Mark, I think Ray's advice about a soil test is a good one. Please
do let us know if you do it.
I took a few minutes to look on the web to see just how bad arsenic
in the soil really is. I guess it can be pretty bad.
On the other hand, small traces are not so bad. I found this
interesting paragraph on a web site:

"Despite all the adverse health effects associated with inorganic
arsenic exposure, there is some evidence that the small amounts of
arsenic in the normal diet (10-50 ppb) may be beneficial to your
health. For example, animals fed a diet with unusually low
concentrations of arsenic did not gain weight normally. They also
became pregnant less frequently than animals fed a diet containing a
normal amount of arsenic. Further, the offspring from these animals
tended to be smaller than normal, and some died at an early age.
However, no cases of arsenic deficiency in humans have ever been
reported."

Steve



Mark Thompson wrote:
Last year I followed a header that dealt with treated wood being used in
raised gardens. I became quite concerned when it was mentioned that
arsenic could leach out into the soil from treated lumber.

I've just replaced all my raised garden lumber with 'trek' lumber - a
plastic/wood product. I'm still very concerned about the arsenic problem
though.

Will the arsenic leech out of the soil eventually or should I replace the
soil around the raised lumber? I'm hoping to plant root vegetables next to
the raised lumber....but I'm thinking that arsenic remains in the soil.

The treated lumber was in place for three years...

Does anybody have any advice, experience about this problem?

ANY comments would be very much appreciated. I'm a 'little' worried right
now as Spring-time planting is beginning here around Vancouver -

Thanks in advance..

Mark Thompson