What I've read about all that Earthboxes promise, I was just wondering if they would be better than pots for growing Brugs.
Anyone tried this? Any reactions or comments?
Thanks.
Does anyone grow Brugs in an "Earthbox"?
I have not used the "Earthbox" but I do grow brugs in Gardeners Supply Co. deep-root self-watering planters. http://gardeners.com/Shopping/sell.asp?ProdGroupID=17304&DeptPGID=19180&lstCategory=0&RecGroupNum=3 (I think the "Earthbox" is similar to their regular self-watering planters http://gardeners.com/Shopping/sell.asp?ProdGroupID=11733&DeptPGID=19180&lstCategory=0&RecGroupNum=5) The self-watering planters have worked really well for me - the plants grow better because they don't get dried out on hot days like they do in regular pots. The main drawback is they are expensive - looks like the price went up too (I paid about $28 for mine and thought that was more than enough).
I have never seen an earthbox. But I do know Brugs like a deep pot. they put down a deep taproot immediately. The bigger the pot, the bigger the brug I have discovered!
I am thinking about planting some in muck buckets next year.
What's a muck bucket?
Kell;
I would value your opinion on the containers that Tom linked to. Are they deep enough, etc.?
http://www.statelinetack.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441770733&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302029101&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302024176&bmUID=1100235815076
http://www.shoptuffstuff.com/muck.htm
They are very large buckets used when mucking out stalls. I want something larger than 5 gallons.
This message was edited Nov 11, 2004 11:05 PM
I have several earthboxes and had already decided that I am going to try brugs in a couple this spring. I'll be interested to see how they do. I noticed this year that the plants I put in the ground, even though late in the year, did much better than those still in pots. I live in zone 8 and we haven't hit freezing yet so I may be speaking to soon. I think part of the problem with my potted brugs though was not a big enough pot.
Robinz
Dwdruley, I really do not know if having the water constantly available makes a big difference. It may esp if you feed it constantly! I looked up earthbox and it said the dimensions were 30"x15"x10-1 /2"h. Tom's pot was only 12 inches deep and I couldn't find its width. I would have to ask Tom if he grew his brugs all season in them and how big did his brugs get. Also if he has used bigger pots so he could let us know how they compare.
Personally, I would want to go with a much bigger pot. 18 to 20 inches deep is what I like. And if I could find one deeper I would! Even if it were not that wide.
I will say I have brought plants to bloom that were 6 to 7 ft tall in a 5 gallon pot which is about 12 inches deep. However, the plants are not full and lush though the trunk got to be a substantial diameter. I even have had some go to flower in a 1 gallon pot and they are pretty unappealing though I just want to see the flower. If it is a keeper, I just plant it up to a 15 gallon and even though it had been rootbound for months, it takes off immediately and catches up fast! LOL. I just went outside and I found a 5 ft brug in a 2 gallon pot that is a pretty strong looking brug. But it has no canopy to speak of though it is double branched.
My ideal pot for a big, lush brug is 20 to 25 gallons. I have some big, lush ones in 15 gallon but they fill the pot with roots half way thru the summer and then need more watering. My ideal is 20 to 25 gallons!
In the ground they take off fast and get huge. No doubt about it, they love being in the ground the most!
maryinla, do you put in drainage holes in the muck buckets? if you do how do you keep the water from going everywhere?
I bought a tub at the Dollar General that is similiar to the muck bucket to put my brugs in.... they seem to be doing fine. I don't have any holes so Maryinla I'm also wondering if you put holes in them..... do you just use them outside if they have holes...?
They are heavy to move around..... I have to get the DH, Dolly or just drag them along......
I don't have any yet, but yes, I would put drainage holes in them. I don't have any brugs inside, so the holes wouldn't matter.
Here are the pots that I use, $5 at Walmart. They're 15" wide at the top (inside diameter) & 15" tall. I put 8 holes in the bottom, & sink a bottomless 24 ounce pop bottle into the pot for deeper watering. I know that I took a picture of the bottle in the pot, but can't find it now. I turn the bottle upside down in the pot & sink it so that only an inch or so is sticking up out of the soil. When I water, I make sure that it gets filled as I'm watering the plant. If the soil is dry, the water runs out quickly, if the soil is moist, it stays in the bottle until it's needed.
Aren't you so clever Ronna! LOL
I started a thread on September 21/04, 'three amigos and seven seedlings...', (which I do not know how to 'hyperlink') regarding seedlings that I started in 'tomato boxes', which I purchased from Gardners' Supply - 8 boxes for my son and hubby for Father's Day. I liked the results so well that I just purchased new 'dirt' and after I get some seedlings up, I will put some of them in the tomato boxes in my GH to winter. I'm also going to do the log thing with cuttings and any other method that sounds good, for winter entertainment. I love the 'tomato box' methon, fast easy, my best brugs have been started this way and they are big and healthy. 'Naturally Pollinated' has had two flushes, one with three blossoms, and the current one with 6 beautiful blossoms that are almost 3 weeks old and have just started to decline. My other seedlings have no Yed yet and I'm hoping to get a 'tree' or two. I cannot wait to get new seeds in the ground!!!
