Special deals on Earthboxes?

Hi everyone,

I am considering buying 10 earthbox, but they are so expensive... I am wondering if anyone has seen any special deals on them out there? The best I found is $344.00 for 10 which includes shipping.

I have seen the threads about building my own, so I don't need that info, just if anyone has seen them on sale somewhere at a better price.

Thanks!

Hi There,

I got an ad in magazine for "The Grow Box" which is a earthbox like planter. You can check them out at http://www.agardenpatch.com/CLICK_HERE_NOW_TO_ORDER_DIRECT_FROM_THE_MANUFACTURER-c354.html they have a special when you order 10 it is $299.50 and that includes the shipping.


Has anyone tried these grow boxes? It is a bit cheaper than EB and looks a little easier. I still have not been able to get a darn thing to grow well in my EBs. This is my 3rd season with them, I am hoping the 3rd times a charm!

Laura

Hi Laura -- Glad to help you with your EB culture? You must be doing something wrong as they work perfectly if you use the right products?
1) CONTAINER MIX --- What brand are you using?
2) Does the mix contain moisture control granules?
3) Fertilizer --- What formula? 10-10-10? 8-8-8? etc
4) Lime -- Are you using it?
5) Cover -- Do you use a fresh cover every season?
Omit any one of the above and you could fail and that is the only way that one could fail! If you want to learn more go to www.earthbox.com and go over the set-up instructions or better yet let me know the answers to the above and I'll coach you?

Hi Tplant,

Is lime needed for all types of vegetables in Earthboxes?

Yes! A 5.5 TO 6.5 PH is excellent. Actually every year when I re-set my EBs I always add two cups of lime. The veggies love it including my melons but try dolomitic lime available at Home Depot although it is mixed with hydrated lime it still works. 100% Dolomite lime has become unavailable in my area. Lowes used to carry it but no longer. They have a habit of doing this with their products. You buy them and when you want more its DISCONTINUED!

4XTHEFUN -- Sequee has purchased the GP boxes and she likes them as they are very similiar to EBs but the EBs have more advantages as the staking system, casters and the self-watering system. All are optional except for the casters which are included with purchase. She likes them and has used both. Personally, I prefer the old proven Earthbox.. Proven by yours truly in my garden.

Tplant,

When you add the lime, do you add it on top with the fertilizer strip? Or do you mix it in?

The lime must be spread on top of the mix about four inches from the top and then covered with the rest of the mix. Water in the new mix with lime and then put down the two cups of fertilizer in a two inch line. You can key up the instructions for EB setup as a guide if you desire. As long as I have been doing this I always go over the instructions first to make certain that I am still "on target."

Hi Tplant,

I think you have tried to help me in the past with my EBs. Last year was a bit better. I used organic miracle grow, the other recommended potting soils have not been available in my area. I used organic fertilizer too and again, it seemed to work better. It is my humidity! Just when things start looking good it gets HOT and WET and things start to rot or wilt or something. My tomatoes never set fruit. They flower and look fab then poof the flowers fall off and I have a big ornament tomato bush sans tomatoes. Maybe I need to start earlier. By June most things are done here. Our nights are consistently above 80 degrees from around the end of May/June until Oct.

I am ready to try it again though. I have 7 EB sitting out there taunting me.

Oh, and yes, new covers, lime in the tomatoes and not sure about moisture control granules. It was organic MG.

Thanks!
Laura

Organic MG is NOT FOR CONTAINERS it says so on the back of the bag. EB is a container. I find it hard to believe that your area does not have a quality or any container mix other than organic? Lowes, Home Depot and private nurseries should have something? It is to late to start seeds but not to late to buy seedlings. Sounds like your zone should be zone 10 like mine. If you don't get frost set your seedlings out in December or early January. As like me, when the humidity starts tomatos don't. All in all Laura you must find a container mix of high quality. If it be MG make sure it is not organic and does not contain moisture control granules.

You're probably thinking of their organic gardening soil. They also have an organic potting mix for containers: http://www.miraclegro-organics.com/pottingmix.htm

4Xthefun (sp?) You are about 30 minutes from me and our water is so alkaline i don't use lime for anything . Your water in CC is worse than ours I really believe. I have been taking Tapla's advice on container soil and mixing fine pine (which is packaged as soil conditioner by Texas Pride and all the nurseries carry it) and mixing that half and half with Canadian peat...........controlled release fertilizer and water soluble trace elements called STEM.

just an idea as it works so well for me in Taft...........

****edited to say I forgot equal parts of perlite to the pine bark fine and canadian peat

This message was edited Feb 2, 2008 1:39 PM

ecrane3 --- We don't have that one in my area but that sounds perfect for Laura as she is organic. Hope she picks up on this one and if her water is alkaline than that would also be a big part of her problem!
Laura if you really want to do some serious gardening in EBs than you must buy a PH meter at Lowes and Home Depot and change your mix. In my opinion that is the only way to do it right. Maybe gessiegal can help you solve your problem?

Okay y' all are giving me some hope! Tplant, they do have an organic potting soil and a garden soil, I like them both!

I will check into the pine and the ph meter and I am going to look for seedlings and save the seed starting for the fall tomatoes.

Thanks all!

Laura

Stay away from anything that says soil !!! Buy container mix only!!

Tplant

It might be a good idea to post some where really noticable on DG the difference between the potting soils, mixes, amendments etc.. I, too, almost put potting soil in my EBs and only realized at the last minute there was a difference. I have found that some of the store clerks don't actually know the diference either.

Annie

I know that you can buy bags of garden soil, but does anyone actually sell potting mixes for containers that contain soil anymore? I know we often (incorrectly) call them potting soil on here when we're talking about them, but at least at the stores I go to, the only things they sell that are labeled for containers are soilless mixes. Unless other places in the country are different, I think if you make sure whatever you're buying says it's for containers I think you're OK.

fbded --- I have posted many times in the past years but people are people and the situation arises time and time again no matter what I say so I deal with it and try to help as much as I can! As far as the clerks in nurseries are concerned they don't know what an earthbox is nor the difference between mix and soil so we can't expect any advice from them. They'll never admit that they don't know?