tire Garden

[Lazy]

Hi
We have been using tires that were used on stock cars as planters to grow vegetables in; we cut one side out and fill with amended soil. We have about 10 in use now and have another 10 to add to the garden this year. We find it’s easier to control weeds and easier to plant the seeds or plants. And it’s easier to harvest the produce. Now my question is. what do you think about using the tire and if the tire materials used to manufacture the tire could have any affect on the food?

 

[PineRidge]

<font color="blue"> We have been using tires that were used on stock cars as planters to grow vegetables in; we cut one side out and fill with amended soil. We have about 10 in use now and have another 10 to add to the garden this year. We find it’s easier to control weeds and easier to plant the seeds or plants. And it’s easier to harvest the produce. Now my question is. what do you think about using the tire and if the tire materials used to manufacture the tire could have any affect on the food?
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Lazy my thoughts would be that since tires are not biodegradable that they should pose no health danger because of your using them as a planter of sorts. As long as they are relatively clean when you put them to use for the first time.

Probably my biggest concern might be that after a lot of use, you might start to feel a little tired moving them around the garden. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Junkman]

If you drive some nails into them you might improve the iron content of the vegetables, but you might find them a little flat tasting... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The carrots might be a little rubbery. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif The leeks should do well. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Just tread lightly. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif Just don't air any dirty laundry near them. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[mathey]

funny that... I'd never heard of this before until Saturday...Paul James talked about them on his HGTV show "Gardening by the Yard"...unfortunately I really didn't listen too well...nonetheless, what a great idea!

UPDATE: here's a link to the episode guide... LINK

 

[PineRidge]

We don't plant a lot of potatoes but once in a while we like some of the smaller varieties for cooking purposes like Fingerlings. There is also no match for a fresh harvested potato. We use several plastic tubs like you buy at WalMart to cool pop in on your deck. We drilled some holes in the bottom for drainage quarter fill them with a mixture of dirt/compost and plant potatoes in them. As the potatoes start to come up in the containers we keep adding more dirt/compost to keep them covered. This process continues until the tub is filled with dirt/compost. When it's time to harvest the potatoes you simply turn the whole tub upside down. No damaged potatoes, and none are lost in the garden because you couldn't find them. Works every time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Chuck52]

A local market gardener has a huge array of tires he uses for his asparagus bed. Late in the summer it looked like a fern jungle, so I assume he got very good yield from it.

Chuck