Is this the new Earthbox

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JUW8RE/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&s=garden

I have been wanting some of these forever. I seem to remeber some talk about a new design coming out last year. ( I could clearly be confused, just say so). I wanted to get in on the free shipping with these, but it all the sudden hit me that maybe they are the old ones that are not as good.........or are they as good? Any help welcome.

I think you would get a better deal by buying direct at www.earthbox.com for $29.95 plus freight. Even better deals on three or more.
I just checked the shipping charge and for one EB it is $3.98 so for $34 you certainly would have a better deal than Amazon...

This message was edited Dec 4, 2007 12:37 PM

Yes, thanks. I was going to start with ones that came complete with mix and additives first. Those are 52.95 on the earthbox site, so 49.95 isnt that big of a savings, but the shipping helps. If I was to buy the ones 'stripped', I would go with the special 5/125.00 with the irregular caster holes. I dont really need them anyway. Do you think it would be better to buy my own 'stuff' to put in the box...I just want it so badley to come out right the first time!

Sure! Buy the mix and lime at your local nursery and you will SAVE MORE MONEY. EACH EB TAKES 2 CU FT OF CONTAINER MIX AND I USE JUNGLE GROWTH BUT YOU CAN ALSO USE STA-GREEN OR MIRACLE GRO.

Alrighty, thanks so much! I already use jungle grow myself, get it at lowes. I guess it will say in the directions, but I guess you just put a certain amount of lime and dry fertilizer on the top. Im so excited to get started. As beautiful and warm as it has been tho, we will get a freeze or two. Have to hold my horses and just prepare for a few more months.

Instructions come with the EBs. Just follow them exactly and take your time with the setup so you don't make a mistake although I don't see how one could as the directions are simple and pictorial?

Do you have any suggestions for the moistening of the potting mix? That was my only set-up problem, and it worked (eventually) but was very messy.

I just ordered mine. So I would love any suggestions on the 'secrets' you have learned

I use a pailfull for the packing of the corners. Wet enough to form a mud patty and pack it into the corners as suggested in the instructions. After that I pour the mix, a half at a time and wet it thoroughly before applying the final amount and mixing the dolomie lime into the very top layer and lastly the two cup, two inch line of10-10-10 fertilizer.
Is this your first EB order? How many did you order?

Yes, first order...I ordered 10. Since I cheaped out and ordered the groups of 5, I got 2 sets. I had saved up tha much to get just five of the 'set-up'ones. Im not going to take on all 10 at once, want to try some daylily seedlings in a couple. If that works, I will have wished I ordered 10 sets....( Or more like I wish I had the money for 10 sets...then some more cash to fill them with.) Im just thrilled to get these after wanting them so long.

What a coincidence as I want to plant daylilies in one of the newer ones that I will be ordering after they relocate our mobile home. We are the guardians of Pembroke Pines Elementary School and live on school grounds and they are building a new cafeteria and expanding the parking area and we are in the way so we will be moved about 100 feet to the south. Never grew daylilies so I thought I'd try. Don't know how many but did contact EB people about gladiola and they told me eight per or four on each side. Grew glads in-ground last season and they were magnificent so I know they will be fantastic in an EB. Let me know when your EBs arrive and I'll walk you thru the set up if you need any advice....

Ted
PS -- Ordering another staking kit today as they work very well..

This message was edited Dec 5, 2007 12:08 PM

Thanks so much. And you let me know when you want some daylilies or unbloomed named daylily seedlings to put in yours. I will send some. I have been wondering how much more, if any, heat some of these really can take. Lots of the big daylily growers are in orlando, the Salters just moved near me :-). Its hard to breed a plant that is cold hardy and sun proof as well.

