A smart way to re-use an old spare tire is to use it in the garden. It's better than keeping it stuck forever in the garage, right? So, we made individual plots for lemons from a pile of old tires. It was filled with healthy soil and we placed bamboo sticks around it so the free range chickens won't be able to reach the plant and feed on its leaves or fruit.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Old tire gardening again, not getting much feedback yet. I thought of using a pool liner, but after looking up PVC, which I think it's made of I decided the rubber might be safer. But I just might do heavy aluminum foil. It is not very tough, but you don't have to touch it after placing. I don't do any cooking in it, but what's wrong with it as a liner? I've got 23 lovely planters set up and hidden with some pretty fancy stone wall, I need to get them planted soon! Please help.
By ray from Mayer, AZ
This is from vegetablegardeningonline.com
Using Tires as Raised Garden Beds?
by Margaret
(Ireland)
Can old rubber tires be used as raised beds for vegetable gardening? If so what sort of preparation would they need...cleaning, or lining? I like to recycle where possible and I have access to quite a lot of tires.
ANSWER:
Yes, many a gardener has successfully used old tires for vegetable gardening.
If the tires are dirty, you can clean them with soap and water. You do not need to line them.
Tires filled with straw are an especially great way to grow potatoes! You put a thin layer of straw on the ground, then lay the seed potatoes on the straw. Cover them with a layer of straw. As the plants begin to grow, add layers of straw half-way up the foliage until you reach the top of the tire with the straw.
This is from website backwoodshome.com
Tires for gardening
To the Editor:
I read in the article, Garden Spaces For Small Places, By Dorothy Ainsworth, about making used tires into small beds for vegetables or flowers.
The only problem is that mulch made from shredded tires leaches chemicals into the soil. A study in an organic gardening magazine mentioned zinc in particular, and suggested that other heavy metals might also be found in quantity.
It would seem to me, that the only difference between tires, and mulch from tires, is the increase in surface area. Shredded tires would leach faster than whole ones. Still, how much faster? Better safe than sorry.
Thank you for your time,
Ben Homer
I googled: "Are tires safe for gardening?" and found mostly positive answers and why.
Shredded tires for mulch do tremendously more surface area for leaching, so I would not recommend that, but whole tires are chemically stable. They have been run at high speeds and the inner surface has oxidized so the surface molecules have formed a seal.
I personally am not worried at all, especially for short term use, but to assuage any trepidation, simply google the same question I googled and read the answers. Many of the answers are from scientists and they aren't worried either about the use of whole tires.
The main culprit
would be zinc but in whole tires it doesn't leach out fast enough to do any harm according to most of the reports I read. One report said the plant will only take up what zinc it needs and that's it. Our bodies use zinc, so it's not like a toxic poison, unless we overdose, but that goes for any vitamin or mineral.
True, it IS better to be safe than sorry, and Ben Homer's question was a good one, but by doing some extra research I still feel secure in using tires for gardening. But after reading all the reports yourself, you are free to draw your own conclusions and make your own informed decision "to use or not to use" tires.
Dorothy Ainsworth
Hope these two articles help you. You might look up the article online, Garden Spaces For Small Places, By Dorothy Ainsworth
I use old tires for planters. Before placing dirt in them, I cover the ground in the inside with cardboard then add the dirt. An old tractor tire work perfect for planting potatoes and onions. Just lift the tire in the Fall and the potatoes fall out. I am concerned however after reading a comment about chemicals leaching out of the tire.
we stack 3 tires and fill with good sandy soil and plant potatoes,carrot,onions, and radishes,onions and radishes you only have to do 2 or mabie one depending on the width of the tire,one for radishes r fine,but at least a wide tire for onions,you will be amazed at your results ,and this is great for people with a bad back that wants to garden, they even look pretty with flowers and herbs growing in them,i use miracle grow every day,just a few drops so as not to over do it
I am looking for some 235/75/R15 tires. Does anyone know where I can get some?
My local mechanic will often sell tires cheap as long as they are going to be used for garden items.
Check with all of your friends and family also...I am sure someone has them lurking in their garage.
The other thing is check just about any hillside that people in your town use as an illegal dump. I just saw tires on the one near my house (which infuriates me). It is too steep for me to try to clean it off...so I am hoping our local authorities can get to it before it starts to draw critters who make the tires their home.
I would go to an auto body shop. Sometimes cars that are totaled have tires you could use.
You could check on Craigslist for free or cheap used tires. Also if you know someone getting new tires/changing their tires out ask if you can take the tires out of their hands because if the stores take them they are charged a recycling tire fee. :)
This is a page about growing potatoes in tires. Tires make great potato planters. As the plants grow, you can easily keep adding tires to build a potato tower.
Old tires have long been used for planting both vegetables and flowers. There is more recent controversy about using them to create raised beds for food, but they can safely be used for flowers. This is a page about using tires for raised beds.
This is a page about making a recycled tire desert garden. Recycled tires, painted or unpainted, can be used to make a garden decoration to contain your plants or shrubs.
Old tires have been used for years to make inexpensive and creative planters. This is a page about making tire planters.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I have a few tires set up as retaining wall, and want to plant in them. Could I line them with black plastic (can't find the # for it ) or how about old pool liner?
How safe is it to use old tires as a raised garden? I know I can do flowers but just wondered about a small garden. Thanks for your help.
