Aiming for personal and environmental health and organic certification, does anyone know if I can safely garden in discarded recycled tires? I do not have the ground cleared sufficiently yet for a regular garden but I want to start gardening at least for myself in the spring.

-- Stephen Tracy (oleoacresvt@yahoo.com), July 19, 2001

Answers

I wouldn't do it. Tires are chock full of all sorts of toxic gick.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), July 19, 2001.

There was talk a couple of years ago about puting chemicals in tires that would prevent misquito larva from growing in discarded used tires. I do not know if it happened or notbut I would worry about glow in the dark veggies.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), July 19, 2001.

Why garden in tires?

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), July 19, 2001.

I'd suggest you contact some tire companies.

The reason for considering tires is: they don't breakdown and rot on you like non-PT lumber.

I had purchased some plastic lumber from a company called McEwans, in NC. call 800-info.. They only wholesale but will point you to a local vendor. The price was ~$20 a 10 foot board.

-- (perry@ofuzzy1.com), July 19, 2001.

I would use stone. Go find a source and pack it to your site. Not toxic, doesn't rot and can usually be had for free - you just need to find a source.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), July 20, 2001.