Planting in Tires

[Stone_Family3]

So I'm trying to find a use for used tires. I know you can use them as planters for flowers but what about veggies and fruits? Are there chemicals that can leach into the plant or any problems I should be concerned about?

 

[Randy]

I don't know where you are, but I am in western Oregon and I use tires to plant my tomatoes in. I just lay the tire around the plant though and don't fill it with dirt. The tire absorbs heat during the day and radiates the heat back as the night starts to cool things off. It gives me a little edge on being able to get ripe tomatoes before our frost date.

 

[Stone_Family3]

I'm in ohio and I was thinking of using them because our soil is mostly clay so I figured instead of tilling everything Up and can dig up the turf and toss it in the composter then put the tire down and fill in around with good soil for the plants.

 

[Bernie]

Hi Stone I've never planted in tires so I can't comment. If your soil is bad you should look into lasagna gardening. If you do a search you’ll find a thread about it here. It’s the only way I can plant in my soil. It’s a very easy way of making a new bed.
BTW Welcome to GF. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it here.

 

[sunflower3]

they work great for me. I put my mint, spearmint and cho.mint each in one tire and they can't run all over the place on me. LOve them. here's the site we used to make ours.http://www.wuvie.net/tireplanter.htm

 

[Kya D]

Hi There I would have to go along with Randy, we plant the tomato and put the tire around them for protection and heat

 

[Spider_Lily]

My Dad made planter's out of them.He took them to a tire center and they would turn them inside out for him.They would make a bowl shape.Then he took his little jigsaw and cut the top in scallop design's and paint them.He sold several of these everyone want them.They last forever.

 

[Stone_Family3]

Thanks everyone. We live near a race track and they are always throwing away (illegally) tires so they are really easy to pick up.

 

[Dor]

Hello and welcome Stone Family. I have clay soil so I do a little lasagna gardening and use lots of raised veggie gardening to get around the clay.

 

[swindy]

When I lived in Or. I planted tomatoes in tires and they went nuts. That was more then 20 years ago and I don't have another eye in the middle of my forehead and the tomatoes were great.

 

[Blueaussi]

Oh, sunflower3, that's a great idea on that webs site! I bet I could get one of the tire places in Camden to help out so we could sell some at Historic Camden as a fund raiser.

 

[sunflower3]

glad you like it, we used it for doing our tires, I planted my mint, spearmint and cho. mint in seperate tires to keep it under control.

 

[veggiemom]

I know plenty of people who grow veggies or flowers in old tires, and as far as I know the rubber of the tire will just make the soil in the tire warmer. As mentioned the tires hold in heat over night, but just be aware that if it gets to hot that can be bad for whatever plants are growing on sunny hot days.

Just make sure the soil is moist and tires will help out just about any plant. I grow tomatoes myself in tires and on nights where the temperature drops a bit compared to the day time temperature, I think the tires holding in heat helps to really stabilize the micro climate around my tomatoes

 

[Stone_Family3]

I asked a question on the CL garden forum about what herbs I can grow now, I mentioned I was planting in tires. I got a few helpful people and one person who insisted I was killing myself by planting in a tire....lol. He assumed because I was planting an edible plant that I was going to consume it. He also could only prove his case with rubber mulch. So I emailed a Proffessor and was told rubber mulch is entirely different then planting in tires. All the studies about rubber mulch are from how once the tires are chopped up they then can leach chemicals into the ground, however an intact tire should pose any risk. If contamination did occur it could take years upon years.

When I mentioned that the guy got all mad and went off on a tangent. LOL some people.

I should have just asked here and saved myself some grief.

 

[Blueaussi]

What's the CL gardening group?


I'm always amazed at how huffy people get when you produce actual science that debunks their claims.

 

[Stone_Family3]

Craigslist has a forums section. You can sign into it and pick whatever catergory you'd like. I went into the garden section to ask questions to others in ohio it didn't work out so welll....lol.

Here is the link to the conversation http://sfbay.craigslist.org/forums/?ID=133427603

The question was posted in the Columbus Ohio part but people from anywhere can answer.

 

[Kale]

StoneFamily3,
I use tires. Only I do not grow veggies but do grow herbs.
Many years ago I tried. I started to grow a tom plant but she needed more room so instead of composting her I planted her in the ground and she took off! I will add that I inserted a burlap bag.
I now use my tires for Roses! With chive to sit next to them. Never thought to harvest from them; I have many everywhere.
Yes, some people just love to bring grief can’t help themselves.

Kale

 

[SandiB]

I have known some folks who plant potatoes in tires (adding soil each tire high) & when its time to harvest they just take tires off..no digging needed. I just may try this myself.

 

[Kale]

SandiB hummm.. I just remembered !
That was the 1st thing I planted in them, then I moved to wood boxes then I moved to cardboard boxes*LOL and Large circle planters for sweet potatoes
Again, In the tires I had burlap but I couldn't get it out to harvest the potatoes... I forgot all about that*LOL And to think I was so excited when I did that*lol
It will work if no burlap is used and you have a nice area to lift the tires off each other.
It is hard and heavy and a bit of a chore that takes carefulness.

Kale

 

[SandiB]

Kale, tell me about the cardboard & wooden boxes you used and how did that work for you? Planting potatoes right?