[ilan]

do many people grow potatoes in old car tyres or boxes building up the layers is it worth the effort ? or will I be better off planting in the normal way and earthing up . I do grow a few earlies in a bucket in the greenhouse , but thought with a fairly heavy clay soil (its turns yellow at just over a spades depth ) I would get a better crop

[Yorkie]

It used to be very popular in various books but I've never seen anyone actually doing it.

The tyres would be quite heavy but it might be worth a try if your subsoil is that close to the surface.

[Babstreefern]

I saw the tyre trick a few years ago, and it works   I think they went five tyres high

[Squibbs]

I do it.

Its best to get hold of low profile tyres as the rims are smaller and less annoying. I start off at 2 tyres high full of half rotted horsey poo and then build up just one or 2 tyres depending.

The yield is reasonable. - certainly as good as I got when I planted in the ground. Some advocate a number of seed potatoes per tyre, but one gives about the same yield for less cost.

I site mine outside the north end of the polytunnel at the end of the garden - they aren't terribly attractive - but far from ugly.

 

[stentman]

I to have grown them in tyres and with reasonable results. Also I agree with the choice of tyre, low profile ones are better than normal tyres. Low profiles have less overhang to try and fill and are lighter to move. Normal tyres with the inside of the rim full of soil are quite heavy things to lug about. I also use tyres stacked in threes as circular raised beds for carrots and parsnips with acceptable results.

[sunshineband]

The children at school use tryes every year as containers for growing potatoes.

Four stacked up, whatever the garage has available, using just compost from bags

Works a treat 

[Trillium]

Now that's odd because last year I built up a special small raised bed for them and they didn't do very well. Worse, a colony of ants moved in! 

[sunshineband]

Now that's odd because last year I built up a special small raised bed for them and they didn't do very well. Worse, a colony of ants moved in! 

They do get quite a  lot of water, as you can imagine -- has to be a rota 

[Vit]

Hmmm, that's an interesting idea.  Maybe i will try on coming season, because i have place, where to get them almost unlimited for free  By the way, no need to chase for low profile tyres, you can use jigsaw to cut the rims. Oh, just got another idea - use tyres as compost bin 

[missycat]

Before you take tyres onto your site check you are allowed...garages will give you them for free because they have to pay to get rid of them...our site doesn't allow tyres because of the cost of getting them taken away when they are no longer needed.
I took about 18 tyres onto my plot before they were banned, now I'm struggling to get rid of them!

[ilan]

I hi I was thinking of making some boxes out of some short offcuts of scaffold boards, about 50 cm long , just for a few earlies

[Babstreefern]

Yes, tyres are great for raised beds - to make them a little bit more attractive, why not paint/decorate them with bright colours and things.  Have some imagination

[Vit]

Before you take tyres onto your site check you are allowed...garages will give you them for free because they have to pay to get rid of them...our site doesn't allow tyres because of the cost of getting them taken away when they are no longer needed.
I took about 18 tyres onto my plot before they were banned, now I'm struggling to get rid of them!

The answer is simple - Get off my property, so no problem about tyres