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Spring is finally here! If you’re anything like me, that means it’s time to get out in the sunshine and play around in your garden. The season is all about making old things new, so follow along with me as I turn “trash into treasure” with the cutest DIY tire planter.
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This is a great project that not only upcycles old tires but also adds a dose of whimsy to your outdoor decorating style.
I chose to hang my tire planter from a tree so my family and I can enjoy the vibrant flowers from a distance. However, you can easily lay your tire planter on the ground, hang it on your patio, or nail it to the wall for a floating planter aesthetic.
If you don’t have a used tire just lying around, no problem! I called a local auto repair shop to ask for my tire. Discount Tire or other tire shops may have spare black tires to donate. You can also try repurposing an old tire swing your kids have outgrown.
Whatever tire you use, make sure it’s durable enough to hold your plants and soil. Some people say that large tractor tires are the most sturdy for a DIY planter, but I’ve found regular car tires work just fine!
Before painting your tire, you’ll want to start with a good cleaning. If you’re repurposing an old tire, it’s likely to be caked with dust and dirt. I suggest wearing gardening gloves!
Rubber tire after cleaningTo clean the tire, you can use any heavy-duty washcloth or rag and soapy water.
If necessary, you can use a degreaser to remove any oily spots.
Scrub the outside of the tire until all debris is removed. This will help the paint to adhere.
Next, you’ll need to add drainage holes to your tire planter. Using a drill bit or sharp knife, drill 6-8 holes in the bottom of the tire, leaving 1-2 inches of space between them.
This step is super important to drain water out of your planter and avoid root rot. Make sure the drainage holes cover the amount of space you plan to fill with plants.
Now it’s time to give your tire planter some color! I recommend this spray paint, which is made for both indoor and outdoor use and has a sleek finish. This type of paint also doesn’t require a primer.
I chose a teal color that I had used previously to make pressed flower wall art. You can select any hue that speaks to you based on your decor style. You can even paint multiple planters and use different colors for each one!
Before spray painting, I suggest laying down a dropcloth or pieces of cardboard to protect your work surface.
You should always paint in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors.
Tip: When spray painting, this tool comes in handy to avoid getting your hands messy.
After spraying one side of your planter, be sure to wait a full hour before painting the other side. If you want to add additional layers of paint, wait one hour in between coats.
Let your planter dry overnight before adding your potting soil.
Once your tire planter is sporting the color of your choice, it’s time to add your soil. Evenly distribute your potting soil throughout the bottom half of the tire planter (the side with the drainage holes).
I like to use this potting soil for my plants, but feel free to use any potting mix that you prefer for your garden.
You want the height of your soil to be all the way up to the rim of your tire planter without spilling over the sides. This way, the roots of your flowers have enough room to grow.
Note: Make sure to water your potting soil before adding plants.
If you’re looking for more gardening tips this season, be sure to check out my guide on Vegetable Gardening For Beginners!
Adding plants to your tire planter is all about balancing your display. In my tire planter, I have at least one thriller plant, one filler plant, and one spiller plant.
For the non-gardening experts out there, this is the technique that will keep your container garden looking professional.
Adding Yellow Calibrachoa, Angelonia and Vincas to the tire planterA thriller plant is the main focal point of your container garden. This plant is vertical in structure, adding height to your garden.
I used Angelonia as the thriller in my tire planter. I love the way the rich, deep purple color is the first thing onlookers’ eyes are drawn to!
Filler plants are mid-sized plants that are typically mounding perennials.
These flowers support the thriller by filling in the inside of the planter and adding volume to your display.
For my tire planter filler, I chose to use white and pink Vincas, but there are hundreds of great fillers out there.
A spiller plant looks exactly how it sounds. These plants cascade over the edge of the display and spill down from the sides.
I used Yellow Calibrachoa, Petunias, and Sweet Potato Vine as my spillers. The Yellow Calibrachoa and Petunias add a lovely burst of light color, while the Sweet Potato Vine adds depth and contrast to the arrangement.
