Potatoes in Tyres

[spacemagnet]

Hi guys, I'm new and began my organic gardening last year with tomatoes, courgettes, sweetcorn, peppers, lettuce and spring onions. So far so good. Im now looking at spuds in containers and i'm steering towards a big pot of some kind but what's all this about tyres? Do you stack them or am I being a bit thick?

[Shortie]

Hi SpaceMagnet - welcome to the forum!

I've never grown potatoes but I read a thread somewhere in here where others were saying that you stack them and the beauty of tyres is that as the plant grows and needs 'earthing up', up can build the sides of the systenm higher by adding more tyres as needed..

Use the search function to search for potatoes in tyres or something and see if you can find it... I'm sure someone else will have explained it much better than me!

[voodoo veg]

Also the black rubber sucks in extra warmth which helps 'em along (or so I've heard...put mine out in tyres only YESTERDAY!!!!!!!) This morning I caught one of the cats lying on the tyre enjoying the heat and the next minute rummaging down the sides with his paws...little blighter

[MadamJoJo]

Tyres are great for pots! Enough for one person me thinks, also alot less work.......but they are prone to drying out more rapidly, so keep an eye out for moisture levels. I have painted mine a jazzy colour to co-ordinate with my pots as tyres are not the most aesthetically pleasing objects. Good luck . Mdmjojo

[Jaxom]

Here is the link to take you to the subject on Tatties in tyres. http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ighlight=tyres
Enjoy
Jax

[j.flett]

tryied growing under black plastic, only to feed the slugs ,so i wonder if any system other than traditional is worth the effort

[Sal]

Potato Tower Instructions...

Hi Space Magnet

Welcome to Grapevine! I posted instructions about how to make a tyre potato tower just a few days ago - check out number 15# in the 're-used and re-cycle' thread under the 'general chit chat' page. I've copied and pasted it below incase you can't find it but check out the thread too as it has some great tips...

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Not exactly 'household' but if you stack rubber tyre casings (without the wheels) on top of one another and fill them with compost they make great potato towers. Car tyres don't break down and I wouldn't want to imagine what kind of harmful gases are belched out when burning them. Garages - if they are following environmental health legislation - actually have to dispose of them in an environmentally responsible way. It actually costs a garage money to have tyre casings removed and re-cycled into matting for play parks, etc. They will probably jump at the chance of getting rid of them to you for free!

Start with two tyre casings on top of each other filled with compost. Plant your spuds. When the foliage reaches 6 inches above the the top of the tyre stack add another empty tyre casing on top and a bit more compost. Keep topping up with compost/tyre casing/compost/tyre casing and so on. Each time you add more compost the plant will root at the stem and eventually produce more spuds. Knock the tower over at the end to harvest your spuds - less back breaking than digging them up! The black rubber may get quite warm in summer so you may have to water more often but your spuds will be mahusive!

Oh, and if you need more convincing last week I saw a brand new plastic potato tower 'kit' for sale in a garden centre - £29.99!

Hope this helps but if you have anymore tyre re-cycling questions just ask.

[spacemagnet]

Wow! Thanks guys I wasn't expecting so much help so quickly. I shall keep you posted.

[charliefred]

Hi spacemagnet, I tried growing spuds in tyres a few years back but I found great problem in keeping enough manure/compost levels. It was bulky when I put it in but then I found it breaking down very fast and leaving huge gaps. This year, as we've now been supplied with wheelie bins,I'm using old plastic dustbins (with holes drilled in the bottom). If we dont get them pinched I'll let you know how we get on.

Regards
CF