IMHO: TSK (Tomato Success Kit) Wins Over EB

Moonglow: Thanks for that link, and those tomatoes will be red soon. LOL Looking good. The information you have and put out is important and right what I have been needing.
joy

OH BOOOOOOOOOOO! Chargers? C'mon Annapet! :)

Watch....once you get one, two or a dozen ripen.......you will be flooded. Can't wait to see your great pics.

I have used the GS and EB units for several years and prefer the EB units while regarding the GS units as a quality product. As others have noted the fill tube on the GS units is the weak spot. They are so narrow that filling with a garden hose on full blast can't be done (with my hose anyway). Also, the bottom cap often falls off during the season rendering the water level indicator useless. The cover to the fill tube has always gotten brittle and cracked off before the end of the second season.

Another thing I don't like about the GS container is the overflow is on the bottom of the container instead of on the side like with EBs. I like being able to see that water is overflowing so I know the box is full. In many cases I can't really tell if the GS box is full, especially since I no longer have working fill tubes with water level indicators. For those who need to be able to divert overflow elsewhere, this would be near impossible with GS boxes, but a breeze with EBs.

A bead of superglue before sliding on the water tube cap fixes the problem of it coming off during the season.

Since all my tubes are broken (dogs used them for a chew toy) I have found that plastic soda bottles work really well as a replacement. I think they are 16oz bottles, not positive. Anyway, just put them over the hole in the bottom (top down) and move mix around them to secure in place. They do not fit into the hole (almost), but they don't have to. The nice, wide opening of the bottle makes watering a breeze. Also, unless it's super bright outside it makes seeing into the reservoir easy so I can see the water level.

I purchased one Grow Patch box this year to evaluate. Overall I think it's decent, but feels flimsy to me. What I really liked was no fill tube at all. I figured since my dogs had been stealing fill tubes on all my SWCs this would make them dog proof. Not!. My dogs finally got it through their heads to leave my gardens alone (they were puppies so who can blame them), but now they want to drink from the GP reservoir. I wouldn't care too much, except I put water soluble fert in the reservoir. Also seems like they would be a mosquito breeding ground although there are already enough mosquitos in the area that it probably makes no difference.

For my money any future purchases would be EBs, but I have respect for the GS and GP boxes as well. I don't think anyone would go wrong with any of the 3.

thanks for your input, justaguy2. the drip irrigation made the GS/TSK fill-tube non-issue for me but duly noted on earlier posts that it's a bit small. how long ago did you have GS/TSK? i believe it has been redesigned. i'll make notes on the fill-tube quality.

since water overflow is a pet peeve, i consciously used a watering can to make sure i knew how much i was filling - NO OVERFLOW. i must admit, IT WAS A LOT OF WORK. lol. it's a non-issue now with a drip irrigation programmed how much to fill each day.

mark, don't make fun! FLOOD...hmn, must be coming soon...i see TWO (2) SUNGOLDS today. (yes, my computer is right by the deck. i can see my tomatoes....at least a dozen of them. LOL.

happy gardening!

Moonglow, the GS TSK I have are probably around 4-5 years old, but I see the exact same fill tube on many of their current catalog items. At least it looks the same. It's clearish plastic, wide on top and then narrows to 1/2" or so diameter. The problem I had with them when they worked was the narrow tube plus the stuff inside to indicate water levels reduced the flow rate from my hose to the point where I couldn't just stick the hose in and top off.

Certainly with an automated, measured system like you have it would be a non issue.

Also, for those who don't care about the amount of overflow or where it goes, replacing the fill tube with an inverted plastic soda bottle works well and allows the use of the hose full blast for topping off. It may look 'ghetto', but it's functional ;)

thanks, justaguy2! i do like functionality of things! and i totally think the size and make of EB tube is awesome (i'm looking at it right now). i don't know why GS won't do that for TSK. they can still put a gauge thingy. 4-5 years old is great news to me. they are not cheap, so i hope they last longer.

the Grow Patch Staking Kit is a look i like. it's probably not too tall for most tomatoes i grow, but pretty enough on the deck.

have you tried it? thanks.

sincerely,

annapet

I have not used any of the staking kits marketed with SWCs. Perhaps they have improved since I last looked, but at my last look none of them appeared even remotely sturdy enough for indeterminate tomatos or melons. For stuff like snow peas or peppers they would be fine, but for larger/heavier stuff there just hasn't been enough 'ooomph' to them.

Hi justaguy2!
I haven't used any other staking systems except those for Earthboxes, but I have found that the commercial ones you can purchase for EBs do a good job of supporting large, indeterminate tomato plants, as well as cukes and zukes. The plastic "feet" that support the staking system help to spread to weight so they don't tip and the hollow metal supports seem quite sturdy. You can also reuse the trellis-string that comes with the system for some years--I'm on my third year. Unless you do something dumb like accidentally cut it while "freeing up" a tomato! (guilty of this!)

justaguy2, i completely get what you mean about the inadequate support for melons. for most heirloom tomatoes, TSK cages are too short. GS offer extensions now and for the existing kits, i shall try. for next year, my cages will be made of welded wire mesh. hubby will cut and assemble them pretty enough for tomatoes on the deck.

