Hey all,

Any input on the use of treated lumber (Arsenic impregnated) used as stakes
in the garden? I'm using some 2X2's to support the fencing of my peas, and
have used it in the past to stake my tomatoes (until I learned that cages
are the ultimate way to grow them). My question is:

If the As leaches out into the soil, will it break down before being taken
up by the plants?

Thanks,

Scott

Never mind....I've done some research and answered my own question. Check
out the following:

http://mailman.cloudnet.com/pipermai...ay/002866.html


Looks like it isn't a good idea after all....should've known better!

Scott


"Nonya" wrote in message
...
Hey all,

Any input on the use of treated lumber (Arsenic impregnated) used as
stakes
in the garden? I'm using some 2X2's to support the fencing of my peas, and
have used it in the past to stake my tomatoes (until I learned that cages
are the ultimate way to grow them). My question is:

If the As leaches out into the soil, will it break down before being taken
up by the plants?

Thanks,

Scott

Scott,

I see that you've already figured out the answer about using treated wood
for stakes, but I'd like to address the "staked vs. caged" tomatoes -- I
use stakes for growing indeterminate tomatoes (my preferred type), pinching
back suckers to encourage one straight stem (unless the fruit seem to need a
little shade, so I leave some suckers on). I'll use cages (if I ever
remember to buy any on my near-daily trip to Lowe's....) for the Roma paste
tomato plants I bought (because I could not easily find indeterminate paste
tomato plants).

[For the record, I realize that there are all sorts of tomato varieties
available to me -- it's just another one of those years! I'm up to my ass
in unopened seed packets & unused APS seed starter kits -- and I hope to
deal with them next year; I have officially decreed that 2004 will be a
surgery-free year for the Lurie household ]

Anne Lurie
NE Raleigh



"Nonya" wrote in message
...
Hey all,

Any input on the use of treated lumber (Arsenic impregnated) used as
stakes
in the garden? I'm using some 2X2's to support the fencing of my peas, and
have used it in the past to stake my tomatoes (until I learned that cages
are the ultimate way to grow them). My question is:

If the As leaches out into the soil, will it break down before being taken
up by the plants?

Thanks,

Scott