RickCorey said:I think that railroad ties are soaked in creosote, or some even-more-toxic modern equivalent.
Landscape timber hopefully is less toxic! But it doesn't last forever.
Concrete is forever.
Ive been looking this up, and it seems the more modern equivalent is probably correct. (WHAT it is, is anyone's guess, right?)
I have read that getting used ties (read-older) are considered safe for gardening because a good deal of it has leached out. I seen one site that advised to line the inside of the ties with a heavy plastic or similar so that it doesn't have much contact with the soil in the bed and that can help. Some people swear they will poison your food and you can drop dead by merely glancing at one in your garden. Others think they are the best thing to happen to raised bed gardening. who knows, I guess it goes on the list with everything else questionable but no answers either way. One website I read said that the old creosote tends to evaporate into the air moreso than absorbing into the soil.
Concrete block would be better that is no argument. And as far as cost difference I don't think it will be much. I guess the difference really is in the labor (energy) to handle and place all the blocks. Now if you were doing a footer and mortar that would add alot of expense and labor obviously. But beings how little ol me will be the doer, none of that will be done lol But it would look waaay nicer!
