Hi everyone. I'm kittyhawk63 and a newbie to the Garden. I'm enjoying reading all the chit chat and have already learned a few things about EB's that I didn't know yet. I bought 10 a number of years back and each year I had a "great" crop failure. I made the awful mistake of using soil when all along I should have been using potting mix. At least that is what the lady at EB told me to use. After storing my boxes for almost ten years due to earlier failures, I am bringing them out again. I will be using automatic watering since it gets up to near 115-120 degrees many days in the long hot summer and the humidity gets down to about 3 percent and the containers just can't hold enough water before I can get back to water them again. You can visualize what my plants look like by the end of the day.
I hope to be a regular and maybe, just maybe, I will be able to contribute one day some valuable secret in how to prepare tomato worm soup. lol
kittyhawk63
Confusion between EBs and Home Made EBs etc.
Hey Kittyhawk: Welcome aboard you will find this board exciting I'm sure, I do.
joy112854
O gosh, your in for a good year of sucess. Come on over to some of the other thread and look at bobs and tplants pictures. The soil will shut you down. The EB people were not pulling your leg. It wasnt 'you' at all. Looking forward to some nice veggie pictues in the spring. Im planting some sugar snaps in an EB today. My brocoli has the cuttest little heads on it, I just could not get this result in the ground. Heckm I went back to planting some daylilies in the ground, I was loosing big money every year by loosing them, so I went to pots. Well, its back to pots, the squirrels just dig them up and eat their roots like there is no tomorrow.
Do any of you know about the Claber Aquano Video 6 water timer and how well it is built? I need a six times per day watering system and this one is listed for just over $57. I am looking for free shipping.
kh
P.S. Thanks for the warm welcomes.
Can the image be removed? I don't want to be guilty of copyright infringement.
This message was edited Dec 9, 2008 10:46 PM
oba bob just put in a watering system fro Tplant and has a really great o for himself. I would dmail him and he would give you any help you needed. Im in the market myself, I will be glad to see what others thin, if they have it.
gardenglory,
I've already talked to BocaBob and in his post he's recommending the Orbit. However, it is limited to watering four times a day. I really need a six times per day watering unit here in Redding. That's why I am presently inquiring about the Claber Aquano Video 6 water timer. Nonetheless, thanks for your input.
kh
O gotcha. I was hoping I could go with what he posted. I dont know how I would ever figure it all out and hook up the watering system myself.
Garden Glory: With all I got planned I will need two seperate watering systems I think, but, will get my maintenance guys around the corner to hook the stuff up for me when the time comes. I'll more than likely go with the one Boca Bob showed us that he bought from Lowes and then the one he has advertised for his grow bags will probably work great on my baskets and turvys. Hey, I found something to plant this winter!!!!!!!!! Strawberries.
joy112854
I now have three watering systems taking care of my plants and I am so glad that I have them because of this darned bronchitis but the doctor gave me some strong anti-biotics and I'm starting to feel better.
TPlant,
Glad to hear that one of those mad medical scientist was able to offer you one of their high-tech anti-biotical warfare weapons to rid your lovely garden of those pesky bronchitisaurus. I've never had one of those beasts in my garden. Hope I never do. Pneumoniasaurus was bad enough. I've had two of them in my garden over the past ten years. The anti-biotical warfare weapon I got worked great. I now stay out of my garden when its cold and raining. Remember to use all the weaponry your mad medical scientist gave you. Those pesky bronchitisaurus can sneak back into your garden when you are least expecting it.
kh
For a better understanding about your watering systems, in that you use timers, are they drip systems or simply low pressure watering systems that are allowed to come on at specified intervals for a specified amount of time?
If I remember correctly, back in the '60s and '70s when drip systems were gaining popularity, they were on 24/7 with the amount of water per given plant being regulated by the size orifice used in terms rate of gallons per minute or gallons per hour or something like this. The idea was to maintain a constant level of moisture that was conducive to constant plant growth without any stress due to dry/wet conditions.
