Earth Boxes

I bought some burlap just to wrap my earthboxes, but the melons and cukes I have in them are happy without it. Even witht the 105+ temps we have had this week.

My tomatoes look happy just the way they are. I have okra in one and okra seems to love the heat too. The only thing I guess I am worried about is the carrots. I had bells and jalepenos in EB but they looked really sorry so I rescued the best of them andput them in the ground.

Laura

Hooray!!! Winter finally turned to summer here in NJ. 48 Thursday morning and 85 this afternoon! I've been holding off on picking my Romaine as it's one of the few things that grew well in this awful cold damp Spring but the time has come to stop being greedy and pick it. Here's a pic taken just before I picked 2 heads. As you can see it grew quite well in the EB, 8 plants per box. Now hopefully I'll have something else to take pictures of although some of my peppers and a large portion of my basil I think are beyond help and will have to be restarted.

Rich

Oh No Rich! I'm sorry to hear about your basil and peppers, the weather has been ridiculous here in VA, so I knew you were probably faring worse up there. :(

The Romaine looks great, I just showed the pictures to my GF, she's wishing we put some in this year - romaine is her favorite salad green. If you are looking for a quick (but somewhat costly) fix for the peppers, I've been really happy with the replacements I got from http://www.tastefulgarden.com/. I lost about 10-15 plants to the weather (and squirrels, damnit) and didn't have the energy to start from seed again. The banana peppers they shipped are amazingly sturdy.

Even the Purple basil, which has been looking retched, is finally starting to come around. I'm thinking there's a trick to purple basil that I haven't discovered yet - I took Tplants advice and moved them into partial shade, but they still look sickly compared to my genovese/big leaf varieties. Oh well, I hope to have enough for at least one batch of Purple Pesto this year! :)

Hello, its been a while since I have written anything, actually I just came back from a vacation up north. I had my neighbor take care of my earthboxes and she has done a terrific job. When I came back I had some juliet tomatoes ready to pick up, a huge cucumber and a pepper, my first harvest. I decided to put it all in a salad, and it was delicious, the only thing is that the cucumber had to be peeled because the skin was to tough and it was also bitter.

I have a little problem though and would appreciate anyones advice. The darn birds are getting into some of my tomatoes, and I had to throw out some of them because they were completely ruined, it seems that they like to get to them when they are all red and almost ready to pick up. I am not sure what to do can anyone help!!!!!

Here is a picture of my first produce:

When I had this problem last year, I covered the plants with the plastic bird netting....it helped alot!

Thanks a lot picturelady. sounds like a good idea, by the way once you place the bird netting is it difficult to lift it up to harvest?

No...I just lifted it up from the bottom and also through the over-lapped part that is kind of like a door...

Hi all, I planted my sweet peppers,Earlygirls and Arkansas Travelers in Earth boxes on May 9.Well it's official,my tomato plants have gone nuclear.The main vines are as thick at the top as they are at the bottom.All the vines are incredibly thick for being planted for three weeks.They were about 7" to 8" tall when planted.

Pictures gotta have pictures!

I planted up my EB's per instruction of company and here....I am just delighted with my growth. Tomato plants were about 6" when I put them in....the others...peppers and stringbeans and cucumbers were smaller. I planted them May 8th and this is how they look today...not quite one month later. They are doing great!

and...

Any comments from the makers of the homemade boxes...I would love to try the idea but can't come up with the bucks for those boxes...so tell me all you handy people any luck with the homemade boxes?

wow your stringbeans, cucumbers and peppers look great picturelady one thing that I wish I did with my cucumber plant is I wish I would have build a tall tellis for the cucumber plant to grow on, I had no idea it was going to get so big so right now the plant is just growing all over. I really like the trellis that ritchh built, you definetelly need a very large one like his otherwise the plant wont have enough height to climb.

Thank you carmin...I wanted one of those trellises like ritchh built, but my DH said I don't need one since I have the fence to support it. We did add cross pieces to the fence to tie it to...but I think I will still need more support at the front.

As long as you have support that is all that matters, mine is crawling all over the dirt right now I am surprised that bugs have not gotten on the cucumbers as some of them are laying on the dirt. I just picked my second cucke today and I have a bunch more growing, so far I am very pleased with the earthbox.

If I placed an order for EB's today, what could I still grow this season (veggie wise) or is it too late. I live in the deep south.

what zone are you in ?

