Set out Amish Paste tomato on April 28th - Box #1
Started tomatoes in DIY Earth Boxes ©
Amish Paste in Box #2
Red -- What does DIY mean?
Hi T!
Do it yourself.
OH !!!!!!
So are you saying that you started the tomatoes in the EarthBox from seed, or are they transplants? It's difficult to see the plants in the picture, because of all the green in the background. Maybe you could take a picture from a different angle? I'm really excited about the Homemade earthboxes. I've made 2 1/2 so far, but only have lettuce in one (only been there 2 days), as I wanted to make sure it works without problems. My tomato seedlings are not big enough yet for transplanting, but I plan to put them into homemade earthboxes.
This is the first time we are going to have a vegetable garden - I hope everything produces alright. I've been having trouble getting my peppers to germinate. Any tips for starting seeds? Or is there a different forum where I should be asking that? Also, I've been starting my seeds indoors - should I be starting them in the earthbox instead? Outdoors?
Big Red, you made your own EBs?
Bernie
Last season a few people made their own boxes but I've never heard how they made out? Does anyone know? I'm sure if they were successful we would have heard from them! No???? I would really like to know and save money...
Tell me more about an 'earth box'???
dmd1120;
Started with transplants, about 8 weeks old. I'll try and get a better pic tomorrow.
Tplant;
Lookin' good so far, I'll be sure and let you know how they work out, good or bad.
Bernie;
I made 2 of them, if they work out I'll be making more next season. Here's a couple of pics.
Here's another:
FlowrLady, here's a link to the Earthbox site: http://www.earthbox.com/
They are somewhat expensive so many of us are trying to construct our own.
Red,
I've also been constructing homemade earthboxes. I've been using the lids in the bottom, and a drainage pipe for aeration. I didn't bother with putting holes in the lid for the aeration. From looking at your picture, I got an idea - I know that you can buy plastic pegboard, and I'll bet that could save a lot of time drilling all those holes into your screen. Also, the holes would be uniform. Hmm, I may want to try this out next time.
I've only learned about earthboxes a couple weeks ago. When I was looking for information on them, and trying to see if there was a way to make one, I learned about this site. I've already found some great information here! Does anyone mix their own soilless potting mix for the earthbox? Could you please share your recipe with us? I've seen a few different variations, but I was wondering if anyone has a tried-and-true recipe.
Thanks, Deborah
dmd1120 - pepper seeds take a while to germinate. visit the pepper forum and you will get all the help you need.
Thanks! I'll read up on it!
dmd1120,
I used:
2 parts Miracle Grow Garden Soil (2 cu. ft. bag)
1 part composted cow manure (40# bag)
6 shovels full peat moss
1 cup dolomite lime
This is all new to me also so someone probably has a better formula than mine. But, so far so good!
Here's a better pic of ebox #1
This message was edited May 5, 2006 9:52 PM
And ebox #2:
Wow, those tomatoes look great so far! Thanks for sharing your recipe. I'd found a few different "recipes", and thought I'd combine them to try my own concoction. What do you think about the following mixture?
40% Peat Moss
25% Pine bark chips
15% compost
10% vermiculite - Provides aeration & drainage. Also, it encourages healthy root growth and even spread of soil nutrients, and provides insulation for the root system against wide temperature swings.
10% perlite - excellent medium for seed starting, when mixed with peat. It retains moisture and nutrients, while promoting improved aeration and proper drainage of excess moisture from the growing medium.
2 cups dolomite (lime)
This is based on the fact that the mix Earthbox sells is 60% peat, 30% vermiculite, and 10% perlite. At Earthboxresearch.com, they say you can mix 45% peat moss, 45% compost, 10% perlite, and the dolomite.
I wonder if the pine bark chips could lighten the weight of the mix. Also, I couldn't afford to get much vermiculite and perlite, as they were only available in small bags, so the pine bark could help with aeration. I was informed that if I'm using pine bark I should try to get a fertilizer with a higher nitrogen content to compensate for the decomposing wood.
