Many people believe that wooden raised beds where organic because they are made of wood; a natural material. So did I until I did a little research and found out that many wood materials that are used to construct a raised flower or vegetable garden are treated with chemicals to help them last longer in an outdoor environment. One of those chemicals just happens to be arsenic, and if used in a vegetable garden could seep into the soil and eventually into your home grown vegetables!

For this reason, I bought an organic raised bed made of cedar. Cedar and redwood are both very good natural woods for outdoor use and construction. That’s why you see so many fences and wooden outdoor furniture made of these types of wood. They both have a natural barrier since many insects hate the way they smell and repel water. These two characteristics make cedar and redwood perfect to use for an organic bed. However, redwood is out of most people’s budget while cedar is very affordable. I have been extremely pleased with the results and have ordered two more for this year to expand my garden.