Recycled Tires for Landscape Edging

Informal Edging

• Discarded tires put a strain on landfills and dumps. To alleviate this problem, alternate uses for old tires have been established. Recycled tires are used in roadway construction and playground padding. In some landscapes, shredded tires are used as mulch where they suppress weeds, retain moisture and prevent soil erosion. Small tires, such as those found on golf carts or motorcycles, are used as circular insulators for tomatoes and other plants. Painted tires are stacked and used as planters. Some tires are sawed in half, their lower portion dug approximately 4 to 6 inches into the ground, with their semi-circular arc creating a raised border. Tires are placed, end to end, in this configuration around a garden area. This type of border is suited for urban gardens and art gardens, but is not recommended for formal garden settings.

Other Options

• Landscape edging suited for contemporary, minimalist gardens feature straight lines and simplicity. Create this style edging by cutting the sidewall from old tires and rolling out the tread. Use a hacksaw or jigsaw to cut back the sidewall. Cut the sidewall from one or more tires and lay the tread out flat. Stack the tread one on top of the other, joining them together with sheet rock screws. Some gardeners place rebar segment between layers to aid in straightening the tire tread and providing additional structure. Lay the flattened tire into a shallow furrow that demarcates the border edge.

Decomposition

• Rubber has a longer lifespan than other edging materials such as untreated wood or clay tile, but it is not indestructible. Some bacteria are capable of degrading tire rubber. Rubber is an organic material, and is subject to weathering and pest consumption. Painting the tires is one method of sealing the material and preventing some damage.

Considerations

• Tires are not always the best building material. They contain chemicals and metals that have the potential to leach into and damage garden soil. Rubber leachate contains high levels of zinc and may lead to zinc toxicity in plants. The chemicals tires have been exposed to on the road may also leach into soil -- rock salt, deicing chemicals and oil. Thoroughly clean tire surfaces before using tire edging materials.