Potatoes in Tyres

[Andy Hamilton]

I have put up a little video about how I am growing my potatoes in tyres - if you want to have a look.

I do warn you that I have probally overdone it a bit with the music, have not got a wide selection my computer as my hard drive has broken. I don't actually like the tune I have put on but it was the one with the least amount of vocals that I had.

[Andy Hamilton]

RIght well to keep you up to date on my spuds is tyres, I am thinking of putting on the 6th tyre. I have heard of people going up to 5 tyres, the norm seems to be 4. I am well happy with the results so far. I just hope there are some potatoes growing inside them tyres :)

[Shirley]

Great vid... but yeah, you are right about the music.... could hardly hear what you are saying.

Jonathan came to look and started waving at you and saying Hello!!!!

[Andy Hamilton]

say hello back

[Tensing]

This is something I have read about and considered, could this also be used for other root veg such as carrots.

[ina]

I suppose you could just use the tyres as containers for growing anything. The plus when growing potatoes is that when you earth them up, you just add another tyre on the pile and fill that with compost. I'm growing tatties in large bags, too - turned down at first, and then sides pulled up when adding more compost.

[Han&Matt]

Hi Andy (and all)

Ok, potatoes in tyres... I watched the video and I think I get it - but am a little confused. You were up to 4 tyres but hoping to put another couple on, does that mean you cover the leaves at the top with more compost? I can undertand covering the shoots when they poke up through the soil but not all waiting till there are lots of leaves and then covering - don't the leaves rot under the soil? Am I being very daft? I don't understand!!

[Luath]

You don't cover the leaves, just the stalks as they grow up towards the tops of the tyres, earthing them up that way.

I use tyre stacks for pumpkins, squashes, potatoes, and rhubard. I also put them around newly planted fruit trees, but only one tall, so I can make a smakk bed around the base of the tree for comnpanion planting for that particular tree according to what it is.
One of my tyre stacks is currently full of herb robert..............

[Millymollymandy]

I cover leaves when I am earthing up spuds the normal way. Isn't that what you are supposed to do? I don't have stalks without leaves!

Where do you all get your tyres from anyway?

[Luath]

Well, just the tiny wee or tatty ones at the bottom, but basically just the stems.

I have had my tyres for about 8 years now; almost inpossible to get hold of from a garage etc now, as they ahve to be properly disposed of for envrionmental reasons, and so that they don't get re-fitted to cars after they've been taken off others. I got mine from a mate who fixes other peoples' cars.

[hedgewizard]

Go to your local amenity site, they may have stacks of them people have brought in waiting to be processed. Or ask any farmer or scrap dealer.

[Tensing]

Kwik Fit will let you take as many as you want, or atleast our local one does.