Whichever plants you choose, make sure the plants have the same sun/shade requirements and can grow well together.
If you aren’t sure, a local nursery can help you select the perfect combination.
After planting, be sure to water regularly! Hanging tire planters may dry out more quickly than garden beds, so treat them as you would a hanging flower pot.
Finally, it’s time to choose how you want to display your DIY tire planter. Personally, I went with the hanging tire planter option.
To hang your planter, you’ll need a heavy-duty rope to make a hitch knot and loop it through your tire. Make sure you hang your planter from a strong, sturdy branch.
If you don’t want to hang your planter, you can lay it flat and use it as a raised garden bed. You can also stack tires to make a taller bed for plants with deeper roots. (A stacked tire planter can also keep some pests like rabbits at bay.)
I hope you enjoyed this easy tutorial. Let me know in the comments how you plan to use your new DIY tire planter!
According to most experts, while tires do contain some harmful chemicals, those toxins are only released upon incineration and are not water-soluble, making tires a safe choice as planters.
If you have safety concerns, however, you can choose an alternative planter for edibles like fruits and vegetables and leave the tire planter for decorative displays.
Similar to hanging baskets, hanging tire planters may require frequent watering for the average non-succulent plant. Watering frequency depends heavily on the time of year. During the fall or winter months, you may only need to water your planter every two to three days. In the heat of the summer, you may need to water your planter daily.
You can use a porous landscape fabric to line the bottom of a tire planter that rests on the ground. This will serve as a weed barrier and still allow water to drain.
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Hey there everyone! Earth day is coming up next month, which means it’s the perfect time of year for people start thinking of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
I love the challenge of coming up with ways to reduce waste. If you don’t believe me, you should see my scrap wood pile. I hate the idea of throwing it away when there could be a great project just begging to be built! To build this tire planter, I was able to not only recycle an old tire from my local Discount Tire, but I was also able to dig into my scrap wood pile to complete it!
Here’s what you’ll need to make this tire planter:
I grabbed all of my materials to figure out how I was going to build the planter.
I started to use 1×3 wood for the legs, but they just didn’t have enough substance to them, so I grabbed a 4×4 from my scrap pile and cut three legs from it. I happened to have some wooden spools leftover from another project, so I stole the end off of one of them to make the base for my planter. I also bought a plastic planter tray to keep the wood from being wet constantly from the flowers.
I lined up my spool on my tire and traced around the tire to get the proper diameter for the base. I wanted the diameter to be about an inch smaller than the tire all of the way around. If you don’t have a wood spool, you can easily do this with a piece of plywood.
I grabbed some nuts and bolts from our hardware stash and figured out where I wanted to drill my holes.
Using a 3/8″ drill bit, I drilled four holes through the plywood and into the sidewall of the tire. I pushed my bolts through and flipped the tire.
It was a little tough to get to the bolts to attach the nuts, but I found that standing on the inside of the sidewall pushed the end of the bolt through enough.
Then I ratcheted all of them tight.
Next it was time to attach the rope. I used my hot glue gun and some super glue and started gluing the rope on from the bottom edge of the wood base. I alternated the super glue and the hot glue to ensure good adhesion onto the tire. The super glue gives the rope a permanent hold to the tire, and the hot glue holds everything in place while that dries.
I kept working my way around the tire, trying to keep the rope tightly wrapped. This step takes a little bit of time, so I ended up taking the tire into the house and finishing it up while I watched TV.
Figuring out where to attach the legs was tricky. I’d never built anything with only three legs before. I ended up finding the center point and positioning the legs in a triangle at the center, then marking the positions with a pen so I could place them after drilling holes.
I needed this base to be really strong to hold the weight of the tire and the flowers I put in it.
I drilled 1 1/2″ pocket holes into two sides of my 4×4 legs.
I glued up the legs and then attached them to the wood bottom using 2″ pocket screws. If you don’t have a Kreg Jig, you can also use angle braces.
