"SteveB" wrote:

I have decided to make some raised planting boxes

Is there a danger of the chemicals leaching out from treated lumber or
railroad ties for garden beds?

The newer preservatives used to pressure treat lumber are safe for vegetable
gardening, still don't burn it. Real RR ties are fine too so long as you
use old/used ones... virtually all that can leach into soil has long ago
leached out... you wouldn't want to pay the price of new anyway. My entire
50' X 50' garden is bordered with old 12" RR ties, cost me a dollar a linear
foot. They're suffiiciently heavy that they aren't prone to shifting,
however I still drove rebar through and joined them all with fish plate.
And set about halfway into the ground do not permit invasive weeds to
trespass (the hay in my fields is far more invasive and infinitely tougher
than your wussy Bermuda/Zoysia grass and try as it might it can't get
through, plus they make a very sturdy anchor for deer fencing.

My garden is all tilled and almost all my walkways and weedblock cloth is
back in... even began planting. My garden is designed for efficiency/ease,
not pretty. Along the left side is a small spring fed stream, I never need
to water. It actually gets to look pretty lush once it's all planted and is
growing. I don't try to plant more than I can use anymore... having a lot
of space saves a lot of labor harvesting and everything grows bigger and
better.

Lower left plot already has peas and green beans just breaking the surface:
http://i44.tinypic.com/210iphs.jpg

Romaine is in:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2mfazgw.jpg

Green cabbage, still gotta plant red:
http://i42.tinypic.com/2142rmb.jpg

Kale:
http://i43.tinypic.com/riroyp.jpg