Katie, I haven't seen any boxes/baskets at our supemarket that were either tall enough or sturdy enough but it is a good suggestion and I will look elsewhere for them.
Book on how to make and use self watering containers
I have found plastic collanders at thrift shopes that will work. Once you get the "concept" all sort of things can be used.
kb
plastic collanders ...the best idea yet!!!!
Aaaaaaarggghhhh. Wish I had come up with that one. LOL
plastic collanders ...the best idea yet!!!! That IS a great idea!!!!!
Katiebear, are you making the diameter of your hole just big enough for the lip of the collander to catch onto, or are you bolting it through with screws or some other fastener?
Gymgirl: If you are for hire let me know? LOL I could use a good hand around here sometimes. Got a huge 4 bdrm/2 bath on an acre, I'll spoil you rotten too, as I'm buying lots of steaks in February. LOL I ordered about 40 pond baskets online today, as there was no place for them to be had anywheres in town, not only that, the only ones I saw were outrageously priced, they will be here in 6 days. Yep, I intend on using all of them. LOL I have one friend who works in a restaurant and gets these 5 gallon buckets, about 2 a week and then this other guy gets them in his line of work, about 2-4 a week, so, won't be long now til I got a whole slew of them. They will be perfect for tomatoes, eggplants, artichokes and also free up my EBs for the other veggies that I can plant more of. Oh Spring, hurry and get here. LOL
joy112854
I'm still trying to figure out why veggies in the eBuckets seem to take sooooooooo much longer to take off than when they're planted in an EB. Can someone expound, please?
Ya'll: I was at Lowes the other day and noticed they had these tomato cages and supports for under $3, now that seems cheap to me, is that their ordinary price, or is this a sale and I should stock up on them? I do need some more of them for sure.
joy112854
I make the hole a little smaller than the opening of whatever I'm using as a wick. I tie them together with string, twist-ties, wire or whatever is at hand.
katiebear
Katiebear,
Tie what together? I usually just make a center hole in the bottom of my soil bucket and drop the Solo cup down into that. The rim catches hold. Sounds like you make the center hole and then some extra smaller holes to anchor your wick to that, correct?
The inner box that I use is not very strong so I put the wick cup under the hole I make for it so the cup (wick) helps to support the shelf (i.e., the bottom of the box that is is used for the interior). The box I use for the interior is designed for brief use to transport veggies or fruit so it's not as strong as if I used a cut-up tote for the same purpose.
I just wrote someone a fairly long dmail about this. In the directions given by josho he uses a tote - cut down, turned upside down, with holes cut and drilled in it for the inner box. This is the part I replace with a light-weight plastic veggie box. It look like a milk crate but smaller and made of lighter plastic. It's the prefect size to use instead of cutting up a tote to make the inner part.
katiebear
Another possiblity for the wick basket iss a coil-lined handging basket. Sometimes you can find them on sale cheap. I've also found suitablely-sized plant baskets at the dollar store. They can be lined with moss or coir fiber to hold the mix.
katie
When Tplant writes a book, I'll buy one!
Moonglow: What do you mean when TPlant writes a book, I think Katie bear should write some and include pics about some of her ideas they sound great don't they?
And Jerry, you sound very resourceful too, thanks to you I'm thinking twice about throwing out stuff around here, don't know if that's a good idea in my case or not though> LOL As I already hold onto too much stuff as it is.
joy112854
We're lucky to have them all here! This sure is a very informative forum and a fun place to hang out to boot.
Moonglow: I hear you there, I enjoy all the folks here and you got to admit it, this self contained gardening thread is the best yepper?
joy112854