Once the legs were attached and all of the rope was glued on, I sanded the legs and applied weatherproofing stain. I didn’t take a picture of this step, but I used Behr tintable weatherproofing stain in Padre Brown. A sample sized can is really all you need.
I bought a pot of mixed flowers from my local home improvement store and it fit perfectly inside the tire. I love the idea of flowers, but I’ve also thought about making more for fresh herbs or strawberries! The height is perfect to keep the bunnies around our house from eating everything.
I absolutely love how the tire planter turned out! I had struggled with different ways to build this for weeks, but the rope idea finally popped into my head and it came out better than I could have imagined.
Truth be told, my husband hated the idea of me doing a project with a tire, but once he saw the finished planter he really likes it! To keep up with the upcycling spirit, I also built a tailgate bench using an old ’55 Chevy tailgate that I’ve had lying around. I knew it would be the perfect compliment to the tire planter! I’ve also shared the step-by-step tutorial for that project.
Have you ever created any projects from recycled tires? I’d love it if you shared them! It’s always fun to see what others can come up with. If you’re looking to build this project or others with tires, definitely head to your local tire shop. They’d be happy to help you turn old tires into new creations! You can even check out how I recycled old tires for Christmas!
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Filed Under: Crafts, Projects, Projects for the Home
It's already quite warm, and, just as birds fly in from warm lands, all summer residents go to their plots in a friendly formation.
Therefore, today edition "So Simple!" wants to recommend some unusual, beautiful and practical ideas for decorating a garden or summer cottage.
Car tires are a versatile item that can last for many years after disposal. Why is it worth using car tires to create planters and other practical things for a summer residence? nine0005
First, this material is easy to find. If you do not have your own car, then you can ask neighbors or acquaintances for unnecessary tires. Secondly, tires work great with tires. You can safely wield an ordinary sharp knife and drill and make almost anything out of tires.
In addition, tires are an excellent and weather-resistant craft material. Even if you spoil something in the process, it's not scary at all. You can safely use the trimmings as patches, as well as for small details of future creations. nine0005 In order to make a planter, you need to find an old tire , take a sharp knife and be inspired by our ideas! The planter can be either floor standing or hanging. How to make a hanging planter ? Cut off the sector of the tire, make holes for the rope along the edges and pour the earth inside - the planter is ready. If you already have some skills and experience with this material, try to make these wonderful planters in the form of birds. Experiment and involve children in the process, because they love to make something together with mom and dad. nine0007 Making your own hanging pots 
For hanging it is worth using a rope or old chain .
You can also make many useful things out of tires for kids. For example, a big climbable dinosaur or a car would be great fun. Make such things quite easy, and the child will get a lot of pleasure!
In addition to cutting and stitching tire pieces, you can also paint them to give your ideas the perfect shape. Look especially good painted birds from tires.
For example, such bright parrots can decorate a veranda or playground.
But such frogs can be good floor decorations or planters.
Flower beds can be decorated not only with tires. You can find many other interesting and unusual ways to decorate and decorate flower beds on our website.
The question is not only where to plant, but also what to plant. We want to recommend you a selection of the most unpretentious country plants that will decorate any garden. nine0005
Don't forget to read the advice of a gardener with 20 years of experience. These tricks and secrets turn an ordinary garden into a piece of floral art.
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There are many ways to improve the look of your garden, front garden or lawn for free.
For example, old tires can be used to make garden paths, various swings and furniture that will decorate the local area.
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In this article we will tell and show on the photo:
Contents
There are several basic types of tire beds that are ubiquitous. In order to make any of them, needs to prepare :
Depending on model , additional may be required:
For example, to make a flower bed in the form of a chrysanthemum, you will need an old cup or any round container on which you can trace circles to cut out the petals. Step by step instructions are shown in the photo below.
Be sure to take a sharp knife , because the rubber on the tires is very thick. Cutting will not always be convenient, but do not lose heart. nine0005
Things will go faster if you use electric jigsaw instead of knife . It is possible that nothing will work out the first time, but having stuffed your hand, you will be able to make flower beds from improvised material not only for yourself, but also for your loved ones.