I guess I'll just measure the portions by using a shovel - 8 shovels-full of peat moss, 5 shovels full of pine bark chips, 3 shovels of compost, and 2 shovels each of pearlite and vermiculite. What do you think of this mix? Do you think it would work well in the Earthbox? Do you have any suggestions for improvement?
Thanks,
Deborah
Big Red...Nice looking plants! I'm really starting to like the way plants grow in the DIY boxes. In addition to the tomatoes, I'll be starting squash, cuks, peppers and herbs in them
Tplant..I was wondering the same thing, very little feedback about the DIY EB's. This year I think there will be lots of comparisions, I'll have about 20+ going. I was also given a couple originals so I'll be able to compare. The one thing I was concerned about was how damp the mix would be. I'm very confident that the DIY and originals are pulling up approximatly the same moisture into the mix. One thing I like about the DIY over the original is the water capacity, 4 gal vs 2gal. The DIY need filling less often. My tomatoes are loving them so far. The real proof will be in the veggie production. If the DIY can finish off the season as well as it started, I'll be a happy camper :).
Dave
Dave, which DIY plan did you use? There are so many different ones. I'm using a PVC Pipe for the aeration, rather than drilling all the holes into the screen. Maybe that's why there aren't many comparisons - because there are several different designs for the DIY boxes. What size container did you use?
Deborah
Big_Red, thanks for the pictures. Thats a nice looking DIY EB and nice looking tomatoes.
1. Did you use a cutting board for aeration screen?
2. What size container did you use?
3. How big a reservoir did you end up with?
4. What size pond planter did you use?
Bernie
dmd1120, I bought 16" x 24" Pik-Anut pegboard with 1/4" holes at K-Mart for about $6.00
Bernie
DaveNH, awesome number of DIY EBs and since you also have original I can't wait to see your comparisons and pictures. How in the world did you get that many boxes started in NH already? I'm in a similar zone as you and I almost killed all my store-bought tomatoes and peppers when I put them out on 04-15-06; but the lettuce and sugar peas withstood the cold OK. Now they are all under a cold frame to be planted in June. Do you have a greenhouse?
I'm glad you DIY guys are starting to give feedback. There are so many variations that I can't wait hear and see everybody's results. Yes, 3-GL is better than 2 and 4-GL is better than 3. It is too bad that I wasted time and $$ on less efficient self-watering pots and and modified containers before finding DG, EBs and all of you. Oh well, I'm sure flowers will grow beautifully in those old standbys.
Bernie
Looks Great BigRed.
Cricket
Thanks gang!
alpha537, yup, stole my wife's cake board for the first. They are expensive if you have to buy new ones, around $10, but they are nearly 3/8" thick and are very rigid which is important to hold the weight of the planting medium.
These are 21 gal. Sterlite storage tubs purchased at WalMarts.
The reservoir is about 6" deep by whatever the tub measures, I'd say about 4 gallons in all.
Mine are not pond planters but rather a 6 x 8 x 6" deep basket I bought at Dollar General for $1 apiece. They come with a handle which has to be taken off. I used these because they are very sturdy and will hold the weight as all the weight is supported by the basket. They are attached to the cake board with machine screws and nuts.
Deb, Bernie,
I do have a greenhouse, so I got started on 4/7. I've got 15 boxes made and plan to make anothe 10 or so. Mine are not as beefy as Big Red's, I was trying to come up with something to make assembly easier since I had to make so many. I had some guys from work wanting to make some, so I put together some instructions if your interested in seeing how my variation went together.
http://www.myhudsonplace.com/diyearthboxes.html
Big Red,
I'm really interested in seeing how your plants do compared to mine. Where you have a bigger box with one tomato plant. Mine are smaller with 2 tomato plants. Now you got me thinking about bigger bins...lol.
It will be interesting if a bunch of us can keep Big Red's thread updated with DIY box info :). I'm going to start 2 similar plants in each, the original and DIY, outside and keep track of the side by side comparison.
Dave
dmd1120, sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you!
