RE: Tire Shreds for the Garden?

Not sure if there are any detailed research on the effects of using this type of material as mulch, but personally I would not use it.
 
We get all the shedded wood we need from the city at no charge.  They even deliver it to our garden (good relationship).  Most tree arborists or surgeons also give away
their grounded up trees and limbs at no cost.
 
I would be worried about the heat giving off by using this stuff as well.  It is certainly not aesthetic as using wood chips. 
 
I understand the need to recycle spent tires but maybe not to be used in this manner (playgrounds, gardens).  I understand the cost of shedded tires is not cheap,  but when you can acquire wood chips for free, hmmm....  
 
The reason why this material was chosen was because those in power wanted to fix the problem one last time regardless of the price, its aesthetics and ramifications.
 
Think about it, ask a bunch of kids to sit in the grass or mulched area (shedded wood) and play during the summer heat.  Now, ask them to sit on the asphalt and play. 
 
Hope this helps,  Jim
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: community_garden-admin@mallorn.com [mailto:community_garden-admin@mallorn.com]On Behalf Of Bill Maynard
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 7:19 PM
To: community_garden@mallorn.com
Subject: [cg] Tire Shreds for the Garden?

I visited a elementary school garden today and was shocked to see them trying to use fine tire shreds to control weeds in the pathways around their raised beds.  They had just moved about 5 yards into the garden site with another 35 yards waiting to be moved in.  It was originally donated for under the playground equipment to replace old wood chips…as the cost of these tires shreds is high to replace .. the school decided not to put it in… so what to do with it? Put it in the garden to try to control the grasses in the pathways about 4-6” think!

 

My questions are:

has anyone used this product before for this purpose?

Has there been any studies on leaching of toxins from the shredded tires?  ...also in the process of moving the shreds much was spilled into the corn planting area and now the plants will grow in it…and as an extra feature it has that pleasant rubber smell to it  L

I cant imagine when the temperature gets up to 107 what it will be like for this year round school…

 

School officials say that it is approved for playground use….i cant imagine that is approve for around edibles..i know what my gut feelings are on this… but need some more info on this before the school will have to pay to have it removed.

 

Thanks for the feed back

 

Bill Maynard

 

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