I THINK I am 9A.

ok you should be able to plant tomatoes for a fall crop (call your extension service or go online and get info on the varieties and planting dates) cucumbers, herbs, lettuce,beans,beets etc. Those are all things I can grow and I think we get a little warmer than you do but I wouldn't think by much. Let me know what you think about the EB.

Saint

Another EB question...can you plant more than 1 kind if veggie is each box?i.e.: can you plant corn and spinich in the same box, that sort of thing. Since my DH is not a big fan of veggies, I don't want to grow too many of the same thing and have some go to waste. Thanks for the advice.

I don't know on that one. I think one of the factors would be the fertilizer chart you get (they tell you where to put the fert in the EB) I think for that question you'd have to ask some of the guys that have them. I've got one ordered but won't be using it till Aug.

Saint

CaCajun ---- Corn must be grown by itself. It needs the space. You can mix and match most anything as long as they have the same growing habit. Example: 4-peppers & 1-eggplant. You can experiment and have fun but other than pepper and eggplant I like to stay with one species per box. I have thirteen boxes.

Ohhh 13...he's just tryin to tease me! Bad Bad Mr. T! *G* First one is ordered and on it's way...will be here in time to put one or two of my fall maters in. If I put a beefsteak in it, I should only put one plant, correct? And I can put two Rutger Select. How many SS 100?

Saint

BTW you've been hiding these last few weeks you feeling ok?

I just realized that I have 3 cucumbers (in back on trellis) and 3 peppers up front in the same box...they are all doing fine, except that I did have to lead the cucumber away from the peppers! I love these EB's...I have never had veggies grow so well and with so little care besides watering...

araness ---- It depends on the growing habit of the species. Try two as instructed with their brochure with the exception of Sudduth Brandywine. They seem to require their own box but they are worth it. Come fall I will plan heavily on the brandywine family as they have such excellent flavor.

Personal note -- I have Post Polio Syndrome and at times it is very painful and it seems now is the time but this too shall pass. However the pain is in my shoulders and I must not garden heavily(whatever that means)for the next few weeks but that's not bad, as the EBs require very little attention and I'll be OK for my August seed planting. Now let's not get off-topic with my comment as this is the EB forum. Nuff said but Thank You for being concerned !!!

Ok I'll bug you someplace else about taking care of yourself.

So Brandywine's will do ok in the fall season? Ohh I need to go hurry and buy a few seeds so I can have one for fall. I'll have to see if any of the girls want some of the pack since I only need two seeds. I've read that the BW's don't like the heat so it doesn't produce as much in my zone but what it does is worth it. Is that correct? If I put it in the EB then I wouldn't have to buy an extra large pot for it..humm I like this idea.

Saint

Let me see if I got this right....you are planting BW tomato seeds in the fall? Do you leave them outdoors, or the sdlgs outdoors...when do they produce tomatoes? I am in zone 9a also...I would really like to know. I do have a cold hoophouse that I could put them in also. Please let me know so that I can get some seeds too!
Thank you, Margie

I start the seeds inside and about now then put them out starting in Aug. I haven't started the Brandywine for fall (need to order a pack or check with my local Seed store) but I do have 4 Super Sweet 100's, 2 or 3 Beefsteak and the same of Rutger Select.

Saint

I can't remember where on the internet I find it but after looking at a website which listed compatible veggy plants vs. imcompatible ones, I put two different plants that were compatible in one EB. I have a cucumber and zucchini combo in one and a snap peas and breen beans combo in another and they seem to be quite happy with the arrangement. I guess there is a thing called "companion planting" and they tell you "what good bugs on what veggy will deter which bad bugs on what veggy so plant them together" kind of thing, but all I cared about was if the two veggies I was planning to plant in one EB were imcompatible in some ways. Perhaps someone can post a URL to a comprehensive list.

So far, what I can tell with EB is, well, it is as good as what it is advertized for, which to me is quite shocking. I mean, normally, when you see pictures of "successful stories", you don't expect your result to be even close to the photos in the success stories, but I feel mine is going to be pretty close. Three sweet million cherry tomatos I have planted in one EB is now over 5 ft tall and very very bushy after only less than 2 months (I even trimmed a bunch of branches) and the amount of flowers and fruit setting is simply amazing to me. I am almost afraid how monsterous the plants might get by the end of the season! This is only my 2nd year growing veggies in containers but last year, the tomato plants (I had sweet 100) I grew in a regular container were kind of leggy (tall and lanky) and didn't produce as many flowers as what I currently have in my EBs. Actually they didn't even come close to the EB planted tomatoes in number of flowers or how healthy the plant looks.

