Growing Veggies in my Earthboxes

My babies don't look healthy. The leaves are curling up. I'm thinking one of two things: when I water them from the top the water drains into the drip pans they're in and I've just let them sit in the water. The first time it was not a lot, and they drank that up too in no time. But, lately, it's been more water they've been sitting in. There's no easy way to pour off the water, except to take all 16 of the 16 oz. styrofoam cups out of the tray to empty the excess water.

The second problem could be the room temp, which is kind of warm and stagnant. The air vent isn't open in that room, which is kinda closed most of the day. The air isn't breezy. I opened a window tonight to cool the room off. I'll see what happened overnight. Also, looks like I forgot to turn on the flourescent lights this morning, so they were without light all day today.

I'm thinking if this weekend is warm enough, I might just put them outside for awhile so they get a good breeze. What'd ya'll think?

Gym:

Do you have a small fan you can put in the room? The lack of moving air may be a problem. I think most people here will tell you not to let the seedlings sit in standing water. I leave a little in my pans because my room is very, very warm and they seem to like the little extra water.

Hope this helps

BB

There must be a reason why the nurseries don't use the inexpensive foam or plastic cups but instead pay a premium price for plastic containers? I think if the cups are in a flat tray with standing water, no circulation and inadequate light you are asking for root rot! I use a 72 cell seed flat with a tray below it to catch any excess water, plus a small fan on them after they are about two inches tall and only water from the bottom tray and never directly on the soil.
Meanwhile I still have a lot of prepareation work to do with the remainder of my EBs as I still have to clear out some of the seriously infected tomato plants. My tomato crop was almost completely destroyed by a virus but they continued to produce excellent tomatos. They now look so pitiful that I must clean house and depend on my four store bought hybrids of two Homestead and two Better Boys.
I want to plant some more melons over the week-end with some unusual melon seeds from SSE. I'll not use as much fertilizer this year. Instead of the usual two cups of 10-10-10 I'll only use one cup and no lime at all as I learned melons do not prefer lime. Hope Farmerdill picks up on this if I am wrong and perhaps I should use a lower concentrate of N ???

TPlant:

I seriously overplanted on the seedlings this year. You are welcome to some to help replenish your stock. I've never mailed seedlings so we'd have to work through that issue. Dmail me if you are interested.

I also just ordered 10 EBs so I'll be picking your brain!

BB

Thanks BB but I think they would only become infected with the virus that we have. I bought four hybrids and they may have some resistance. Also it will be to hot and humid very soon for tomatos and that is why I'm growing veggies and melons for now until next October when I plant my tomato seedlings. As for overplanting, I started 72 peppers. Lord knows what I will do with the excess as I can only use twelve??

Do you recommend the staking system that is sold with the EBs? Or do you use another staking system?

Thanks BB & Paw.

I have a small fan that I'll turn on this evening, start watering from the bottom and removing any excess water from the pans.

Regarding your 10-10-10 Paw, which brand do you use? Also, talk to me about Messenger and how much I'll need for the mater season. I already have the BBG on the list, but there was one other pesticide ya'll were talking about. I have 5 EBs and about five to eight 5-gallon buckets to put maters in. What's my estimated Plant Out Date (POD) date? I'm thinking two more weeks.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH!!! I'm NOT ready! And, I'll need HOW MUCH potting mix for 5 EBs and 8 buckets? I've located the Scott's Miracle Grow potting mix in 55 cubic ft. bags at Sam's Club for $9.75/bag. How many should I look to buy?

And we haven't even begun to talk trellises!

I AM sooooooooooooooo NOT ready!!! This is like getting ready to deliver a baby.....

GYM:

Take a Deeeep breath!!

The plants can smell your fear :-)

You'll do fine

BB

That's what ALL men say until the baby gets here!

LOL

You got me there!!

LOL

BB

Gymgirl --- You will need 2 cu.ft. per EB. Brand name of fertilizer does not matter. Just go by the numbers of 10-10-10 a very common fertilizer and also get the dolomite lime for tomatos only. Not to be used with other veggies. Tomatos love lime.

Paw,
I figured out what was happening to my seedlings when I came home unexpectedly early yesterday evening, and BEFORE my DDH (and that first D is NOT dear....) could make it into my plant room to turn the flourescent lights BACK on. I thought the day before I had just forgotten to turn them on. But, the second day confirmed a growing suspicion -- that my DCHEAP husband, who runs around turning off a light as soon as you move to get a glass of water, was turning my grow lights off as soon as I leave for work in the morning, and turning them back on just before I get home.

I am soooooooooooo PO'd today, I could chew nails! In my utter and total frustration thinking about all the time and money I'm investing here (and I DO mean quite a bit of $$$), I started moving the healthiest, sturdiest seedlings to windowsills all over the house. They are responding almost immediately to the light and the gentle breeze coming into the windows. I also sat about 7 cups outside this morning. Probably need to bring them in now and rotate out a few more. My heart is heavy today, and I'm trying hard not to get depressed to the point of immobility.

Thanks for the info about the fert. I tried at Lowe's, but they didn't have 10-10-10. They did have the dolomite though. I'm gonna go with that 55 cu.ft. bag of MG potting mix for the EBs. That should fill up at least all 5. Are there any special instructions for putting the tomatoes in those 5 gallon buckets? I actually had some 40 gallon and at least two 100-gallon buckets, too.

Oh Man!!!

Where did he sleep last night????


Tplant: A few questions

I saw some 13-13-13 fertilizer yesterday at the store. Is that safe to use?

Do you replace your soil in your Ebs each year or do you amend and re-use?

BB

The EB people say you could use any formula if all numbers are below 15 but I prefer to stay lower and keep the nitrogen down. I use 10-10-10 and it is very common fertilizer and should be available everywhere especially at Lowes. I do not replace my mix but simply add to it when setting them up.

Gymgirl ---- Sorry about your husband's obsession with electricity but flourescents hardly use any. I doubt if you will get the best results from a windowsill. You can leave the flourescents on all night and let him turn them off in the morning! Sounds like you have a "scrouge?" LOL

Paw,
It's ok to leave the lights on at night? Dr.C. said they need nighttime to produce something or other...If that's the case, that'll do it!

P.S. The plants on the windowsill were the hardiest ones, and they seem to be responding to the light on the sills in the bathroom. In fact, I cracked the widow and let in some cool air that blowing across them gently, so I think I'm actually hardening them off inside. I did take them outside Saturday and put them in a shady spot for a coupla - FIVE - hours. It was quite warm out, so I figured it wouldn't hurt them. At this point, I ready to go with whatever makes it is worthy of a spot in the EB!

P.S. No one has responded about how to put seedlings in the 5-Gallon buckets, so I guess there's no trick to it, right? Just drill some holes in the bottoms and put some styrofoam in the bottom to help drainage, plant, water and wait and see?

If your plants are in a dark place I suggest you turn on the lights at night creating your own day and night. This way your DH, if you still call him that, can't shut the light off. As far as the container is concerned just drill five or six 1/4 in holes in the bottom use rocks or whatever and fill with potting mix. Don't forget to add a cup of dolomite lime.(tomatos only)

Ok,
Thanks, Paw! Will do. I'm thinking plant out definitely weekend after next? Maybe? How big do the seedlings need to be first?

Six to eight weeks old.

Great! The first weekend in March makes them 8 weeks and four days!