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Tyres as mowing strip/compost holder/weed suppressant?

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  • #1

    Tyres as mowing strip/compost holder/weed suppressant?

    Hi all,

    After what I guess must be a full year of clearing, planning and general head scratching I have nearly "finished" the plot (I don't suppose it is ever really finished) more pic's to follow soon, anyway, I had another idea the other day after discovering a large pile of dumped tyres in a corner I was clearing.

    Q; Could I use tyres around the base of the rescued fruit trees (they are just starting to re-grow) as a sort of combined mowing/strimmer strip, compost holder, weed suppressant area sort of thing? The trees, at the moment, are still small enough to get tyres up and over without damage. I know the base of fruit trees are supposed to be kept weed free so I was wondering if the tyres might do the job with weed membrane underneath?

    Any thoughts? Graham.
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  • #2
    How easy are tyres to cut? Cos once your trees have grown up, if you want to move the tyres, that'll be the only way.
    Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
    Endless wonder.

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    • #3
      Aren't tyres full of contaminants?

      End-of-Life Tyre Management: Storage Options - 5. Potential Environmental Impacts of Tyre Leachate | Ministry for the Environment

      Permaculture in New Zealand
      All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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      • #4
        The study you have cited TS only talks about immersing the tyres in water and does not come up with conclusive results. None of the tests carried out related to tyres as a growing medium.

        I have seen Bob Flowerdew use old tyres to build a growing wall and he's an organic gardener.

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        • #5
          I'd be more concerned above not piling compost up to the depth of a tyre around the base of your fruit tree. You'd put fruit back later, as it'd grow more feeding roots, and probably encourage suckering from the rootstock too, if they're grafted?

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          • #6
            I've got three, and I was using them before to grow individual squashes in. This year, I'm racking my brain what to do with them. I've just decided one will be used to take all the loose stones that get shaken to the surface every now and then, and then I'll put my greenhouse water butt on it so i can possibly get a tap for that on the bottom.....
            the other two....not sure....maybe just fill with more stones and make seats out of them...
            Last edited by taff; 14-05-2012, 07:06 AM.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by taff View Post
              I've got three, and I was using them before to grow individual squashes in. This year, I'm racking my brain what to do with them. I've just decided one will be used to take all the loose stones that get shaken to the surface every now and then, and then I'll put my greenhouse water butt on it so i can possibly get a tap for that on the bottom.....
              the other two....not sure....maybe just fill with more stones and make seats out of them...
              I like those ideas taff. I have 6 in my garden. Plenty of stone too. Could they be used as a base for supporting a pole if you poured concrete mix in? I'm thinking moveable circles with a central hole. Or are they too big?

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              • #8
                they'll be very heavy if you fill with concrete, and you'll have to pour it in on some kind of non stick surface, or a sheet of plywood or something. Or cut a sheet of plywood, place in the bottom of the tyre, not on the floor and then the tyre on top if you see what I mean.
                Also the central hole ,if you use a metal pole, it won't come out without a lot of work, so factor the size of that into whatever metal pole you want to put in there after.
                I suppose wonce you've heaved them on edge, it won't matter what they weightbecause you can roll them round

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                • #9
                  Maybe I could use something to part fill to make it lighter...chunks of polystyrene or something. For the centre could use a piece of plastic piping.

                  Just trying to think outside the box really.

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                  • #10
                    you will be amazed at the volume of concrete you can get into a tyre,when I lived on the coast every year I would get commissioned to fill 6-10 for use as mooring anchors,165/75 x 14 come up just a little over a hundredweight,also be warned that due to the weight & having no flex the are actually quite hard to roll,although if you have a central through hole,two people & a stout pole to use as an axle it may be OK
                    He who smiles in the face of adversity,has already decided who to blame

                    Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity

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                    • #11
                      You're right! I think I'll stick to taffs ideas. I'm sitting here after my knee op making a list of things to get on with when I've recovered. I don't want to put my back out next!

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                      • #12
                        I use them around rhubarb to force it. Then for seats or to shelter the first dwarf beans/toms...all sorts of different things.

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