JumbleTown Ireland - Allotments

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- - Allotments (http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=38856)

Thanks Julie, you make it sound like a worthwhile endeavour, not just for me but for my two boys as well....

Kieran

I thought it was advised not to grow spuds in tyres, as the chemicals in the rubber (and on the rubber, if they're used tyres) will leech into the plants. I heard it was similar to the sleeper problem.

Is That True About The Tyres?

I can't remember my original source, but after a quick google, I've found lots of websites suggesting growing potatoes in tyres, and one suggesting there might be a problem with it.

positive link
not as positive

In fact, this site debunks the idea that it's bad:

Quote:

There are mountains of old tires out there. Americans keep on rolling and tires keep on wearing out. Every year there is almost one scrap tire created for every man, woman, and child in the United States. In 2001 alone, Americans discarded nearly 281 million tires, weighing some 5.7 million tons. All of those old treads can provide a lot of good growing space, and we’re just the folks to put them to use.

There is no appreciable risk in using recycled tires in the vegetable garden. While it is a fact that rubber tires do contain minute amounts of certain heavy metals, the compounds are tightly bonded within the actual rubber compound and do not leach into the soil. One of the ingredients in the rubber recipe is zinc. Zinc, in fact, is an essential plant element. I also expect that rubber is safer to use than treated lumber that contains copper and arsenic. Tires are durable. The very qualities that make them an environmental headache make them perfect for our uses in the garden. Once they are in place, they won’t rot and will likely be there for your grandchildren to use.

Let’s take a look at some ways to recycle old tires and literally reap the benefits. Gardening with recycled tires has many benefits besides those directly with the garden itself. It puts to use an article that might otherwise end up in a landfill or other disposal site. Those of us who are into “growing our own” are often on the lookout for ways to increase production with a minimum of effort. Gardening with tires presents several good ways to do just that, while at the same time helping to recycle the old treads from our automobiles and other wheeled conveyances. Stop by your local service station, recycle center, or tire retailer and ask them to save some tires for you. Currently, dealers charge $2 or more to dispose of used tires. Since they charge the consumer to take the old tires and have to pay to have them disposed of, they will likely be happy to let you have all you want. Most tire centers will have a stack of old tires out back that they will give you permission to root through.

Hi, thanks for the info on the tyres.
Lovestuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBear

As some of you probably know, I grow my spuds and other veggies in tyres and have a post up loooking for good homes for some of the used tyres we have - my hubby has a motorbike shop so no shortage in supply!!

Before I grew and fed these spuds to my family I did my homework and checked out all the websites I possibly could. There are various arguments for and against and I suppose you just have to weigh those up for youselvel. But I also checked with family relations with a medical and clinical background. They assured me that the amount of chemical asorbption, if any, is minimal and that you probably are exposed to more and higher levels of dangerous chemicals in fruit/veg grown for the mass market because of the the amount of fertilizers and insectisides used.

I also found this interesting:
Old Tires Are Safer
I was reading about using old tires and they discussed chemical leaching. One thing they said was that the tires *were* old so that they had had lots of time under adverse condition to oxidize and vent harmful gases and chemicals. That is why new tires smell bad and old ones typically do not. I found this info and a lot more on tire houses at http://www.touchtheearthranch.com This was in the FAQ section. I'm quoting:

"The surface of used tires has been subjected to years of exposure to oxygen by high speed rotation in the atmosphere. This exposure causes a phenomenon called oxidation. Oxidation 'interlocks' the surface molecules with oxygen and 'out-gassing' (fly-away molecules of synthetic rubber) is considerably limited, if not stopped completely. It's the new tires that stink/outgas, they just need to "rust" for a while, before they are suitable for use as a building material."

By Jennie in MT

from this site: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf284146.tip.html

which also carries a con argument.

The only thing I would say is that if the tyres you are using have a green/pink or orange substance on the inside of them then do NOT use them to grow edibles. This is a sealant that some tyre fitters use especially in tubeless tyres. It can be jellylike or crystalline in appearance depending on how the tyres have been stored.

Other than that I find them a great way to grow especially in a small space (my efforts have proved so successful though that my husband has agreed that we should expand the veggie patch to double it's size. Woo hoo!!)and are also useful for helping to keep the dreaded slug at bay.

The Eggshells worked a treat for me too..

Lisa

Just a question.
After all ones hard work, is it not possible that someone in a neighbouring allotments or a total stranger could steal your veg? :(

Hi Colitjo - it's possible, yes, but in most cases, it's unlikely.....

In the UK, some allotments in 'certain' areas get trashed, but crimes of this sort really are few & far between.

There's a sort of 'code' amongst allotmenteers & long may it last!!

Oh, and Lisa - I will PMing you in the next couple of weeks - I need around 30 or tyres, so I need to talk to you!
I probably won't get them all in the car, but my potatoes are needing to be planted... as soon as I can get the beds built, the trees cleared, the chicken house & pens built, the track to our hayshed gravelled... oh, busy times!!

Julie

That's cool Julie. Look forward to hearing from you. Depending on where you are I might be able to sort something out re delivery. Himself having a nice big white van and all!!!

Lisa

Don't paint the tyres

I would suggest to Toddler that painting the tyres could be counterproductive. I grow in stacks of tyres - 3 or 4 high. Much easier on my back - no bending. Easier to manage the type of growing medium and also, and importantly, the black walls catch the low Winter & Spring sun and warm the compost sooner, allowing me to start my growing off earlier. It is also much easier to provide cover for more tender plants - an old net curtain will keep off the frost, birds, cabbage white butterfly, and so on.

And, by filling the side walls with shredded paper, I get this composted as I go along.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleoCy

And, by filling the side walls with shredded paper, I get this composted as I go along.

Excellent idea!!
lisa

There is a scheme of private allotments starting near Roundwood in Co Wicklow. I just put my name down for them and there are a few spaces left. If anyone is interested I can pass on contact details.

I have heard of a farmer in the fingal area who is trying to do a deal with fingal county council to provide allotments, (diversifying in the recession) so that list could be moving quicker than you think!! It could be worth keeping an eye on

there's a guy putting feelers out for allotments between Wexford and Enniscorthy - doing a bit of graphic design for him, hence the info. not sure on price etc, but they would be 20m x 6m. Told him to come on here to get some tips, ideas etc, but if anyone would like his info, please feel free to pm me.
Nothing solid as yet, he is just looking to see if it would work down here

Any more word on the guy setting up the allotments in Wexford/Enniscorthy Milky_moo. My cousin is looking for a patch to grow her own after getting the sustainability bug.

I've been keeping my eye on http://www.allotments.ie/ which usually has all the new allotments listed, but I see none for Wexford.
Probably all grown over with strawberries :)