I think I would go easy with the pine bark chips. I started 2 open containers in which I added about 25% hard wood composted bark and the plants are very 'anemic' looking compared with my others, both in the ground and the other containers. I thought I would use it as more or less as a filler to save money but I think it was a mistake. The plants don't seem to like it at all! ☺
Dave, I think you're right, it'll be good to compare notes. I only planted one plant per container instead of two because it's my 1st year growing in them, my test year if you will, and if they do poorly I don't want to have to wonder "maybe I should have only planted one instead of two?"
If they do well, next year I'll make more boxes and try 2 plants in some. ☺
Big Red,
How much potting mix did you get into that 21 gal container? I'll have to stop down to Walmart and check out the larger size.
Dave
Dave,
about a bag of Miracle Grow Garden Soil (2 cu. ft. bag), one 40# bag of composted cow manure & about 5 shovels full of peat moss. Just about fills one container.
This message was edited May 6, 2006 10:21 PM
Maybe there should be a separate forum to discuss EB's, purchased and homemade.
I'm using a different plan, where instead of a screen I have two 2" PVC pipes running through the center to aerate the soil. I don't understand how the screens can aerate the soil - where is the air coming from? Maybe the drain hole allows sufficient air, but I'm not sure. Particularly with the DIY ones.
I've cut the lids so I can use the lid center as the "screen" section. It works out great. Maybe I should try to drill holes in a couple to use the screened layout. I have a question for both Dave and Red: How deep do you put the "soil"? In other words, how far from the top do you place the screen?
Red, I wonder if the reason for the anemic look is because the wood robs the soil of nitrogen. From what I understand, to counteract this effect, you should add more nitrogen - a fertilizer that is higher in nitrogen. What kind of fertilizer did you use? 10-10-10? I think the compost (manure) actually counteracts this a little bit, as well. I could be wrong, though. When you tried the pine bark, did you still include the manure?
I'll try to get a photo of one of my completed DIY EB's tomorrow and post it here.
Deborah
Deborah,
The containers that I used the wood chips in are an open "tub" and not my ebox. Here's a pic of my sick looking plant. I have two containers with this mixture and both are doing badly.
Red,
How about if I try to use a smaller quantity of pine bark, while increasing the peat moss and compost? And then I'll have to make sure I have a higher nitrogen content in the fertilizer. What do you use, Dave?
New possible recipe
50% Peat Moss
10% Pine bark chips
20% compost
10% vermiculite
10% perlite
2 cups dolomite (lime)
:-) Deborah
Deborah, I don't really know, there's always the danger of getting too much nitrogen and growing all plant and no fruit. If it were me I'd leave the pine bark out entirely on tomatoes, I know I will next year. ☺
Red,
You mentioned this for tomatoes, but what about other plants? Have you only tested this on the tomatoes? Maybe some plants with low nitrogen requirements would be alright with this mix.
Deb,
I use plain ole Miracle Grow potting mix. My tomatoes are growing fast and are loaded with buds and flowers, so far it seems to be working. They have been out for a month now and are about 3' tall.
Dave
I've only just tried it this year on tomatoes. I use it to mulch my blueberry plants but they are an acid loving plant, don't know about other veggies.
Updated photo of tomatoes in DIY EBs. One month in the boxes. I put a few others on my page.
Dave
Two weeks earlier, 4/23/06
This message was edited May 7, 2006 9:24 AM
Here is what they looked like on 4/7/06. One month earlier.
This message was edited May 7, 2006 9:23 AM
Nice looking plants. They must be, or are ready to, blossom by now. A few of mine have started to form buds. Keep those pics coming Dave!
BooHoo, my tomatoes are still not ready to be transplanted yet. I live on top of a mountain, so we get stong winds. I just started to put a fan in front of them to prepare them for the winds. Also, we plan on putting up some plastic around the outside of the garden, which will block off a lot of the wind, but allow the sun to get in.
I haven't been able to build all my EB's yet, but I hope to get a bunch done this week. I also have to make one for Mom for Mother's Day. She said to give her my 10th EB - lol - that way she knows it's one of the better ones. I'd like to make about 16 of them this year, eventually. I can say this much - my tools are finally being used! The rotozip and dremel, and drills... they are finally proving their value.
- Deborah
