recycle tire planters?

[VKat]

Have you seen people re using old tires to make little beds for flowers or herbs?
I am wondering, is that safe for edibles?
Are there other intelligent uses for old tires?

I found about half a dozen on my property. (we just moved this summer and I'm still getting this place into shape!) and I'd like to find a way to put things that can be used to good use.

Thanks for any info or ideas!

 

[RichnSteph]

Hundreds of uses for the things from planters to walls for Earth Ships. The best ones I've seen so far are using them to go around a fruit tree in dry environments. Fill the tire with a good wood mulch and it'll help preserve moisture. I also like using one for a dust bath area for our chickens, we put the ash out of our wood stove in the tire and the chickens can dust themselves as needed. I have seen and plan to try using a stack of them to grow potatoes. Larger tractor tires for raised garden beds etc.... It all depends on how innovative you want to be.


RichnSteph

 

[lazy gardener]

RichnSteph: When using tires with mulch for trees, have you had problems with mice or voles girdling the trees in that protected environment? I put a tire and mulch around a little ash tree that I'm trying to salvage, and planned to remove it before the ground froze, but did not get around to it. The critters mowed one of my dwarf lilacs to the ground last winter, but thankfully the bush came back nice and thick, and no worse for the wear!

I'm planning to try some tires in my garden for tomato plants this spring, and may use a tire or two to make a concentrated area to hold compost for planting in my new (and growing HK mound.)

 

[RichnSteph]

I may have misled you there lazy gardener. We haven't used the tires around a fruit tree yet. We've only been on our land since June and with all the trees I have had to cut up and things I've had to get cleaned out and burned, not to mention building a chicken coop and a shed and hand laying 10 yards of gravel for the parking area I've not had much time to start the gardening and planting that I wanted to do. Come spring though we're going to get busy with plants. Our problem out here is deer. I don't think I've seen a ground squirrel or gopher once but they may be out there.


RichnSteph

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks. I don't think I'd use a tire around a fruit tree... too much money invested to provide a haven for mice to winter over in.

 

[VKat]

Hundreds of uses for the things from planters to walls for Earth Ships. The best ones I've seen so far are using them to go around a fruit tree in dry environments. Fill the tire with a good wood mulch and it'll help preserve moisture. I also like using one for a dust bath area for our chickens, we put the ash out of our wood stove in the tire and the chickens can dust themselves as needed. I have seen and plan to try using a stack of them to grow potatoes. Larger tractor tires for raised garden beds etc.... It all depends on how innovative you want to be.


RichnSteph

The dust bath idea is nice. I think we will try that for sure.
We also only moved late this last summer, so haven't had time to plant, but I figure it gives me all winter to plan.
There is a lot of junk sadly to clean up from the people here previous, and I am trying to re purpose anything that can be made useful again.

I know places sell rubber mulch... so maybe rubber is safe?
My only concern is if it will each out into the soil and plants.

 

[lazy gardener]

IMO, and I have nothing to base it on other than personal observation: Tires are not likely to have a negative environmental impact. Tires wouldn't be (or shouldn't be!) repurposed into mulch if there was a risk of them leaching into the soil. I've seen a tire sit in the sun for years without any evidence of break down.

 

[AnnieE]

Hundreds of uses for the things from planters to walls for Earth Ships. The best ones I've seen so far are using them to go around a fruit tree in dry environments. Fill the tire with a good wood mulch and it'll help preserve moisture. I also like using one for a dust bath area for our chickens, we put the ash out of our wood stove in the tire and the chickens can dust themselves as needed. I have seen and plan to try using a stack of them to grow potatoes. Larger tractor tires for raised garden beds etc.... It all depends on how innovative you want to be.


RichnSteph

I tried tires for potatoes and in three separate stacks the potato plants died when i added the third tire. I dk why.

 

[RichnSteph]

I tried tires for potatoes and in three separate stacks the potato plants died when i added the third tire. I dk why.

That's odd. I'd love to know what happened and will start doing some research to see if others have had similar problems.

RIchnSteph

 

[AnnieE]

I dk. Theyd be going strong, vines growing over the second tire, add the third tire, a week later, dead. Feel free to try it, just have a backup hill of them somewhere in case it doesnt work. Then youll still get potatoes.