So to me, the growth part of EB's surpasses any container veggy growing. And I have a feeling "master gardeners" may be bored with EBs due to lack of challenge, since EB requires no knowledge of veggy growing really. I used 3 cups of organic fertilizer (I used tomato specific fertilizer for tomato plants and the rest of the plants just general purpose 5-5-5) and all I do is to make sure and water it ;-) I don't want any challenges; all I want is tasty veggies ;-)

If I had actually believed 100% of what the ad said, what people on this board said, I wouldn't have planted so many things since each plant seems to produce a whole lot more than regular container growing. I will probably cut down on the number of veggy plants next year and use a couple of EB's for flowers or something.

One interesting note: I initially purchased 5 EBs and then, I purchased 3 more EBs later on. Some of the veggy plants got transplanted much later since I didn't receive my 3 EBs until much later and those plants that got started out stayed in regular containers for longer are smaller in size, even to this day. I have so far harvested 6 monsterous size zucchinis from the zuke plant I planted into an EB right away and it's going strong (with tons of baby zukes on it) whereas from the zuke plant I transplanted into an EB much later, I have harvested only one zuke so far and there aren't as many baby zukes on it. It's possible these differences somehow came from the quality of the seeds germinated or some other reason (the seeds came from the same packet), but I get the feeling it's the EB that is making the difference. I still have one pepper plant in a regular container and it is growing very slow.

Just so you know, I don't get any payback from EarthBoxes for saying good things about them :-o

tmm

picturelady,

Can you tell me why you decided to use the white side up instead of the black side? Since your plants are doing well, I guess it doesn't matter, but I was curious, since our area (mild hot weather during summer months) calls for the black side up.

tmm

tmm...I forget who...but someone from DG told me to use the white side up! It does get a little hotter here than by you. I am in the south of SJ...

Margie

Actually according to the earthbox instructions you are supposed to use the white side up in hot weather such as Florida type and black side up in cooler climates.
Men I really wish I had more yard space so I could buy a couple of more earthboxes, I have 4 and so far they are doing great, the only thing is that all my tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are growing huge and they are taking a lot of garden space.

I say in Southern states and anywhere your summer gets hot and your nights are cool use the white side especially in zones 8, 9, and 10. From what I've been hearing about the hot weather all of you have been having, I'd say it's a must.

Carminator,

I totally agree with you. Those plants in EBs get so HUGE. I have limited space too (and limited sunny spots) and I think I overloaded the space. I didn't expect such good growth in EBs and now I don't have much space between the plants and it's only beginning of June. I am afraid it's gonna get totally out of control by next month.

tmm

that is a problem I'd like to have

I planted 3 EBs for the first time this year. So far, I am really impressed. The melons and cucumbers I planted are growing on steroids! lol I will definately order 3 more for the winter season.

It shocks me how much water the plants suck up dayly. I wish there was some smart, automatic way to water these boxes. Most of the other plants I have are all on automated drip systems. It is the best way in the hot environment we have to stay up on the watering. It is just too easy to get busy, forget to water,and then grimace at the damage done.

This is a long shot, but has anyone devised an automatic way to fill these? I have looked at various float valves, but the ones I have seen are too big and expensive. (Almost as much as the EB cost!)

Graydan:

Once you come up with an idea about the automated system to water the earthboxes please let me know, everytime I go outside to water mine or pick up my crop I get hammered by tinny mosquitoes, I even have mosquito repellent that I spray before I go outside but they still get me.

tmm99:

I guess like others say this is a good problem to have, I just like to be organized and right now my yard looks like a jungle with EB and also with all the weeds growing around them, it is a mess, but at least I am getting a good crop so far.

One of my tomatoe plant has the tip of some of the leaves black I believe it is some sort of fungus, can anybody help me find out a cure for this. The tiny tomatoes that are growing on this plant seem to be o.k so far.

Under the cucumber trellis thread someone showed a wooden "wagon" under the EB. That would be perfect to use. Could move it out of the way to mow or put in different spots etc. It didn't look very difficult to build either.

Saint