amount of time. It was $4.98 a bag at Wal*Mart, the same price as the cedar mulch I probably should've bought. It kills termites by use of boron, which is supposedly safe to use around pets and children. I should have mentioned that the mulched bed is against the concrete-slab *patio*, not the actual house, and the patio extends about 15 feet out from the house. That doesn't count as the "foundation" does it? Gary, I'm in Breckenridge. I've seen "water bugs" (actually Oriental Cockroaches, according to the link below) everywhere from Villanova, PA, to Abilene, TX, usually in gas station restrooms or the like. They're N-A-S-T-Y. Maybe you're in *deep* West Texas, where it's too dry for them? Or maybe you go to nicer gas stations? Seriously, they were in my dorm in PA (where I woke up with a BIG one tangled into my long hair!) and in clean, expensive houses, too, which is what scares me. These railroad ties are very old and the creosote is no longer visible on most of them. They're rotting and there are LOTS of roly-polies and other creatures. I haven't actually seen any termites; just trying to be cautious. And if I saw a centipede, I'd RUN. The more legs something has, the more creeped out I get, plus I've heard they have one heck of a sting. The creosote brings me to another question: could the chemicals which are used in the railroad ties be unsafe to use near veggies & herbs? Is creosote toxic? Barb, you're my hero--I can handle snakes, mice, etc., but to squash a grub with my bare hands--no way. (((shudder))) This girl does NOT do bugs well. In fact, this whole thread is giving me major heebie-jeebies. While I was looking through bug identification websites a few minutes ago, I thought I felt something on my arm and I almost jumped out of my skin! You're right though; the more I garden, the less freaked out I get by them. Here is a link that might be useful: Oriental Roaches, a.k.a.
...See More
Remarkable 100-year-old color photos of Russia
Q
Comments (16)
These photos are fantastic. The shots could have been made by using three cameras mounted on a common rail and carefully aligned with each other. All three cameras would be tripped at the same time by a special release cable. (Now, I'll have to go back and read how it was really done.) I am struck by the harshness of the landscapes. It is reflected in people's faces, but the colorful architecture and clothing adds flair to their lives. The railroad bridge was interesting. I noticed that the supports had ice and debris breakers built on the upstream side. That would be the angled prow with a sharp edge. Not long before these pictures were made, Russia suffered through a drought and famine. I'm not sure about the date, but I think it was in the 1890s. I have a book titles, "Letters to the President", where a grateful thank you is recorded from the Russian Ambassidor to the US thanking the US citzens for a ship load of food stock and shipment of wheat.
...See More
Railroad ties toxic?
Q
Comments (17)
I wouldn't be too quick to jump on the bandwagon that if recently purchased they are just "landscape timbers" and not railroad ties. Home Depot and other home improvement stores DO sell used railroad ties (location dependent). In fact, HD advertises theirs specifically as being creosote treated and that they bring "a piece of Americana to your landscape"!! For only $18.97 each! LOL!! Not something I would recommend......they will continue to leach creosote forever until they rot, which can be a very long time. And the leachate will be sticky and gummy, just as one would expect of creosote. And they smell in hot weather - a strong chemical aroma similar to petroleum.
...See More
username_5
16 years ago
How do you define safe? I have seen newish RR ties kill grass within 3 inches of itself, the ground was literally bare, not even weeds would grow.

I have seen older RR ties, I would guess around 20 years old, having grass grow right in the holes inside them.

There have been studies done on leeching from RR ties and kimmsr is correct that there shouldn't be any health concern with edible plants grown 6" away from them.

Marylandmojo is also correct that these wouldn't be allowed in any certified organic growing.

So, it really boils down to what you consider safe. My 2 cents is I wouldn't have any problem using the RR ties you describe, but I am not concerned about being certified organic.

Your call. I can tell you that if you have access to RR ties they work really well for raised beds as far as retaining soil and they are about the cheapest lumber you can buy assuming you are buying lumber.
jle152
11 years ago
The statement "organics is based on natural products" is not quite correct. May be it should be "non-toxic, non-carcinogenic natural products". Petroleum and tar ARE natural products, and so are a lot of poisons like strychnine...

Related Stories

MODERN HOMES Houzz Tour: 800-Year-Old Walls, Modern Interiors in Provence

By Vanessa Brunner

Old architecture and new additions mix beautifully in a luxurious renovated vacation home

KIDS’ SPACES This Designer’s Client Was Her 10-Year-Old Son

By Becky Harris

What do you give a boy with a too-babyish bedroom when he’s approaching double digits? See for yourself

SMALL SPACES Life Lessons From 10 Years of Living in 84 Square Feet

By Mitchell Parker

Dee Williams was looking for a richer life. She found it by moving into a very tiny house

GARDENING GUIDES Boxwood: Still Shape-Shifting After 350 Years

By Mary Jo Bowling

Wild or mild, the humble boxwood still brings style and order to all kinds of gardens

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD After the Quakes: New Christchurch Houses 5 Years Later

By Simon Farrell-Green

These New Zealand architects and homeowners have overcome the obstacles and created strong, stylish new homes

COLOR Color of the Year: Off-White Is On Trend for 2016

By Jennifer Ott Design

See why four paint brands have chosen a shade of white as their hot hue for the new year

COLOR How to Use Marsala, Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year

By Jennifer Ott Design

Pantone digs deep and goes earthy with its selection. Here are ways to make it work in your home

LIFE 10 Beautifully Simple Ways to Go Greener in the New Year

By Laura Gaskill

You may just find more green in your wallet along the way

DECORATING GUIDES 10 Popular Design Trends to Carry Into the New Year

By Affecting Spaces

A designer shares the looks that are likely to stay in style in 2016 and beyond

DECORATING GUIDES Celebrate Spring All Year With Florals in the Kitchen

By Lara Sargent

Bring in the beauty of spring and summer color with a flourish of blooms on your kitchen backsplash, curtains, wallpaper and more

Sponsored

SURROUNDS Landscape Architecture + Construction

10 Reviews

DC Area's High-End Custom Landscape Design/Build Firm 9x Best of Houzz

More Discussions

Organics in containers: so many questions!

11

Organic/Safe-for-Wildlife lawn food or fertiliser advice, please?

6

How to manage a raised bed when it rains excessively

25

help finding right organic sweet Corn seeds in Canada

10

Is this topic dead?

8