How to Grow Vegetables in Tires

Overview

Before you throw out or recycle your old tires, consider making them a part of your home garden. Tire planters can house a variety of vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, onions and other root-like plants. They can add a bit of rustic decorum to your garden as well as functionality.

Step 1

Spray the tires down and make sure to rinse away any dust or debris.

Step 2

Paint the outside of each tire with white paint. Two or three coats of paint is ideal to help shield away heat and sunlight from your plants.

Step 3

Let the tires dry for two days.

Step 4

Place each tire on the ground in a spot of your choice.

Step 5

Fill each tire with equal amounts of soil and soil-additives. Each tire should have 5 pounds of soil and about 2 pounds of sand in it.

Step 6

Water each tire thoroughly, turning the soil into thick sludge-mud.

Step 7

Plant the potato tubers into the well of one of the tires, 2 inches beneath the soil.

Step 8

Plant the turnip bulbs into the well of another tire, 2 inches beneath the soil.

Step 9

Repeat steps 7 and 8 with the onions and ginger, using the remaining two tires.

Step 10

Water the tire planters once a week, filling the well with water.