Thank you for your generous offer but everything is on HOLD till after our big move as I don't know when that will be? They will give us two weeks notice and put us up in a hotel during the move. Very difficult living like this as I can't make plans for any new gardening. Good thing most my plants are in EBs and containers as they can be moved. Your EBs will probably arrive in less than two weeks as they are pretty prompt with shipping.

gardenglory --- Go to your Lowes right aWAY AND BUY A 40LB BAG OF DOLOMITIC LIME. Just found out that they are discontinueing it. They still have the other lime but dolomite is much better and harder to find.

Cant go till about 6:30...but headed there this evening. Will let you know if I score. I take it since you said lowes, HD doesnt carry it.

Mine does not!!!

Gardenglory,
Take if from me. If Paw tells you to do something -- DO IT!

Paw, are all the Lowe's discontinuing, or is it just the ones in your area? Cause if that's the case, I'm running to my local Lowes too! 40 lb. bag -- how much was your cost?

I got their last five bags. I use it for daylilies as well. Guess I will be keeping my eyes peeled for other outlets. I would be so upset to get the EB's, then not be able to get them up to speed.

Well that's bizarre - why did they decide to stop carrying dolomitic lime?

Are you referring to pelletized lime, rather than the powder?

Hmmm...I wonder if it is a seasonal item where ya'll live. Think they got rid of it for the Winter (making room for Christmas gifts in that aisle)?

doccat, dolomitic lime normally comes as a powder but I've seen it pelletized (it's more expensive!). Dolomitic lime offers magnesium in addition to calcium while other lime doesn't.

Shoe

Actually it is seasonal and I don't mind paying a bit more for the lack of mess. You should wear a mask when working with the powdered kind.

doccat - I can always count on you!

I can see where you'd need the addtional trace elements working with a container. Please just take good safety precautions for yourself. Lime is not particularly toxic, but you will not feel good when you get done. I keep a stake of inexpensive painter's masks with my gardening necessities. I garden organically so I rarely need em, but their handy to have close by.

Dolomite lime is pellitized and does not drift and a mask is not needed but to wear one would be safe and it does have a much higher mineral content but most important it releases slowly into the soil or container thus the big advantage with EBs. The powdered lime does drift terribly and in addition to a mask one should also wear a long sleeve shirt and goggles. It dissolves rapidly and would not be very beneficial to an EB. Don't know why they discontinued it but they have done this with other products such as the cedar containers that I use for my landscaping. After buying about thirty full size and quarter size they told me they are not getting anymore. I traveled So Fl to Lowes stores and bought all I could to finish my work but still need more. They seem to sucker you in then leave you hanging when you need more.
I checked with private nurseries in my area but they also do not carry dolomite or any lime as our soil is neutral but it is needed for containers and one said they just don't have enough demand for it. Before Lowes I used to mail order and it cost me a small fortune plus heavy freight charges. However I'll keep looking!!

"Dolomite lime is pellitized ", says TPlant.

As stated in my post above, just so ya'll don't think that all pelletized lime is dolomite, it comes in both powder and pellet form. Always read the label (especially to make sure you are not buying something like slaked lime (hydrated lime).

And as for those mask, boy howdy! I've broadcasted enough of that powder and it sure will go up your nose if you're not careful! Not too good on your lungs, either!

T, hope you can find an ongoing source. I wonder if local feed stores/ag stores might carry it regularly.

Shoe

Farmer -- I tried them the other day. The farm stores no longer carry much in the way of lime cause they say our soil does not require it and most all the farms have sadly sold out to developers. Thirty tears ago we were surrounded by dairy farms and cattle. So beautiful! All gone now....
As far as the lime is concerned I guess I'll have to ride around So Fl and check all Lowes stores as I tried calling some and they don't know what I'm talking about. I went to one and what they thought was dolomite was hydrated lime. They didn't even know there were different types of lime? I hate when someone pretends to be knowledgeable! If I can't find any I guess I'll just have to use the lime they have in stock. I could use the dolomite from the EB people but it would cost me over $100 for the amount needed for twenty-two EBs as they sell it in set-up kits only.

Are there any small garden shops in your area that might sell it, Tplant? Maybe a little mom and pop operation could be persuaded to order some for you?