I know with home gardening in dirt that one good method for watering is to dam up the furrows and flood them to get water to the roots and not wet the tops. We also did this after side dressing to carry the fert & nutrients down to the root systems. This system is still subject to dry/wet stress to the plants unless you get the timing just right with your watering.
Bronchitisaurus and Pneumoniasaurus -Yup! Grandma always said to keep a bandanna over you nose and mouth when working out in the cold, especially when cold and damp. (smile)
LOL == You Jokers!!!
My watering system is a continuous slow flow of water for ten minutes twice a day and it works perfectly for my roses which are blooming like crazy and my tomatos in EBs which are loaded with green tomatos. I'm still recuperating from my bronchial attack but feeling much better today as I don't feel tired but will stay in today and hopefully be able to tend my garden tomorrow?
I actually bought an ORBIT automatic timer that waters 6x per day. I posted it where BocaBob's detailed instructions are.....
Hi, everybody. I'm new to this forum, but have been growing tomayoes in EBs for several years. I have 2 EBs that I bought at their home store in Ellenton, Fl. They have a watering system that they sell just for EBs that is on all the time and only lets water out when the water level in the bottom gets down to a certain level. It really works great. I grow 2 tomato plants in each one. One is in Florida in the winter and the other is in Michigan in the summer. The only problem that I have had with this is late in the season when the roots start to go up the fill tube, but I just take out the tube and pull out the roots, then put everything back. The water is left on all the time and only waters when needed.
Gee! I've never had that problem? Are you certain that the watering tube goes all the way down into the resevoir?
That's what I wonder, too, Tplant. I didn't have that problem either but remember someone else saying they did. I bet you hit the nail on the head, my watering tube goes completely to the bottom and can't imagine roots growing to the bottom then being able to grow back up into the tube; I think they'd be stifled by being under water.
Waiting to hear what dorothian has to say. WELCOME to the forum, dorothian! Hope to see you around!
Shoe
Shoe: I got a question for all of you as I am simply appalled at what is happening to my strawberries here. I got some strawberry plants from the Strawberry Farm close to here, I and a friend decided to plant them according to the directions, we added the lime to the top 3 inches making sure it was mixed in real good and everything else; but they are drying out, why? Now, before planting them I looked at the plants and their stems were about 10 - 12 inches long, I thought about trimming them up some; but my friend said it might kill them. Could that be the problem? Especially if they are bunched up?
Joy112854
May I add something here, My directions stated to fan the roots out when you plant them. Also soak the roots in water for 1/2 hour before planting, And most important is the planting depth. The crown's depth is critical to the survival of the plant. Was that said in your directions? I also have read recently(on this web site) that some people top water young plants in the EarthBox to get them going for a few days.
Hope I helped a little bit
BocaBob
Covering the crown, not spreading the roots, overwatering except watering from the top on initial planting to pack the mix around the roots to eliminate any air pockets, not getting enough sun, and I don't think strawberries prefer lime but not certain. Look up "strawberry culture" on the web. Don't expect them to grow in the garage. Check Florida Planting Guide for additional info. Perhaps you planted at the wrong time. You will learn by experience as we all have. It doesn't happen overnite so don't get discouraged? OK???
Ted
Ted and Bob: I didn't soak the roots first, darn it. The thing is the roots were so long and so skinny, you can't put them in that deep, so I think they are probably bunched up, is that ok? It wasn't like I could spread them out there were too many of them. Yes, this is the right time of the year, I'm a little late planting them. Strawberries are grown as annuals here; from late October to March, then strawberry season is over, I used the Organic 5-6-6 to make sure I didn't burn the roots and I added the lime as the lady told me they needed lime. I guess it might be shock too, we shall see in a few days. They go outside today, the storm has blown past us now. Do you know we were actually looking for snow here? LOL It's around 38 degrees and they will be fine down to 14 degrees, they had them stored in the freezer. LOL I made up one EB for my sister and one for me and a GP for me and had enough left over to give the guy who helped me plant them for his mother, she gives me canna bulbs all the time. They were really healthy looking when they went in, so, hopefully, a few days will be all they need to start perking up. The leaves are turning brownish/black though and are brittle, I made sure the reservoirs were full, now I'll wait?
joy112854
Joy
Strawberries are acid loving plants and prefer a sandy soil. You probabley are O.K. on the mix in the eb because it is soilless but you should have used sulfer instead of lime.
