Old tyres (big)

[Glen Gilchrist]

Hi

Looking for old tyres to make raised beds. Can offer Science tuition / help with GCSEs and A level Physics.

Have tried free cycle and local farmers, local supply (Newport, wales) seems limited.

Cheers

Glen

[JulieSherris]

Have you tried your local Kwik fit places?
I don't know about the UK, but over here, they have to pay to get rid of the old tyres, so they're glad to give them away!

Good luck

[Glen Gilchrist]

Hmmm tombe honest - no. I'll try that tomorrow...

Cheers
G

[Thomzo]

The problem with the tyre places is that they have to prove that they've disposed of the tyres legally. That's why they're not giving them away on Freecycle etc any more. Unless you have a waste transfer license, they can't give them to you. And beware, if you do get some, then change your mind and want to get rid of them, it can be quite difficult and costly to move them on.

Zoe

[Glen Gilchrist]

Ty - will try local farmers,.....

G

[Arwel]

Are you gonna be growing food in them?? I have absolutely no scientific evidence to base this on but I'd be a bit uneasy about nasties from the tyres being absorbed by the soil....Again, no evidence just blind speculation/paranoia

[Glen Gilchrist]

Are you gonna be growing food in them?? I have absolutely no scientific evidence to base this on but I'd be a bit uneasy about nasties from the tyres being absorbed by the soil....Again, no evidence just blind speculation/paranoia

Good question. I used to work for Avon Rubber in the R&D lab. Rubber is a surprisingly natural product - the biggest nasties are the "plasticizers" added to make the rubber flexible. Some concern over leaching and releasing estrogen like chemicals into the food chain.

Was planning to line with a black plastic liner -- however, unless they are food grade, I suspect that they'll have the same plasticizers.

YMMV.....

Cheers
Glen

[JulieSherris]

I know we've had these posts before & I don't think there's that much danger from the nasties - especially if you rotate the soil inside each year as well. There's a lot of us that use tyres for spuds & apart from the extra eye & 9 fingers on each hand, it's not done me any harm.....

I know that the legalities of tyre disposal is different over here & I can fill my car up each time I pop to the local tyre place, but Glen, I'd have a call around & see what you can rustle up.

Depending on what you're growing in them, I can recommend that you lay down a roll of weed fabric first & then pop your tyres on - once the weeds start to grow around them, it can be a bugger to mow around or cut them out. At the end of the season, I usually heave up the tyres, shovel the soil onto my raised beds, give the fabric a damn good shake into the compost heap & start again.
I also started out the first year with the tyre stacks 3 high - last year I just did 2 high & it actually worked out better - and easier!

Also, if you're thinking of them for potatoes, have a look at those 'bags for life' from Leedl, or Alfi, they make great cheap spuds containers as well!!

[Glen Gilchrist]

Yea - have potatoes in bags at present. Don't like the look of them, but it does the job. Wanted to upgrade to tyres as oddly, I like the look.....

Will give it a go.

Cheers
G

[Thomzo]

Do you think it would be possible to drill large holes in the sides and use them for strawberries? The inside lip holds water well so I would have thought they would work.

Zoe

[JulieSherris]

Zoe, I think it would depend on what type of tyre you had. Way back when..... ok, it was in the mid '70's, I made some planters at work - basically, I used a stanley type knife, left the tyre on the wheel rim, cut around one edge of the rubber & then flipped it inside out - the small side made the 'stand' while the large side made the planter. Then we used tyre-white to paint them - was a fun project & very fitting for a service station!

Anyway, nowadays, a lot of tyres have steel wire running through inside the rubber - you'd need a metal cutter on the drill to get through that I would think - but if you could do that, then I don't see why you can't use them? And what about making holes in the top rim for bedding plants like lobelias - with the main display inside the main hole - that would look nice!