I know I get mine from the independent local nursery. It's probably a lot more expensive than the large bags you were able to get, and the smaller box wouldn't last you very long with all your boxes, but at least it's out there.

Is online ordering an option at all, Tplant? I Googled "dolomitic lime", and found at least one site that carries it: http://www.yardlover.com/products.php?pid=344 There were a bunch of others, too, so you might find a better deal than that one.

Thanks Jill but I'll not give up my search. When buying heavy items (40lb bag) on line the cost of freight makes it prohibitive. A bag used to cost about $4 at Lowes. There must be someplace in my area that carries it?

Could you substitute garden gypsum for the calcium in the dolomite lime and epsom salts to get the magnesium? I buy the 25 lb. bag of Espoma gypsum at my local Agway. In addition to 1 - 2 cups of regular organic fertilizer I add a cup of gypsum and 1 cup of rock phosphate when I set up the Earthboxes each season. I add 2 tbs of epsom salts around each plant when I first transplant tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. When they bloom and when they set I foliar spray a mixture of 1 tbs. epsom salts per gallon of water. I follow the epsom salt routine whether the plants are in an Earthbox or the ground. I don't know whether the gypsum would be cost effective for you or not but it is also impossible to find dolomite lime in eastern PA because they say our soil contains it naturally. Good luck in your search! Jessica

Jessica --- That is what they say about our soil here in SE Fl. At one time we were under water and when digging I find several types of shells but the nurseries do not take into consideration that many of us grow in containers for one reason or another and need the dolomite. If worse comes to worse I will use your formula for lime. Meanwhile I will e-mail Lowes and ask why they discontinued it?

TPlant,

It just occurred to me that the potting soil I used for the first time last summer already contained dolomitic and calcitic limestone. It was the Pro Mix BX I found at my local Agway. I had seen that recommended on DG so decided to try it. Checking online this morning revealed that all the Pro Mix varieties contain limestone to balance the acidity. See http://www.premierhort.com/eProMix/Horticulture/Products/GrowingMediaCat/Mycorise/fBiostimulant.htm The comparative chart is helpful to determine what each variety contains.

If you can get that for your Earthboxes it might be the answer. I bought it in the large compressed bag and added my amendments listed above as well as worm castings. I really liked the consistency of the Pro-Mix and so did my plants! Do you have Agways in Florida?

I tried to find out if the Sta-Green or Jungle Growth contained limestone but the web is not very helpful. I think they don't.

Good luck, Jessica

This message was edited Dec 9, 2007 2:30 PM

Thanks Jessica ---- We no longer have Agway in our area but a friend told me about a feed and seed store in the town of Davie which is only about five miles from me so I will try tomorrow.
I also have meters that tell me the PH and amount of fertilizer in the soil. PH diminishes after a season and lime must be added to bring it to 6.5 which is best for my plants. It would be far to expensive for me to replace my mix every season for the lack of lime.

Good point about not changing the mix every year. So I guess I'll just keep adding the gypsum and maybe some pellitized calcium I get from Garden's Alive. A gardener friend told me last year that it was better to add gypsum rather than dolomite lime but I can't remember why! I envy you being able to start plants now. I'm still trying to finish the "Fall" cleanup! Jessica

gardadore, the gypsum will add calcium (sulfate) but not change the pH. If you add lime it'll change your pH so since the potting soil you already use has lime in it then you most likely don't want to add more.

Tplant, crossing my fingers you find dolomite. I know how much you enjoy container growing. (Ya'll should see some of his pics!)

Shoe

Shoe -- Flip is going to search down his way for my lime tomorrow so maybe between the two of us we will find some?

Good going! I's about to hitch up the mule and wagon and start in your direction with a delivery!

Keep us posted.

Shoe

Shoe ---- I BELIEVE YOU!!! LOL LOL

*grin

By the way, TPlant...off topic for a second. How'd the corn crop do? Or is it still coming along?

Shoe