Annie
Yikes! Sorry, Joy, to hear you're having trouble w/those new strawberry plants.
I agree with BocaBob, it is very important to fan the roots out with strawberry plants, especially if you say the stems/top growth were so large (10-12"). The roots really need to be splayed out so they can pull in as much moisture as possible, sending it to the upper parts of the plant. And ditto on the planting depth, the crown needs to stay above the ground level (but yet the topmost parts of the roots need to be covered).
I see no mention of whether you planted them in your inground patch or in EB's so can't comment on whether they needed lime or not (or sulfur). If you used storebought potting mix it would be in the correct range of pH, needing neither lime nor sulfur. If you planted them in the ground you'd have to know your soil's pH to decide whether to give them lime, as recommended by the seller, or to lower the pH, as recommend by fbded. Personally, strawberries do quite well at a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 which is slightly acid (not very much!) and is in the same range that most of our other veggie plants do well in so I wouldn't recommend amending with either lime or sulfur if your growing medium is in that range.
I hope you are right, that is is simply transplant shock. Keep us up to date, okay?
Shoe
This message was edited Dec 12, 2008 4:50 PM
I can only speak to planting them in dirt. We opened a hole about 10" in diameter and about 8" deep, depending on the length of the roots. Next, we made a cone/mound of dirt in the hole that covered the bottom of the hole and was as tall as the hole was deep. In other words, the top of the cone was at ground level. Next, we took a plant and gently separated/fluffed out the roots in a bucket of water and then spread them all around the cone with the crown just barely sitting on the peak of the cone. Then, we backfilled the hole making sure all of the roots were covered and that there was no dirt in or over the crown. Next they were watered. Soon after, they were mulched with pine needles.
I know you guys are doing the container thing, but the planting procedure shouldn't be all that different than if you were planting in dirt.
Ugh! I didn't do any of that. Should I dig them back up and replant them? I put them in the earth box, the roots were quite long and skinny ones too. There are leaves already of course. I will see how they do and if necessary will dig them up and replant them. I guess I should have soaked them first; but, didn't. I added lime as I thought we were to add 2 cups of lime to the mix, the top 3 inches of the mix? I made sure it was mixed in really well and I used organic fertilizer (3 cups) in the center of the EB. Maybe it will work, should know in a few days right?
joy112854
In a situation when planting a plant with wide roots in an EB prepare your EB first fertilizer, etc., cover, cut larger X's where the plant will go, scoop a little mix from the X spots, remove the cover, plant the roots properly, put the cover back on and with your hand reach through the cover and gently pull the top of the plant up through the cover. Use tape to cover the excess space caused by the large X. That's it!
TPlant the roots were not wide they were long and skinny. I am thinking I probably should have done it your way with the bulb planter tool? Lowes has them for around $4, what you think?
joy112854
Well, my EBs both had their fill tubes all the way down to the bottom. I had planted BEEFSTAKE tomatoes in them and they got HUGE. You know tomato roots will grow in water, that's what hydroponics is. Those things completely plugged the tubes of both EBs. That took about 5 months to happen. I use a 1# container of Dynamite (slow release) fertilizer along the fill tube edge and cover it with soil. I get the fertilizer at HD and it works great. I have a friend who is a daylily hybridizer who will sometimes let use some of his commercial slow release and it works the same way, but it isn't available in Michigan when I go back in the spring.
I wonder if this is the reason we are not to use slow release fertilizer in the EBs, and to use granular or organic?
