Bill wrote:
In article ,
Jolyn wrote:

I have recently spent a great deal of money setting up raised beds to
allow me to begin growing my own vegetables, something I have always
wanted to do but never had the chance. However, having got everything
ready including seeds etc I have been told that I cannot use the beds
because there are old Railway sleepers below them, which have very
likely seeped oil and other nasties into the ground.

Potential creosote issue. A human carcinogen. Get an on site
opinion.

Agreed, you need some real data not a guess.


Obviously I don't want to end up growing veg that will make us sick,
so I need to know if this really does mean that these beds are only
good for flowers etc or whether I have any chance of growing veg
safely there?

Flowers sound reasonable alternative in not suitable for food crops..

(I bought the house with the sleepers in place so they have been
there for anything from 5 to 10 years.)


There may not be enough of anything left to do any harm but you don't know.
Get somebody who can determine this.

David