CapeCodGardener, the EB staking system is too commercial looking for me. GP's bamboo look appeals to me...will make my version with real bamboos. easier to look at.

i must admit, that's my shallow end...they have to look pretty.

thanks for your input =).

Moonglow - thanks much for posting your experiences. I use the EBs and like them a lot. The boxes are durable and well designed. The only problem is that they are a bit smaller than I would like, specifically for tomatoes, where the root system could keep growing in a bigger container.

As for the fill tube, staking system, and blowing over - I've found that none of the commercial staking systems are worth their cost. I built my own and have had a ton of success. I included a picture from last week - each plant is about 5 ft high and will most likely top out the staking system that has suspended stakes almost 7 ft high. As you can see, they are on my roof in downtown Chicago and it can get windy up there. These things haven't moved an inch in two years.

To solve the small reservoir issue I installed EBs automatic watering system and it works beautifully. It also covers the fill tube so no mosquitoes. I've been on two 1 week vacations and no problems at all.

I think both products can yield results as long as you compensate for any design flaws respectively. Thanks again.

Wow, Tyrus, that is one great-looking roof-top garden! Congratulations!

Tyrus: That is one great looking staking system there.

I'm glad someone brought this thread back, I was trying to find that one with the edamine in it, as I want a nitrogen producing plant.

Ray: I looked at your plant pic and discovered I have some of those ice plants myself; but they are in the wrong place, dumby me has them in the front yard, I thought they were baby cactuses, someone had given me them as a gift.
joy

CapeCodGardener,

Thanks much. I appreciate the compliment. When I started researching how to grow vegetables (successfully) out of containers on my roof, I had a "has to look good" criteria. Like a true Chicagoan however, I also wanted form to follow function. Having the EBs sit inside the wooden channels serves more of a utility than aesthetic value. The channels are 10 ft long and span the weight of the boxes over that length. Also, I can fasten trellises, wind barriers, and my AWS to the outside of them. Like Moonglow mentioned, the narrow design of the EB, combined with their sub-par staking system can lead to tipping over. My system addresses the EB weaknesses straight on. My only reservation is that the boxes may be a tad small for certain vegetables. Not that it doesn't work well with tomatoes, I just believe that it may work better if there was more room for root development. I've been very happy thus far. Although I don't want to hijack this thread, here's another pic that shows the whole 150 sq ft garden (plenty of harvest for a family of three).

tyrus, thanks for posting. not hijacking at all. actually, i'm a fan of your rooftop garden. i posted a bit in the EB forum, but got scared of the other veterans there, lol.

you are correct, we have to compensate for design flaws. before i left for camping friday, i set up my drip system to run 3x a day, 3.5 gallons every 8 hours. the EBs still dried up!!! however, not enough for the tomatoes to wilt.

i think my tomatoes are getting so big, and watering system cannot keep up. i have to check if my timer can do 4 cycles instead.

annapet

Argh! If I have to build more stuff to make EBs really work for me, I'll go broke. With hollow blocks anchoring them, they still toppled over due to wind. Meanwhile, TSK tomatoes are happy.

With growing conditions here, EBs will definitely be home to my semi-determinate tomatoes next year. I think Gold Dust will grow beautifully in them.

tyrus and moonglow: Picture if you will my tables with EBs going side to side with tomatoes , your staking system, will it work? Here are my tables:

Need to tell you all about the newly redesigned GPs(agardenpatch.com).

They are absolutely horrible, I don't even know where to start at how bad the design is. I will never order another one until they revert back to their original ones.

- The box is narrower and has a much smaller soil/mix capacity. They can't even take 1.5 cu. ft. of mix.
- The wicking system is a joke. It allows soil/mix to easily get into the reservoir.
- The plastic it's made out of breaks easily.
- The fill hole is much, much smaller.

I'm beyond angry that I ordered and expected the same but got these inferior boxes. They really messed up imo.

The TSK(Tomato Success Kit from http://gardeners.com) is definitely looking like a winner. Expensive, yes! But they also just sell the box for $39.99. $10 more than the GP's but well worth it. It has a wide base and redesigned it perfectly. Digging the wicking system and the fill hole in front with a seal.

Stay away from GPs people. The old ones were very good for growing almost anything. The new ones are atrocious! Buyer beware!!

Ray: I have 6 GPs and they don't do as well as the EBs I have. They hold more water (I think I have the old ones), but, the soil doesn't stay moist like the EBs does, and I have mulch covers on both.
joy