It takes a man's strength to turn the tire inside out and shape it. You can simply make a flower bed, or you can use the cut out part to give the structure a volume . In this case, the cut out circle is set down instead of the leg and a beautiful pot of tires is obtained.
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A multi-tiered flower bed looks attractive, in which flowers are selected, both in color and in height.
This design will require 14 tires to be carefully positioned and filled with nutrient soil. It is problematic to find such a number of old tires, so can only use 7 pieces, after cutting them in half .
In the second case, the tires will perform 2 functions: decorative and as a side of a multi-tiered flower bed. Such a flower garden will not only please the eye, but will also significantly save time during weeding. Even if the weeds penetrate there, it will not be difficult to remove them. nine0005
The nutrient mixture must be carefully checked for weeds before placing it in the flower bed.
If a piece of the root of any weed gets into a limited space, it will soon be difficult to get rid of it.
The final step is to paint the borders of the flower bed.
To do this, oil paint of the desired color is selected.
Before painting, wash off the dirt from the tires and dry them.
To prevent the formation of small cracks in the paint, apply at least three coats of . Layers should be thin.
A white flower bed will always look impressive. The rest of the colors should be chosen carefully, understanding that the color determines the first impression. The sides of the flower bed look harmoniously in the same shade as the blossoming flowers that will be planted there.
It takes a little time and effort to make a flowerpot out of tires yourself. Need to prepare the following materials and tools:
Planter instructions:
If round petals are supposed, then you need to draw circles around the perimeter using a cup or a round container. If there are teeth, then you must first cut out one part from paper or cardboard and, applying it, draw the same shapes around the entire perimeter. nine0088
This flowerpot looks impressive both on the terrace and on the lawn. You can plant flowers and ornamental plants of different heights in it: these can be low marigolds and sprawling castor beans.
In this design, ampelous plants look good.
Looks attractive in the garden or on the lawn swans made of tires. They can be left as garden decor, or used as planters for low pots. To make them, they take a tire and draw a contour on it, along which you then need to “pass” with a jigsaw or a sharp knife. nine0005
To fix the long neck of the swan, you can use thick wire , which can then be painted over.
In order for the paint to adhere better, degrease the surface of the tire and additionally prime it before painting. For a swan, two types of paint are most often used: white and black.
Old tires can also be useful for growing vegetables in the garden. Their main advantage is that in such beds there are Grass practically does not grow .
As you know, weeds significantly interfere with the development of cultivated plants, and sometimes they simply drown them out.
You will need an electric jigsaw to make the beds. They cut out the side surfaces of the tires.
Radishes, herbs and other healthy vegetables can be planted in these small beds . Such a bed has undeniable advantages if the site is virgin land where nothing grows.
A few beds and some land are enough to grow a good crop of pumpkins and marrows. Under such a bed, even the most malicious weeds will not be able to develop and will gradually rot. To speed up the process , you can put under the tire several layers of newspapers , and then fill the bed with earth. To make a long ridge of tires, you need to cut and then fasten them, forming a curb tape.
The second advantage will be the possibility of sheltering tender plants from cold weather . It is enough to fix a thick wire on the tire, on which you can put a film or spunbond.
High beds can be built with tires stacked on top of each other.
Such a bed is very useful for plants, since it is half filled with various organic waste: branches, sawdust, weeds.
All this rots, forming compost. Pumpkins grow well on such beds.
Old tires give space for creativity to gardeners. If you add wheels to the flower bed, then you can bring to life other original ideas and get from them an interesting detail in the garden landscape - in front of us in the photo is a cart made of a tire that carries flowers.
Tires of different sizes also make a beautiful multi-tiered flower bed. And for those who have little space in the garden, you can make a vertical bed out of several tires. nine0005
The video demonstrates various interesting design options for flowerbeds made of tires:
Useful and beautiful flowerpots, flower beds, pots can be built from old things.
