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290 million tires are discarded every year in America. We've all seen those giant tire piles on the outskirts of town, and let's not forget the infamous, ever-burning Springfield tire fire on the Simpsons. Discarded tires are an irritating reminder that we live in a car-based society. We may not be able to change the way society works overnight, but we can find creative uses for our old tires.
One great way to spare a tire and help the environment is by growing potatoes in that tire. You'll be growing local, organic food and reusing something that might otherwise end up in a tire graveyard. Tire graveyards are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other vermin, and burning tires release horrible fumes. So keep your tires out of the graveyard. Use them to create life instead.
How to Grow Potatoes in a Tire
- To start, you'll need an old tire. Cut the sidewall off of the part of the tire that will be facing up. That way, you don't have to worry about empty spots in the inner tire.
- Next, you'll want to dig a small hole about six inches below where the tire will sit. Fill that hole with rocks and/or gravel to make a little room for drainage.
- Fill the tire up with a mixture of soil and compost.
- Add two or three seed potatoes eye-side up to each tire.
- Water the potatoes appropriately. As the potato plants start to grow, you'll want to throw another tire on the first then add more soil. Make sure that the potato plant is always poking through the top of the soil.
You can harvest over 20 pounds of potatoes per stack.
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