I noticed a problem I'm having but when Boca Bob gets his new starter pots in I won't have, I don' t think. I think I have figured something out that is wrong with my seedlings, it's called damping off disease. I overwatered some seeds and then decided later to start some other seedlings. I washed the tray and dome and inflated the peat pellets like I was directed to do. Problem is now I'm seeing this white fuzzy mold around the tops of the peat pellets. My thoughts are: damping off disease. As the one seed that was doing good isn't now, it seems to have spread in the Jiffy greenhouse like wildfire does in a forest. I'm not using that greenhouse again, it's getting trashed for sure. I have another I can use but will be extra careful this time, problem is with it being cold inside I am not using a fan to circulate the air either, must figure that one out.
joy112854
If Santa brings, or leaves anyone any cash, Earthbox has a web special...all the bells and whistles, if you were going to buy them anyway.
2 EB's with the mix, lime, casters etc, plus a 2 box watering system, plus two staking systems, even threee extra red covers.
Its 140 for the two box system...yep just the two boxrs are 116.00 and the staking systems are 32.oo a pice and then the watering system is even more. You get staking and watering for 24.00 bucks for TWO boxes.
Shipping is 18$
158.00 total
Not cheap, but what a savings if you were in the market anyway.
Garden Glory: Yep, I'm trying to talk them into extending the sale til after the New Year, that would be great; as everyone is spending for Christmas and this would be a lovely after Christmas sale if you ask me, like time when we can treat ourselves? LOL
joy112854
Joy
Try watering the seedlings with chamomil tea for damping off.
I was very surprised but it really did work.
Annie
Ok, where do I buy chamomil tea or do I make it? One reason I can hardly wait to start using coconut coir.
joy112854
gardenglory, that's a great deal for those two EB's and extras! And Joy, maybe you shouldn't wait till after Christmas to treat yourself, heck, I've treated myself to a Christmas present before, you might like doing the same! (Or put in on your Santa list and maybe someone else will, eh?)
The chamomille tea is available at any grocery store, very inexpensive. Or if you have some hydrogen peroxide available that may be a quick fix as well (1/2 teaspoon in a quart of water, misted onto the soil surface) or you can lightly dust some cinnamon on the top of your growing medium, but I usually recommend that before the seeds declare.
Most important, "damping off" (in your case the "Sclerotina" variety) is due to not just overwatering but also from lack of air movement. It would benefit your seedlings to put them where air movement will be around them (not directly on them). This will dry out the top portion of your soil/medium and also help the plants to pull excess moisture out of the soil.
Hope you can save those babies! And by the way, don't blame the greenhouse, you should save it and not throw it away. Excess cold or heat, combined with too much moisture (and we all know you love to over water!) and lack of fresh air/movement are your major culprits.
Shoe
This message was edited Dec 14, 2008 1:52 PM
Thanks, I have hydrogen peroxide on hand so will use that for now; but, am going to also pick up some of that chamomile tea just in case. LOL You are both livesavers, I've already treated myself to too many Christmas presents before Christmas. LOL I will get them when I can afford to buy 10 at a time, I will get a great discount then also.
joy112854
Joy, make sure you use bleach (peroxide works) when you clean your greenhouse and you should be good to go. Then water your seedlings with chamomile tea. And use a fan to keep the air moving. Not only will that help with damping off, but it will strengthen the stems of your seedlings, too.
I'm going looking for a fan tomorrow, bet I find one real cheap this time of year hey? LOL I have central heat and air, so no fans. Trying to grow cannas from seeds this time of year is a real pain as they like warm weather. My strawberry plants seem to love the cold weather as they have perked up quite a bit since moving the EBs I have them in outside. LOL I notice that the leaves are starting to slowly turn green again, I think. I think I'm going to invest $3.98 at Lowes for a bulb planter and from now on not use these peat pellets for starting anything in. I have my Stuttgart canna lily foilage and rhizome showing up the end of the week along with a Peach Gigantum, (both canna lilies), so, will plant them in huge pots when they get here. I wish could use coconut coir for the pots, I think I'd see quite an improvement; but, know they will be fine, as I will make sure they are tended to properly. I'ts much easier growing cannas from rhizomes than seeds.
joy112854
Damping-off
http://tomclothier.hort.net/page13.html
trg
That link has a lot of information we all can use.
Thank you.
Annie
Texas Rock: Yes, that link is very informative. I think my dampening off disease was brought on by my desire to overwater, which I'm working on.
joy112854