"My problem isn't space"
-LUCKY

Geez, I almost had to draw a diagram to figure out what you ment..I think get it now. Your going to lay the tires with the circle up 5 tires wide, and 8 tires deep but with some spaces removed for walking. The 'diamond' is the space between the tires on the outside of the tires. Yes?

Ok,

Are you conserned about tire-chemical stuff (I dunno what) in your soil? Good use of old tires! Unless we're talking mud slinging tires I think you should go atleast 2 tires high. I love vertical growing, go with the trellises.

You will loose some room for roots to move and grow by growing everything IN the tire, but it should still work fine but you may have to adjust spacing. Like probably only 1 tom plant/tire but you will have to experiment.

Stick any non trellised squash-winter type, on outside corners so it can sprawl into your lawn instead into the garden.

Did you say the problem is sandy loam soil and rocks? Sandy loam is pretty much the holy grail of garden soil types and in clay/rock world where I live we pay good money to have that soil type trucked in.

Just wondering if that is what you meant and if so why it is a bad thing.

So are you going to bury your perfectly good sandy loam or are you going to use it?

I know that many people disagree, but I would not use tires to grow foodstuffs. I worry about chemicals leaching into the soil. Latex rubber is natural and safe, but it's not the only thing in a tire.

If the rocks in your sandy loam are a problem, you could always try screening the soil as Mel suggests. Of course, buying soil is less laborious and that is what I did.

No, I'm not going to cover the soil. The area has a slight slope so I will terrace it. The sandy loam is fine but lacking any organic matter. I will screen out the rock and mix in compost and manure. I too have fought with clay in my first house and bless my luck with a more friable soil type but the many rocks in the glacial till is almost as much of a curse.

As I sat with the sketchpad today, I also realized that I needed to expand the design a bit more to 12 x 22; allowing for a more diverse selection of vegetables. At the north end I will be able to have an area for a 4 bin composting set-up.

I have used old ties for many year in smaller area for growing and never had any ill affects. I think sometimes we get overly concerned about contamination.

Very good comments and input. I've toyed with intensive plantings; experimented as it were and found some veggies work better than others. This plan, I think will be lkely the greatest experiment of all.

On the RR ties, I use them as well and have had two different experiences.

The first was with 'fresh' ties where the black goop would stain clothing if they were sat on. Evergreen shrubs were planted inside and did fine, but the grass for 3" on the outside of them died and nothing, not even weeds, grew in that 3" area.

Second experience was with old RR ties with nothing left to stain clothing if sat on. The grass not only grows right up along them, but actually grows inside the holes in them.

I too think folks are often overly concerned about contamination (although it is certainly their business and not mine what they use), just sharing a personal story.

Rain - "Since old tires are about 24" across"???

Just wondering what those tires came off of? Mine are not quite that big (inside 15"). Or are you planning on cutting out to the tread?

I cut the sidewalls out. The outside of the tire. It will hold likely 23" of soil with about a 20" opening.

When searching the web for handmade doormats (made from old tires - which I simply love) I bought some years ago - I rememeber seeing something about making sandles from 'old tires'. I thought it was simply more work than I really wanted to do. Thinking, Walmart= $10 then I am back in the garden, ya know? I have wanted to try growing potatoes in tires. I kept thinking the inside of the tire may hold tooo much water for the potatoes. Since old tires are really hard & costly to dispose of these days - Do you think you could post instructions on how to cut out the sidewalls?
Thanks

I cut the sidewalls with a sabre saw; metal cutting blade. I wil drill a start hole then just cut the sidewall out. It helps to lift up on the cut section to open up the kerf for easier cutting. And always wear gloves.

Made some calculations today. Each tire is about 2.9 s. ft. of space, so using Mel's figures, I extropolated out pant numbers. Drew the circles then laid out a 4" grid on them. With the larger plants (Squah and such) it works very good. With things like beans it works better. Might be a jungle the first year but it's all a learning experience.

Been perusing the various seed suppliers and finding some very neat stuff.The Asian veggies are very compatable with my plan. Park has a cuke that matures in 45 days; found a kohlrabi that is huge! The coming year really look like a lot of fun!

After cutting the tires - do you have strands of metal from the steel belts sticking out of the edges?

Nope. The steel belts are only under the tread area. Sidewals only have nylon threads.