Earthboxes and potting mixI am puzzled (and sad)

OK this is what I find, my soil is not root bound and seems OK. I do think that it was in part the cold season, also next year I am going to add cured manure and something to loosen the soil a little. I am also going to add a lot of earth worms they sure help loosen the soil. Looking forward to a new spring and new garden.

An October update:
Well, it's now been four months since I set up my EBs with "bad dirt" and about three months since I posted my first desperate request for help! I did get SOME tomatoes from my EBs, but not near what I should have. Those vines got stringy, lost their leaves, and have been removed. Still have one languid Black Krim vine that has five unripe maters--none has ripened yet. I also have two really puny green peppers plants that have produced two tiny peppers apiece. And one stunted green bean plant that has produced six beans so far.
In other words, SAD!!
But I have learned an incredible amount from this thread, and for that I thank everyone. I never knew there were so many options when it came time to replant my EBs.
But I'm sure not savin' the cheap potting mix I used! No siree!
As MarciaS says, "looking forward to a new spring and new garden." And we have a new forum!!

MarciaS -- I recall reading somewhere that earthworms are not recommended for EBs as they are not needed if the proper mix is used and by no means add anymore manure which is nitrogen other than the original two cups inorganic or three cups organic. The reason being heavy growth but little production although you can experiment with one and see the results for yourself? If you have such problems with your mix after the season and want to re-use it again I would purchase fresh mix as with the price of produce being what it is today and the price will only increase, you'll come out ahead!

OK SO I will save some money by not getting worms but maybe I will take the top soil off and put more good garden soil on top. I am learning as I go, I have such terrible soil it won't grow much one reason I decided to use GBs also being disabled it is easier to weed around the plants.

Use the Brand name mixes for containers. Don't know if Jungle Growth potting mix is available in your areaas this I always use (Blue BAG) or the old reliable Miracle-Gro but not the organic type as it states on the bag that it is not for containers. Have lots of fun! I'm here for advice if you need it?

I do use Miracle Grow but it so expencive. I mainly use it for house plants.
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend

This particular thread has gone crazy. Lots of black and the messages are in a narrow line down center of page.

MarciaS, how cold did it get at your location last night. It is now at 615 am 33 degrees. I did not expect it to get that cold and haven't gotten all my tender plants back into my small gh or into the house, but don't think anything hurt. But I better get busy.

Jungle Growth is not available anywhere that I can find in this area. Actually I haven't found anything that I think is very good. I had been using Whitney Farms but the last couple of bags were so compacted I have to use a shovel to loosen to get out of the bag.

I am not sure that Pro Mix is available here any more either. I have never used Miracle Gro So don't really know what to use next year.

Donna

Donna --- Miracle gro in your situation is the very best offering you can use. It will work just fine for you as I have used it on occasion when Jungle Growth is out of stock which happens rarely.

Rutholive, I've been wondering about this--thought it was just me and. my computer. Don't know how to correct this.

Conditions for Spokane
Sunday 68° / 49°
Today 61° / 48°
Tuesday 58° / 35°
Wednesday 55° / 32°

I have not brought mine in yet either, I am trying to give them the most chance they can have. I do so dread the cold that is coming.
Do you think someone that runs the program on this DG could fix the page problem.
As for the problem with the soil I am wondering if we could use something like peatmoss to make the soil looser maybe add some sand too. Good night I hope you have a good tomorrow.

Not a good idea to add anything other than your NAME BRAND QUALITY POTTING MIX as peat will make the mix to wet. For winter storage just tilt the EB and drain excess water and let them be. They will be fine until spring and will warm up before the ground so you will be able to plant sooner.

Thank you so much for your input.

Capecodgardener & rutholive . . .

I must have messed up this thread.

The problems came just after my "September 27, 2008 12:42 AM Post #5604780" reply.

My reply had a quote (used the UBB code for how to quote found at this forum's FAQ) a few paragraphs long with a URL inside it.

Just edited that part out and (to me at least) the thread appears normal now.

Should have taken a screen shot first to show the admins what that sort of formatting--UBB code plus URL-- can, apparently, do.

