Using old tires and culverts is a great way to recycle. It is a way to have a raised bed garden in a small space. Tires can be put anywhere that there is an empty space in your yard or flower bed. The tires are not pleasing to look at but can be hidden into dirt to make a small garden plot that will increase your vegetable yield. Think of the tires as rubberized hotbeds. Because they are black, they hold the heat and warm the soil. This gives the plants protection as well as a jump-start on growth. Some seeds such as garlic, onions, spinach, lettuce and Jerusalem artichokes can be planted in the fall; they will come up in the springtime.
Tires propose little risk when used as a raised bed. Because tires are made of a rubber compound that is tightly bonded, they do not leach poisons into the soil. This is great because it takes a tire that otherwise would end up in the landfill and uses it for a much higher purpose, that of producing food with a minimum of effort. Rubber is much safer to use in your garden than railroad ties or treated lumber that may have chemicals such as copper and arsenic soaked into them. Rubber will not rot, which makes tires very durable; once you get them in place, they will last for decades.
