[Greenbuilding] best lumber for raised vegetable beds

[William R Bloom]

I have used cedar before, its good.  It was readily 
available in the midwest.  Here in New Mexico, you find 
primarily redwood at the home stores, considerably more 
expensive.  I have used regular dimensional lumber before. 
 Here the home stores stock douglas fir or even better, 
hemlock fir lumber.  I would consider those grades if you 
can get them over spruce-pine-fir (spf).  Southern yellow 
pine, a favorite of the treatment industry, is stout wood 
and resists the harsh pressure chemical treatment process, 
but I have found unless you have the lumber restrained, it 
ends up resembling a pigs tail after it seasons.