David_Paul, thanks for fixing the weird format for the thread Sounds like you were just following directions from the FAQ but something wasn't right with the instructions. Anyway, it's fixed now! Thanks.

Jungle Growth is very expensive.....

Angiegr: I buy it at Lowes, for $11.95 a bag, but it's a 3 Cu ft bag and I bought 2 bags and used 1 and part of another for 3 EBs, that isn't all that bad when you consider it will be reused. My strawberries in the EB are doing better than the ones in the GP is. Should be seeing strawberries come February and March.
joy112854

hi joy, thanks for sharing that.
i've been thinking of the most economical way to fill these things. i've always mixed my own container medium, just using pine mulch, cheap potting soil and some perlite. it's always done well. i started gardening about 3 years ago but never tried growing veg's.
is there a certain tomatoe you've had success with ?

I got Park's Improved Whopper for Mike to grow in south Florida, it is disease resistant to a lot of things including nematoids, he is anxious to plant them in Boca Bob's 5 gallon bags, as he has 10 of them. I've got another packet of them for me for this spring and summer and of course Burpee has one that they are sending me also, the one that made them famous, it is supposed to have quite the bountiful tomatoes. I'm fairly new at all this myself. I've gotten some early Christmas gifts from friends and family, someone bought me a soil testing kit and someone else bought me a bulb planter. Hmmm, maybe they all know about my new hobby perhaps, I needed both, so am looking forward to using them.

When is the best time to test soil in flower beds?

joy112854

Joy --- Wet the soil thoroughly if you a a soil test meter. Dry the soil thoroughly if you are using a chemical tester.

Angiegr -- A two cu ft of container mix, Jungle Growth if possible costs $7 and is the proper mix to use. Top soil will compact and smother or inhibit growth of plants if you are using an EB?

TPlant: Thanks I will be using the chemical tester type. It tests for 4 things, PH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For my cannas I'm going to need the soil's PH to be between 6.1 and 6.5 (mildly acidic), the nitrogen needs to be at a 5%, the phosphorus needs to be low and the potassium needs to be high and the calcium low. Don't know how I'll know about how to test the calcium though. 4 out of 5 should be ok though right? (smiles). I was thinking about testing the soil just before Spring, as then I would know what to get to amend it with when Spring gets here, as that is when I'll be digging them up to divide them anyways.
joy112854

Tplant: i've actually never used top soil to mix, just the cheap potting soil. the cheap potting soil is death to a plant used alone (learn the hard way). so that's why i amend it with enough pine bark mulch and perlite to make it more porous. if i can squeeze it in my hand and it holds together but yet at the same time crumbles up easily, in my mind roots should like it. common sense to me..... at least the containers i had this year must have liked it.
i'll be filling many homemade SWC's and don't want to have a whole lof of $$ tied up in the medium. but i'm still considering trying the jungle growth just to compare any difference between what i mix up.

responded well to Dynamite plant food ! as did everything else i grew this year....

angiegr -- If it works , don't fix it! You are saving yourself some money. Wish I could do the same but easier for me to purchase Bob's coco coir. Good stuff...Which reminds me? I need more!

i would try the coir if not for the shipping

Yes I understand. Too bad. I have been very pleased with my coir results so far. Carrots, squash,onions, tomatos seem to enjoy the coir. It should last at least as long as my Jungle Growth if not longer.

Angie: Beautiful plants and the pots look spectacular too. Are they baskets?
joy112854

joy, not sure what you mean by baskets....but the petunia is opera supreme lilac ice that i started from seed and i put a euphorbia diamond frost plant in with it....if you've never had any of the diamond frost, you should try it....tolerates extreme sun, heat, humidity and remains beautiful...i love this plant and it's easy to propagate..here's another pic of it mixed in with salvias....you can buy it at lowes etc., it's a proven winner and they usually have it priced at around $4 each, but i lucked up one day at lowes and they had them all clearanced....i got 10 of them for 50 cents each

Angie: That garden is gorgeous, I like the way you have it layed out too, beautiful job.
joy112854