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| Hi, I need some advice on what to buy.
I need to buy galvanized mesh wires or viny coated mesh wires to:
While I was shopping at Lowes last week, I found the galvanized hardware cloth with the 1/2 inch holes. But it has a warning like "Proposition xxxx The State of California warns this product contains a chemical that known to cause birth defect and cancer." This was a surprise for me since several garden books I read suggested using galvanized hardware cloth for garden use. I saw Home Depot has viny coated mesh wires with 1 inch holes that a mouse/rat may still get in. It does not have a warning on it though. Also the other galvanized mesh wires sold at Home Depot do not have any warning on them either. Are there different kinds of galvanized mesh wires? some with dangerous chemicals and some do not? Or simply some products do not list warnings? Any potential health issues with using viny coated mesh wires for vegetable garden? Any better inexpensive and organic solutions? Thank you very much! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Could you use plastic mesh instead? The link below shows it at a 2-foot width with 1/2" x 1/4" diamond shaped perforations, which might work for your fence. For a passive compost bin, you'd need something deeper of course. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Plastic Mesh
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| That health warning is there because the Zinc that is the material that makes galvanized wire can be a heatlh hazard if it gets into your soil in large quantities or you ingest a large quantity of it. What I have found over the years if that just the galvanized fabric, sometimes, fails at the welds fairly quickly. I've had that fencing, sometimes, fail in one year, while the vinyl coated lasts much longer and I have some here that is 20 years old and still together, although that is showing signs of wear. |
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- Posted by farmersteve N. AL Zone 7 (My Page) on Wed, Jul 29, 09 at 0:40
| For what it's worth, by hardware cloth looks like the day I bought it except that it is slightly bent up in places at the top edge of my bins. I have been using them for about 4 years now. Steve |
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| The neighbor has vinyl chain link fence. The vinyl is degraded, begun to crack, and fall off. This doesn't square with Kimmsr's experience, so maybe it is related to quality or manufacturer. I have 1/2"^2 mesh hardware cloth that has been in use for at least ten years if not longer. It doesn't look brand new, but is still strong and serviceable. Though, I live in a dry climate. Terran |
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- Posted by albert_135 Sunset 2 or 3 (My Page) on Thu, Jul 30, 09 at 11:39
| Many stores have vitamins with zinc in the OTC section. Zinc is often in conjunction with vitamin E. Zinc in runoff water may immobilize a 'water flea' which rainbow trout fry feed on so zinc in water in some states is a concern. When I was doing a term paper on zinc in water, in undergraduate school, most medical textbooks stated there was, back then, no know harmful affects from too much zinc. |
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| It is not just zinc that leaches from galvanized metals. Your soil pH will influence how much leaching you experience, but the concern is not for zinc, but for cadmium and lead. |
Here is a link that might be useful: What leaches from galvanized metal?
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- Posted by Tomwalked100 none (My Page) on Wed, Aug 10, 11 at 14:13
| metal rusts. both the zinc galvanization and the vinyl coating are there to help inhibit and slow down that action. but it is a temporary fix... there are problems with both systems... water, salts and acids can all help the rusting process along... ALL of which are present in a good healthy garden and compost pile. In welding we avoid zinc galvanization, because of the dangerous off gas that is created, but even that requires long term exposure and high quantities... Vinyl arguably leaches potentially dangerous chemicals over time... |
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