Tire Hothouses Help Start Plants Early

Tire Hothouses Help Start Plants Early CROPS New Techniques Bud Bullard of Sigurd Utah says you can use old tires to create mini hothouses to get an early start on your garden     He has access to front-end loader and rock truck tires and uses a reciprocating saw to cut the tops back to the tread to maximize space But any size tire works he says     Depending on the weather he fills them with vegetable plants in March or April waters them well and covers the top of the tire with Plexiglas     “Condensation will build up if the top of the tire opening is completely covered ” Bullard says The extra moisture is helpful especially when the plants are young     He waters whenever the plants look droopy and monitors the temperature carefully     “As the days warm up prop the glass up with a brick or stick during the day At night let the glass back down ” he says “When the chance of frost has passed remove the glass and enjoy neighbor envy as they see how thick and hearty your plants look ”     Bullard says he has planted in tire hothouses for 20 years and planted a variety of vegetables including peppers squash and tomatoes He plants 6 to 8 tomato plants in the largest tires and likes to plant squash in smaller tires     Besides starting plants early the tires extend the season Bullard notes When frost threatens he covers the plants with the Plexiglas     He keeps the soil in the tires over the winter and adds fertilizer and turkey mulch sawdust and turkey manure in the spring before planting     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bud Bullard P O Box 570071 Sigurd Utah 84657 ph 435 896-8324

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