Ronna;
Your method is the kind of idea I like. Economical, simple and labor saving.
Do you use just regular potting soil for your 15" pots or do you have some secret mix?
Also, do you use something like a 20-20-20 slow release fertilizer granule to cut down on that chore as well?
Thanks.
Mary -- I use those buckets in the horse barn. I buy them at Wal-Mart for around $4.95 apiece. I have thought of using them for brugs, but haven't gotten that far yet. Someone, I think Shannon, at ABADS uses them. The ones I buy are 18 gallons.
The trouble with them is they come in such terrible colors. I use them for clean up in my garden and carrying spoil around. UGLY!! But for the price they are fantastic!
I agree that they are not very pretty, which is why I have hesitated in using them. But now they come in black, and it would be easier to camoflage that with a drippy underplanting...
I've been using them for years
With drain holes in them(drilled)
I have found they tend to crack after 2 - 3 years
Especially when you try to pick them up by the handles
But they are cheap and easy to replace
in the fall I grab the seedlings out of the ground and put them all in those tubs,10-15 per tub,also my favorites each get their own tub
they stay there all winter(in the GH) and get sprung in the spring
Somewhere ?????? I have the web sites for making your own earthboxes. Also one using five gallon buckets.
If anyones interested, Ill find the sites.
I would imagine that you could use the plans to make any size self waterer you wanted. Two muck buckets ?? Two garbage cans ??
By all means, Butttonwillow.
I think that would be a great contribution!
My brugs in the self-watering planters grew to about 6 or 7 ft tall by fall. They were full, healthy plants with lots of blooms. I have my smaller plants in "regular" flower pots and they do OK. But I've found that big plants dry out and wilt on hot days, unless they're grown in a huge pot that is too big to move. That is where the self-watering planters help... the water reserve keeps the plant happy even though the pot itself is not very big. I think these containers are a good choice for people who only want to grow a few brugs or want to grown them on a deck or patio. I'd order a lot more if they weren't so expensive. Next year, if I can find some bigger pots that really cheap, I am going to try the smaller pot inside the bigger pot method. (I'll have to ask around at one of the commercial nurseries to see if they will be willing to part with some of their 20-gallon tree pots.) Sinking pots completely into the ground is not really an option for me, since most of my yard has only a very shallow layer of topsoil over hard, compacted clay subsoil that is impossible to dig into and drains poorly.
That's why I started sinking a bottle into the pot, Tom. I had several plants that would wilt no matter how much I watered them. When I put the bottle in the pot, the water would start out down deep in the pot where the roots really needed it. No more wilting! I tried it out on a few pots, it worked so well that I ended up putting them in all of the big pots.
I haven't really come up with a special potting soil, Dave. I know that a lot of people swear by promix, but I haven't tried it yet. Last year I used miracle grow potting soil & added extra vermiculite to it. It does have some slow release fertilizer in it, but I fertilized twice a week anyway.
The good thing about brugs is that they can do great even in the smaller pots. They just do not get huge. Sometimes that is such a plus! I like them to be able to grow tall for I prefer the shape of an allee tree rather than a bush. But that is purely personal preference.
I found one of the sites for making your own Earthboxes.
Dumb me, I dont know how to post the address here !!!
Email me and Ill forward it to you.
FireMtnRosalie@webtv.net
Just copy it from the top bar of your screen. then paste it on your post. Dave's will make it into a link.
Or email it to me on the DG email thread you've already sent me and I will post it for you.
This is a test to see if I am able to send a hyperlink.
Brugmansias and Friends: Does anyone grow Brugs in an "Earthbox"?
Oooops, I meant to hit the preview button. However, it didn't work - anyone have an idea what went wrong???? TIA!!
Sherry, to make a link, you have to copy the address, beginning with http://davesgarden, etc. Copy the whole thing and paste it in the text box. Dave's software automatically makes it into a link when you hit send. I generally hit preview first just to make sure it has worked and if it didn't, I will delete the link and add it again. Sometimes it won't work because there isn't a space before and after the address.
Okay....I forgot that what I wrote would make a link. Copy the address in your browser that begins with http:
This message was edited Nov 14, 2004 10:00 AM
You might experiment with it in the Test Forum. That's where I, as a recent beginner, made all my "Oooops".
One or two shots at it and I'm sure you will have it down pat.
Thanks all!! Amazingly, I did it...duh!
Where did you do it Sherry. I missed it!! LOL!
Hahahaha, Shirley, I did it in the preview window and it worked like a charm. I tried one that didn't work because the addy was too long, I guess. So, I made one up, http://www.BrugieLovesBrugs.com
and my problems have been solved! Thanks!!!!
Sherry: try this:
Yeah! I'm glad you got it to work Sherry -- I was a day late and a dollar short! It took too long to upload my illustration...
Cool. Glad you have that one down pat now. It took me a couple of tries too.
The problem is that that the DG program is so simple, it's difficult - know what I mean??!! Makes me feel so duh, when I realize how easy it would have been if I hadn't made a Federal case outta it, LOL, I'm bad to do that, whew!! Thanks all!!
Here is the link from Buttonwillow to making your own "Earthbox" or similar self watering gadjet:
http://www.josho.com/Earthbox.htm