Creative Living: DIY Tire Vegetable Beds

(Image Source: Maggie Miller Artist + SoapMaker)

I have loved the idea of recycling tires and turning them into flower and veggie garden beds. So I decided that I would do this project this season.

I went to my local tire place and asked if I could get some used tires out of their way. Once they confirmed what I was using them for and that I was an eco artist they were more than happy to let me in the back and take what I wanted.

I began with 6 tires since it was all that would fit in the back of my car, once rolled into my back yard, I started painting them with a variety of acrylic paints. Once tires dried, my mom and I cut several layers of weed mesh to place under the tires with than filled the inside of the tires with some old newspaper for filler just before putting in the dirt. A note on paints, many people use spray paint and although this may be a quick way to paint them it is not ECo-Freindly with to you or the environment with all those fumes going into the air. I prefer to use artist acrylic paints.

(Image Source: Maggie Miller Artist + SoapMaker)

I had a varitey of seeds of yellow squash, corn, green beans and red peppers and while those were sowing, we went to home depot and purchased some tomato plants, we planted those in a flower bed kit we had purchased there as well.

(Image Source: Maggie Miller Artist + SoapMaker)

(Image Source: Maggie Miller Artist + Soap Maker)

We have been so excited to see how everything has been growing, we have already been eating from the variety of tomatos and just this Monday we harvested our first yellow squash. Our cucumbers don't seem to be doing so well and we are still waiting to see some signs of green beans.

This has been my first attempt in growing veggies on a larger scale and have learned a great deal, so we are already planning for next season. Once fall arrives and its cooler, we plan on building a larger vegetable bed that is off the ground so I won't have to bend down so much due to my back problems and we will be visiting the tire store again to pick up at least 20 more tires that I plan to use in the front of my house for flower beds and the rest for some more veggies and flowers in the back of the yard.

(Image Source: Maggie Miller Artist + Soap Maker)

Being able to grow our own produce in an organic and sustainable manner is so gratifying. It is hard work since you have to tend to the needs of the plants, protect them from desease weeding etc, but being able to work with ones hands and see things grow from seed into beautiful plants is just amazing. It keeps me connected with God and all that he has created. Here is our litte harvest from this morning. We have some sweet banana peppers as well. Going to use some of the harvest for our dinner tonight.