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Lining garden bed #741406

Asked March 29, 2021, 2:11 PM EDT

Hello, I am building raised garden beds and it was recently suggested to me to line it with ice and water protector so that the beds will last longer. Is this safe for a vegetable garden including roots vegetables? Thank you!

Washtenaw County Michigan

Expert Response

To clarify, here's the type of material I'm referring to (used for roofing):

https://www.iko.com/na/learning-center/roofing-101/what-is-an-ice-and-water-protector/

The Question Asker Replied March 29, 2021, 2:18 PM EDT

There are several options for raised garden beds. Older wood preservers such as creosote, penta, or CCA were a problem being use in raised beds. Today wood is usually preserved with ACQ (Alkaline copper quaternary) and is generally safe for using to build garden beds. The link you added says the product uses bitumen. I believe this is a type of asphalt roofing product. If so, it would likely contain various chemicals that would cause a similar problem to the old wood preservatives. If you wish, a plastic liner (like a pond liner) can be used to cover the edges of the raised beds. However, be careful not to cover the bottom and stop good drainage through your soil. Good drainage is important to stop root rot of your plants. For further protection of root vegetables, plant other crops along the outside and plant the root crops further away from the edges of the raised bed. There is a lot of research on this topic and here are a few bulletins if you want more information or ideas for materials for raised beds.

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/materials-building-raised-beds

https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1027-5&title=Raised%20Bed%20Materials

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/treated-wood-in-the-landscape/

Thank you for your question! Replied April 01, 2021, 5:09 PM EDT

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