Planters from old tires? It's worth checking out some alternatives
Recycling old, unused objects to create furnishing accessories and decorations for the home or garden is an economical and eco-friendly way to make our homes more attractive and functional.
Among the many objects that are frequently recycled for purposes other than those for which they were created, old tires top the list: tables, sofas, chairs, armchairs, poufs, dog kennels, light fittings, umbrella stands, children's games and planters are just some of the things you can make with old tires.
However, some argue that the use of tires to create planters in the garden or vegetable patch may not be a good idea due to certain properties tires have. What does this mean? Well, keep reading:
Possible drawbacks using old tires for planters
Recycling old tires helps reduce the problem of waste, and reusing them in the garden as planters seems like a good idea. So, why might growing your plants in planters made from old tires not be such a good idea?
The reason is to be found in the materials that tires are made of: a tire is mainly composed of natural and synthetic rubber and other substances are used during the vulcanization process: sulphur, heavy metals and polycyclic hydrocarbons - all these elements can be damaging to one's health but also to the environment.
Over time, these elements can leach out of tires, with the following impacts:
- the leaching of microplastics into the soil could easily pollute rivers and aquifers;
- plants grown in soil where tires have given off these potentially harmful substances, can absorb them through their roots;
- consumption of these plants could be harmful to human health.
What materials are better for building planters?
So, what materials should you use to make planters? Well, consider this list of cheap alternatives:
- Unused containers: just about any old container that is large enough can be transformed into a planter - bathtubs, wheelbarrows, bicycles, buckets, barrels and old kitchen pots can have new lives in your garden;
- Wood: aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly, wooden planters are also incredibly easy to make. The only precaution to be taken is to use raw, untreated wood for the cultivation of vegetables intended for consumption;
- Terracotta pots: made of natural clay and excellent for plant thanks to being pourous, terracotta pots are perfect for your plants and are one of the most eco-friendly choices;
- Compostable planters: today you can get compostable planters made from organic material; perfect for young plants (and for plants intended for transplanting), they can simply be buried when not needed?
Will you reconsider using old tires as planters now?
