I use them.

I also use cinder blocks [which folks will say that they leech off chemicals],

 

If you went with an older tire, 20+ years, you will likely be fine. Newer tires have much more than rubber in them.

 

I never take chances with my food, so it's a no go for me. I grow strictly organic.

 

A friend of mine, a WW2 pilot, used tires forever
and had no issues with his food. He’s long since
passed and his place sold.

 

5000 known man made chemicals in the atmosphere WW2.
Today, considering a bit of stirring, limitless.
One born before and fought in WW2 was raised before "The Swim".
The beginning of endless inundation, injection, and consumption of chemicals by mankind.

Therefore, "tires forever" on a stronger and less altered DNA would likely be shrugged off.
Today, higher risk of triggering effects based upon effects of The Swim.
Exceptionally so in the petri dish of the world, USA.

 

I researched a long time before using old tractor tires. Seems like the consensus of any testing was they are safe. A lot of people speculate. I add a bucket of compost most years so hopefully it gives "fresh" growing soil.

They work really well for things like sweet potatoes that like heat. I put one to raspberries to help contain them.

 

It will work and do the job.

And probably last longer than wood.

 

Nope, I dont use them for growing food, they are full of toxins. Not worth the risk they will leach something.

 

Been using discarded toilet tanks for
the last decade or so.
We get bulky trash pickup once a month
and people refurbishing houses put
the toilets out front for pickup.
You can easily tell if that cleaner has
ever been used. That blue color stays
in the pores of the porcelain and stays
forever. Leave those lay.
If the tank will easily come loose, I'll
take it off right there and leave the
bowl for the trash trucks. If not I'll
load it up whole and disassemble it
at home and toss the bowl out for
pickup
I wash inside and out with dawn or
similar and scrub the outside with
a scotchbrite pad and degrease it
with acetone. Gets a coat of green
shake-shake paint. I find pieces of
broken cinder blocks all the time
in the same type of construction
debris piles and chip me a cover
for the large center hole and 2
dabs of silicone glue it in place.
I'll set a couple of rocks over the
smaller holes and it's gets filled
with sand and soil .
Not exactly sure how many centuries
one of these will last.
I have a dozen or so I've been using
for as many years, and 6 (?) that I
stripped but never finished out.
Not sure what a similar heavy duty
clay pot would cost, but I bet it
wouldn't be free for the getting.
Recycle Reuse

 

Been using discarded toilet tanks for
the last decade or so.
We get bulky trash pickup once a month
and people refurbishing houses put
the toilets out front for pickup.
You can easily tell if that cleaner has
ever been used. That blue color stays
in the pores of the porcelain and stays
forever. Leave those lay.
If the tank will easily come loose, I'll
take it off right there and leave the
bowl for the trash trucks. If not I'll
load it up whole and disassemble it
at home and toss the bowl out for
pickup
I wash inside and out with dawn or
similar and scrub the outside with
a scotchbrite pad and degrease it
with acetone. Gets a coat of green
shake-shake paint. I find pieces of
broken cinder blocks all the time
in the same type of construction
debris piles and chip me a cover
for the large center hole and 2
dabs of silicone glue it in place.
I'll set a couple of rocks over the
smaller holes and it's gets filled
with sand and soil .
Not exactly sure how many centuries
one of these will last.
I have a dozen or so I've been using
for as many years, and 6 (?) that I
stripped but never finished out.
Not sure what a similar heavy duty
clay pot would cost, but I bet it
wouldn't be free for the getting.
Recycle Reuse

This is a great idea for those not exposed to freezing temperatures.

 

I had some old bald 38's laying around and while I was building some new raised beds out of sawmill lumber I ended up with leftover dirt. Stacked 2 tires together filled them with dirt, planted several sweet potatoes in the stack. Best crop of sweet potatoes ever.

 

Growing up we always used them for tomatoes. Never had an issue with them.

 

Seems like every material you use will have a good chunk of experts claiming it will leach chemicals and is bad for you. My vote is do whatever you want.

 

You know when it comes right down to it how bad could it be for me? We’re at our mid 60s so it’s not like we have our whole life ahead of us.

 

they are mosquito havens as well.

 

Not if filled with dirt

 

I do all that I can to garden as organically as possible. I don't use any herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers (other than manure produced on our farm), or any other chemicals. As such, I'm not going to purposely put tires in my garden that could leach chemicals. Would it actually make any noticeable difference? Maybe, maybe not. But, for me, it's not worth it if I can use other materials that aren't going to potentially leach chemicals. Not to mention, piles of tires are pretty unsightly, at least in the winter when nothing is growing in them.

 

I attempted to use tires. Not really worth it, in my opinion. If you used them as is, the enclosed area will be a magnet for snakes and bugs (at least for me it was). It's not very easy to cut that part out, either.

I'm unsure about the whole toxins leaking aspect. My understanding is that while they are loaded with toxins, all those are basically stuck inside the rubber and pose no threat.

I also found them to be incredibly difficult to mow around.

Last year I was able to get several galvanized metal raised beds (both 3x6, 3x8, and 4x8). Probably averaged about $30 each. So much better! More space. Easier to take care off. No hidden spaces for critters. And much easier to mow around.

 

If I could get raised beds for $30 each, on average, I would grab up a bunch of them