I thought you could show or mention what you think of EBs weather the real(EB)earthboxes or the(HEB)homemade earthboxes?
My season of last winter-spring was great and this season(now) is producing fine tomatos. I'd like to know your opinion and if you had any difficulties? I live in So Fl and this is a current picture. I have been picking tomatos for the past two weeks.
Here is a few I picked yesterday with a lot more to come. Some of you know of me and know how I feel about EBs and their production but I would like to hear your opinion?
I grew 2 Health Kick tomato plants in a single box, and they grew just fine. I'm going to build a couple of HEB's this year and see how they perform.
The HKs, though, were fairly bland, so I'll be growing something else in them this year.
johnsonjrbm --- Waiting for others to clock in but after all this time no takers? However if you want good tasting tomatos go for heirlooms though you must raise them from seed as most nurseries don't sell them.
Yes, I'm starting 30 - 40 varieties this year, mostly heirlooms and other OPs. I was out pricing straw bales today, and may increase my garden space that way...
I got my first 3 EBs last year, grew tomatoes & hot peppers in them, everything thrived, but particularly the Sungold tomato & the Biker Billy jalapenos. I'm getting ready to pull out my EBs & try some early season crops-lettuce, broccoli,mesclun, radishes-as well as trying to WS some other seeds for transplanting later on....
I ordered five more EBs to grow cucumbers, beans and lettuce. Thought I'd diversify a little. Grew okra last season for my DIL and she said she never had such huge plants and this was from the same seed that she always used.
I had an off year compared to 2005. First my experiments: I tried Green Arrow peas with limited success (they needed trellising) although the few I got were delicious. I transplanted paprika peppers in the EB's when the peas were done. The squirrels loved them. And for some odd reason the dogs, which share the deck with the EB's, finished off the plants by either chewing them or pulling them out of the box. They haven't bothered any other plants. I grew butternut squash, again. with limited success. They got hit by one of the mildews so I got a few squash, some of them rather nice, but I wasn't overwhelmed.
I had two varieties of cukes. The Holland variety was great but the yield was disappointing. The Marketmores (I forget which one) also had a limited yield. They also had mildew, probably the same as the squash. My lesson from them is to start spraying as soon as I see any leaves and spray every day.
Finally, the tomatoes. I tried Jet Star and an heirloom that escapes my memory right now. The chipmunks and squirrels much preferred the heirloom but enjoyed the Jet Stars as well. And the yield for both was much reduced from last year. I am trying to figure out how to build a cage around the EB's.
I think that we had a much less good growing year and speaking with other local gardeners confirm this as many conventional gardens had reduced yields as well. The other factor is that I couldn't find ProMix to fill my new EB's and settled for some generic mix. I think it matters although I didn't perform a controlled experiment.
Like my poor friends that are Cubs fans, I voice their refrain "wait until next year."
If you can't find the potting mix that they suggest than use Miracle-Gro which is available most everywhere but as for the critters ?????? Are your EBs in full sun and do they get good air circulation?
Here in my part of the country square bails of hay are out . All farmers around here have those big round bails. I have a couple of good friends that are cattle farmers and could probably get one of them to deliver me a round bail but do not know what it would cost. I have unlimited amount of pine straw, will that do as a substitute? Thought of mixing old pine straw out of the woods along with leaves and chicken litter to experiment. How about putting a good mixture in a half of a fifty five gallon plastic drum and see what happens. Should I sterilize all this stuff? Here is what I think I am going to do. I will mix up enough pinestraw,leaves,dirt,chicken litter and fill up two half of a fifity five gallon plastic drum. I will sterilize on drum and put my mixiture in it then pour boiling water over all of it to serilize it. The other I will do nothing to it. I will plant the same kind of plant in each and see what happens. ohlay
You can't get potting mix? It would be a lot easier and I doubt very much that your mix would work in an EB?
Does anyone know where to get the directions for homemade earthboxes? My husband is handicapped to a motorized wheelchair and this method looks great to him. He is going to try the haybale method also this year. Our son could rig up the earthboxes if we can get the directions.
Thanks...Peg
Peg-
I believe the man's name who designed these is Joe. There are three links I have. The first one is a PDF that has several variations on that same theme, including a self-watering container. The second link is another one I found, where Joe says he has made some improvements. And since it is gardenweb, if you want to email him you can- great for those like me who might have questions :-) The third link is a smaller page with the same information that someone posted here on Davesgarden. My favorites list on Internet Explorer is filled with links like these that people post LOL- I'm an information packrat I must say.
I'm thinking of trying to make these- we'll see if I end up getting around to it with my work schedule (I do those big 12 hour days).
Samantha
http://www.hometown.aol.com/jmalt31/myhomepage/Earthbox.PDF
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0501044214330.html
http://www.josho.com/Earthbox.htm
Samantha...Thank you for all the help. I think I goofed up...I started another thread because I didn't remember where I asked the first one. Senior Mpment.....Thanks Peg
Thanks for your replies. I got my EB that I ordered today. Now that I can actually examine one up close, it's pretty easy to see how it's made. With the help of the links and pics you have posted for me, I think I could make one.
Thanks also for info on how they worked for you. As usual, I'm a little skeptical of things I try to make..................since I've tried a lot of things with inferior results. The older I get, the less I'm inclined to want to experiment with what 'might' work. LOL I got a fairly late start in life on this gardening thing, so no time to waste. LOL One more reason I really appreciate everyone here at DG.
