I put the cukes in the MakiKaps today so that means we will have fresh cukes by the end of May..NO MORE store bought cardboard Yahoo!!! Spring is here....
Cukes are in MakiKaps Yahoo!!
The plants look healthy and a good size already for this time of year kinnika. :) Is that an earth box you are growing them in?
I am not familiar with an Earth Box...what this is a capillary action box..I only water about once every 2 weeks and they have a constant supply of water and fertilizer...They grow very fast and are very good..I use the Long English variety as this is what we like...By the end of May we are eating fresh cukes and then in Sept I seed again and we have fresh cukes until about Dec...I try for the last one to be used for Xmas supper..If power wasn't so expenxive I would run my Halogien Light but it costs too much now as it is about 4000 candle power. If I used that we would have fresh cukes and tomatoes year around..
Hi Kinnika
I am familiar with MaxiKaps as Garden Retreat sells them in Calgary ( is that where you got yours? ) Wondering if you have some more pictures? Could use some for a presentation to the Arthritis Society next month - part of the talk will be abut a variety of raised bed ideas.
Those cukes look great where do you have them in the house?
carol
Sorry Carol I don't have any more pictures..They are in my sunroom..I can't remember where I got mine, it might be at the place you mentioned as I got them years ago...For someone with arthritis they are fantastic.
It sounds like it might be the same. Here's someone discussing a home made earth box: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/524323/
EarthBox® website:
http://www.earthbox.com/consumer/how_works.html
I did all the required reading here, and find it very interesting. I would really like some more info on these MakiKaps. Sounds like it would be worthwhile trying with my cukes. Did a Goggle search and came up with nothing.
Don
Don: What it is is a styrofoam box with 3 cylinders on the top that go down almost to the bottom of the box..Then you put a bag of prepared dirt on the top.Cut the holes to the cylinders and push down the dirt..Then you plant your cukes so that the roots go down into the cylinders. That way they always have water and fertilizer..I will find a site for you as soon as I can remember where I got them from..I have used this method for about 4 years now and I love it...You can also use them to plant flowers in for your deck..My hubby made a cedar box to go around mine with casters for the deck..( Haven't done it for a couple of years as our deck isn't finished.)
Thanks kinnika. Sounds not too tough. I have a large square cedar planter that I grew my cukes in last year. They did ok, but not great. This year, I am moving this box into direct south sun with no shade. Hopefully they will fend better there. Can I ask what the purpose of the styrofoam is? If I covered the soil with plastic with holes around the plants without the cylinders, would this be good enough do you think or are the cyclinders necessary?
Don
Don it is actually Maxikap ( an X not a K) Try a web search again. You should find a couple of sites.
Also try www.buyagreenhouse.com which is the web site for Garden Retreat in Calgary - they also sell them. I dont have any but they seem like a great product.
They sound very interesting..... I'll be keeping an eye out for one when I'm in Calgary. :)
Don the styrofoam box contains the cylinders to keep the dirt in..When you are finished planting you fill it with water..I put 30 litres of water in mine..So yes the box and cylinders are necessary..I am going to use the same fertilizer on a cuke that I have planted in just dirt to see if it is going to do as good as the others.Cukes need full sun so moving yours will probably help a lot..Sorry I gave you the wrong spelling.
Ok, now that I see the illlustration, I can understand what you mean. Looks great. Thanks for the tip kinnika and thanks to you too, fancyvan. I gotta get me one!
Don Ü
Glad you found it Don..I sure like mine a lot..I put tomatoes in one a few years ago and I had to get a ladder to pick the top ones..I also plant radishes around my cukes on the bottom so I almost have a ready made salad.Make sure you put it where you want it and have lots of room for the cukes to climb..I will post photos as mine grow for you.
Lookin' forward to them. Thanks kinnika.
Don Ü