This article is all about tyre gardening and how to use old tyres in planting vegetables and other crops. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that having a food source close to home is a great idea. Space is no longer a problem as creative ideas such as tyre gardening etc allows you to make use of even the smallest space.
We all know that agriculture is the next big thing as all creatures need food. With an estimated nine billion people to feed by 2050, all hands must be on deck to produce more food. The need to produce more food has opened up new frontiers in farming.
Many people are using unconventional means to grow food these days with many turning to urban agriculture, such as home gardening for profits and sustainability.
The use of bottles, plastics, sacs and barrels have been explored to plant vegetables but a very unusual and relatively new method is the use of old tyres to start a vegetable garden or farm. Though very unconventional the use of old tyres in gardening is convenient and a great way to dispose of them.
USE OF OLD TYRES IN TYRE GARDENING
Old tyres can be recycled and used in agricultural projects such as:
- Raising snails,
- Making mattress for cows to increase milk yield,
- Starting a fish farm,
- Planting vegetables, flowers and lots more.
Tyre gardening in agricultural projects is a good alternative to the current method of disposing of tyres which is burning. Burning pollutes the atmosphere with severe health implications to man, animals and the environment.
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HOW TO START YOU OWN TYRE GARDEN
The project you want to embark on will determine the size of tyres to use in your garden and how to arrange them or stack them to produce the result you desire. The tyres could even be layered so that you have more than a row of vegetables or sectioned so you have two or three sections in the tyres to produce more with less space.
GETTING STARTED
- Get old tyres, clean, wash, disinfect and set them out to dry. The tyres can be painted to add a colour code to your garden or farm and also make it attractive.
- Prepare the site for the tyres and make sure the site is cleared, clean, and free of weeds in an easily accessible place.
- Next, cover the base of the tyre with black plastic (polythene) to prevent weeds from infiltrating the tyre.
- Then place a wire mesh on top to keep it steady and create a partition between the surface and tyre base.
- Remember to use soil which has been treated to ensure it is free of pests.
- Finally, add compost to the soil to prepare for planting.
Starting your own tyre-garden is simple if you follow the guide above.
NEED MORE HELP?
Our Home Garden Starter Pack is designed to help you get started. It is an essential package that contains a variety of seeds and organic manure because we believe in the organic ways of farming. In the pack also, is a DIY manual to equip you with the information you need to know about HOME GARDEN.
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Written by Oluwole Olujinmi