Garden-Safe Wood Stain/Preservative

I visited the local lumber mill and placed an order for the wood I'll need for my SFG boxes. I'm getting hemlock. It's going to cost me 200 bucks for everything I need cut to size. It's not just simple rectangle-shaped boxes. I'm building these onto a slope. It also includes wooden wooden stakes every few feet to keep the boxes from sliding down the hill. It also includes delivery. I am super happy about the price.

Anyway......

Is there a garden-safe wood stain/preservative that I can use? Color doesn't matter too much to me but they might look cool if they were stained maybe a reddish color or something.

thanks for asking this, i am curious as well, as I have some leftover siding that has been painted on one side only, and wonder if I could use it for more square feet.

if ya look at my avitar you can see i stained my tt's it was just some old red oak stain i found on a shelf in the basement i just did the sides not the top edge or insides.

boog

So I can just use standard wood stain?

Most stains are not garden safe. I don't think I've run across a colored option at all. The only preservative that I know is safe to use on the wood in a raised bed is linseed oil(not boiled linseed).

I actually just found a soy-based wood stain that's garden safe but I'm not going to order it. Maybe if it was something I can get in a local store, I'd consider it.
Not only that but I'll be running my lawn mower and weedeater along the boxes so they'd get all boogered up anyway.

Soy-based wood stain....

http://www.soyclean.biz/household_products/soyguard-stain-walnut.html

I was going to suggest linseed oil as well. My dad uses it all the time to finish his wood projects meant to be used in the kitchen (cutting boards, bowls, spoons, etc.) However, according to him (and he has done lots of research because he sells his stuff), all clear finishes are non-toxic once they're dry. He still uses mainly oil in stuff like cutting boards that will be nicked up a lot because oil wears better, but even dry chips of a clear finish (this rule does NOT apply to paint) will not hurt you if ingested.

Honestly, though, I don't think any clear coat would hold up that well outside except for maybe a deck type finish, but even those have to be redone every so often. If it were me, I'd rub a few coats of the oil on, letting them soak in and dry between coats and leave it at that. Oil gives a nice, slightly darker finish, and it would look good as well as give your wood a small measure of protection. Linseed oil isn't very expensive, either and can be found at any hardware/paint store.

I'm not too concerned about the hemlock boards I'm getting for my beds because hemlock is rot/weather resistant. I was thinking that maybe I could dress the beds up a little.

With that being said, I'll be running my lawn mover and weedeater right along the beds and they would probably get scratched up in no time.