Hi everyone I'm new to the foram.I was wondering does anyone have an earthbox? I was thinking about ordering one but they are kind of expensive.If anyone has tried one please let mr know. thanks, Nan in NC

-- NAN (graf nan@HOTMAIL.com), January 07, 2001

Answers

Hello there NAN, welcome to the forum! What is an earthbox?

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), January 07, 2001.

Hi Cathy, Thanks for responding. An earthbox is sort of a special container to grow plants/ veggies in that has a 2 gallon water reservoir in it and a place for fertilizer. It looks pretty good on paper but they cost about $30.00 ea. I'm pretty good at growing things but any time saver is worth a try. Thanks again, Nan

-- Nan (graf_nan@hotmail.com), January 07, 2001.

(stumped) Hmmm Nan what is an earthbox?

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), January 07, 2001.

I'm interested in the EarthBox too, NAN. But, like you, I think they're kind of expensive and would like to hear from others who've tried them out before I plunk down any money.

Here's a link for those of you not familiar with EarthBox:

-- Jim Morris (prism@bevcomm.net), January 07, 2001.

Sorry, here is the correct link:

EarthBox

-- Jim Morris (prism@bevcomm.net), January 07, 2001.

These were discussed a couple of weeks ago and there should be something also in the archives.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), January 07, 2001.

PS: Nan, your email address does not seem to be working.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), January 07, 2001.

They look really productive and easy. I have never had much luck gardening but I might give something like this a shot. Maybe I will order one and see If I have as much sucsess as they claim. I could take it apart and try to duplicate it.

-- Mark in NC Fla (deadgoatman@webtv.net), January 07, 2001.

Hi Nan, Welcome to the forum. I dont know much about earthboxes!

-- Sarah from NC (Caswell995@cs.com), January 07, 2001.

I've used them for two years now and I like them, altho they have mixed results for me. I garden organically, so maybe my fertilizers aren't quite right for everything in an Earthbox, I'm still refining my methods. Tomaoes work GREAT in them, as a matter of fact, they were the only red ripe ones I got this last cold summer because I grew them in a hoop house where they got extra warmth. They were delicious.

Herbs have also grown well in them for me, and greens. The pumpkin vine wasn't a roaring success -- it got powdery mildew which was so present this year, but then, we're not really a long enough growing period for them, altho I still try. They wouldn't work well for a root crop like potatoes (but you can grow those in extra large flowerpots and other containers), altho they advocate them for onions, and I would imagine short-rooted carrots would be okay. They would probably excell for mesculin mixes for salad people.

Oh yeah, the eggplants were pretty good in them too, and would probably be a boon to anyone with verticillum or fusarium wilt in their garden soil, since this uses a potting mix that never contacts the infected soil. They are kind of pricey as an original outlay of money, but since I've used them two years so far, that halves the price, and they have stood up very well, altho stored outside in winter, when drained, none cracked.

The soil can supposedly be reused several years before you need to change it, and even then, I figure on composting it and putting it into the rest of my garden to improve soil texture. People who live in limited areas of more hostile climates may find them very helpful, homesteaders with large gardens in generous climates (and/or on very tight budgets) probably can forego them, or try other containers. I used some black 6 gallon pots for nearly 20 years growing tomatoes and flowers with the same soil, just fertilized it every year with compost and liquid fish/seaweed.

If you do have a short growing season with threatening frosts in late spring, early fall, container growing may be for you. Some people in our town with a tiny half-acre lot have their boxes in shopping carts that they roll out onto the driveway in the morning, and into the garage at night in iffy weather (also keeps down night-time marauders). I've tried other self-watering containers that have copied Earthbox, but haven't liked any nearly so well as theirs.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), January 07, 2001.

I have plans for a float bed that is used by thousands of tobacco farmers for growing transplants.It could be modified for this purpose ,and is far,far cheaper.

All those frugal farmers can't be that wrong!

I never knew of them til I moved to tobacco country.I should have made a bunch of them,instead of getting a greenhouse.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 07, 2001.

Sharon: what do you mean by a floatbed??? Would they work in the cold of Michigan???

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 07, 2001.

Yeah, me too!! Please tell about float beds! Are they anything like solar pods?

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), January 08, 2001.

I'm looking for the plans.If I don't find them,I'll call the Extension agent to get another copy.That may take a bit.He's a good guy,but a bit disorganized.We love him,tho.

The best I can describe it is a tall raised bed with a hoop structure covering it.It is plastic lined, then soilless mix(Promix is favored here) is put in it.It is usually heated with just a few light bulbs,but other methods work as well.Water is irrigated in, about twice a day,thus the float bed.You can add soluable fertilizer this way as well, although transplants require little.You can also grow the transplants in packs, placed on the plastic, and irrigated.

It is mostly used to grow tobacco transplants, but our one farmers mkt grower does all his vegetable transplants this way,including corn.He says they grow faster-3 weeks on tomatoes, for example.

It should be able to be made tall enough to also serve as a growing bed,if you wanted.You can make them any size you need,really.

I think it would be considered an irrigated hot frame. It is really inexpensive.Just some lumber, bendable pipe of some sort,or fiberglass rods,your plastic top & bottom, and,Electric-make sure it's on a GFCI-or other heat source for the cold days.

Email me if you want the plans,and I'll get them to you when I get them.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 08, 2001.

Here I am with questions again...do you know which Promix? Our center carries 3 or 4 different kinds, including one that has NO nutrients at all, so if you used that, you'd be doing a type of hydroponics?

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), January 09, 2001.

Julie-Here,I use the promix with lime but no nutrients for transplants.So you would add your fertilizer with your water,in that case.I use a soluable kelp and soluable fish fertilizer that is suitable for irrigation systems.

With transplants, especially early on, I don't fertilize much,anyway,waiting till I get the second leaves.And then only very lightly, yes like hydroponics.The grower that used it kept transplants in a very short time.He claimed they just grew faster in these float beds.He's along term market grower,so I trust his info on this.

I'll try to track down my notes.My filing system has been neglected.Everything's in a pile.Too many other things to do in 2000.Hectic year.

Our agent is out of town till the end of the week,but I'll get up with him,then.I found a materials list,but not the plans themselves.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 09, 2001.