Gardening with tires

[showmomof2]

With our new farm we inherited several old tires. Has anyone had any experience growing potatoes and sweet potatoes in them? I have read about it, but never seen it. I have never put a real garden out before other than a few tomatoes and cucumbers, and am wanting to try it this year if hubby will buy a tiller for me. Was also wondering if the tire thing was safe-if the chemicals used in manufacturing them would leak out. Thanks. :roll:

 

[ga. prime]

I've never tried it, but it sounds like a good idea showmom. You're talking about large tractor tires I assume. Lay them down, fill with growing medium, and plant stuff in 'em. I like it. I wouldn't worry about chemicals leaching from the tires.

 

[dun]

When I was a sprout we had a very high water table and you couldn;t grow root crops in the ground. We would stack up a couple of tires and fill them with compost. Taters in 2 high tires, carrots, radishes, turnips in 2 high tires. When it came time to pick the taters we just knocked over the tires and racked them up.

 

[Horticattleman]

Wouldn't hurt to spray em with bleach first and then rinse em.

 

[showmomof2]

Thanks-I hadn't thought of the bleach. What time of year do you plant potatoes and sweet potatoes? I am in north arkansas.

 

[jfont]

I think a large tire would do fine, but I've had bad luck with car tires. They became fire ant magnets. I guess when the ground got wet they moved to higher, dryer ground in the tires.

 

[hillrancher]

Thanks-I hadn't thought of the bleach. What time of year do you plant potatoes and sweet potatoes? I am in north arkansas.

Saint Patrick's day. Radishes, lettuce, onions Valentines day. Corn, beans and warn weather crops when oak leaves is as big as squirrel ears.

 

[Misty]

I was having trouble growing flowers in our tires and my mother in law said to paint them white. They were getting too hot and killing everything. Worked like a charm.
Might be something to consider if it doesn't work the first time.