Uses for Old Automobile Tires

Swing

• Make your child a tire swing with an old tire. All you need is a heavy-duty rope or a chain, an old tire and a strong tree. The easiest way to make a tire swing is to loop the rope or chain securely around one side of the tire and tie it to a tree trunk. The tire will hang straight up and down and a child can sit in the middle of it with her arms on the top of the tire and legs dangling over the bottom.

Garden

• Create a raised garden bed with a used tire. A car tire will work for a small garden, or try a large truck or tractor tire for a larger one. Use the garden to plant flowers, vegetables or herbs. Raised gardens are especially helpful if the soil in your yard is poor. This way, you can fill the tire with potting soil, or other fertile soil, so that the plants thrive.

Erosion Prevention

• Tires are heavy objects, so they work well in helping to prevent erosion. If you have an earth wall that is being washed away, try using old tires to keep the wall in place. Simply place the tires in rows, filling them with dirt or gravel. Stagger the tires as you build the rows for even more stability.

Edging

• Cut tires open to create edgings for your lawn. Dig a trench and bury part of the tire. How much goes in the trench and how much stays above ground depends on how big the tire is and the look you are going for. Use this method to edge flower beds, particularly beds that contain invasive plants. The tire trench will discourage the plant from spreading. Alternatively, use this type of edging along the sides of a trail.