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Container Gardening

Where do you get your homemade earthbox containers for cheap?

16 years ago

Where's a good place to get some containers to make my own homemade earth boxes?

Should I try lowes, or hd? Or is there a place online to grab some?

Where do you guys get them for cheap?

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Comments (9)

phyllis__mn
16 years ago
Look for the Rubbermaid, Sterlite, etc. containers when they are on sale, usually at Wamart or Target, etc. again
drtluvr_in_z6
16 years ago
Home depot has a special where I live.
$20 free merchandise when you open a charge account.
That's 4 rubbermaid tubs free

(Go Tony Stewart)
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I think your design is very attractive. Much more so than the rubbermaid totes so commonly used. The thing about wicking chambers is that surprisingly little gets into the water reservoir. I filled a commercial earthbox with 100% turface to see how it would wick water (quite well). If you aren't familiar with turface, it is fired clay pieces around the size of BBs, some smaller, some larger. Anyway, the wicking chambers on the EB have open sections far larger than the turface and the aeration screen has holes much larger as well. There was almost no Turface in the water reservoir. The trick is to put the potting mix in moist/wet so it sticks to itself. Once the box is filled the mix goes nowhere. If you are super concerned then use window screen (or your coffee filter idea), but I promise you it isn't necessary. Just put the mix in moist. It also won't hurt to use the coffee filter so go ahead to get that peace of mind, but it really isn't necessary even though I totally understand how it seems like it would be.
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Hi all. Kind of new to the forum but I've been enjoying and using the tips. Thanks! My cheap containers: scrap plywood [free from a friend] screwed together into a 4'* 2' box to use for a raised bed; flea market galvanized tin containers, various shapes and sizes, drilled holes for drainage, most expensive one was $5 for a good size one; old bureau, recycled into a potting bench, used the leftover drawers to make a flat for bunching onions, added an unused window screen on the bottom so I could use it on the deck; tires from my mechanic [free, he was happy to get rid of them since they charge him to dispose], used to make a composter and planters; freecycled white plastic barrel, cut into 8" slices for raised bed, planted peas in them; flea market wire fencing [$5 for 50'] made a cage for planting potatoes out of 10'[about 3' diameter]. My neighbor never recycles anything so I've managed to get all kinds of pots from her, she finally got sick of me taking stuff out of her trash and now saves them for me!
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Using pvc, abs, or other pipe in earthbox container...?
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Comments (25)
Raybo, you know far more about container gardening than I do. This is my first year and I am still in the process of setting up the first box. I belong to another group that was making a big deal out of not using PVC in the containers. I was asking for input on this from others on this board. I first heard of ABS here and several posters are using it. I couldn't find anything that said it should not be used and some of the commercial boxes have ABS for fill tubes. I persevered and did find the data I posted above. Until I found out what ABS actually is, I thought it was safe. I also thought commercial water bottles are safe until I learned about the resin codes. Most of these bottles are #7 which is toxic. I threw my #7 bottles and glasses in the recycle bin. I think we need to make some educated decisions. I want to know as much as I can about the different materials. Then, based on what I learn and my health issues, I decide what to use. I will be using PVC -- at least for this year. It is used for water lines in some places. ABS on the other hand has never been approved for anything but drains, waste and venting. That classification and use indicate it is not save to use for food or water coming into the home. That being said. There are times when we as individuals must decide what to worry about and what we won't worry about. We have to take personal responsibility for those decisions. We are constantly coming into contact with toxic and/or hazardous things. In our environments, it just can't be avoided on a daily basis. I choose not to worry about all of these things.
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I never buy bread that comes in plastic bags - when I do buy bread, it comes in paper type bags that are always open at one end. I mostly buy La Brea Bakery bread, but Gelson's has their own bread that they make that is excellent as well. There's a bakery in the mini-mall with my bank, and I buy bread there occasionally as well. They don't have the best selection, and they don't have pumpernickel, which is why I have to make that bread myself. In fact, I need to make more, but I'm going to wait until Monday because DB's birthday is this week-end. Now that I have a good oven, I will be buying less bread. I reuse the plastic bags that I put onions and garlic in, and I store bread in those. Lars
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jasong31
Original Author
16 years ago
What size rubbermaid do you guys use?
phyllis__mn
16 years ago
Last year I used the 18 gal. with a 14 gal. insert in a couple, and just the 18 gal. with the perforated lid in the others. Rather think I'll go along with the larger one, a 31 gal., this year, hoping to put a couple of large, indeterminate tomatoes in them. I had two tomatoes in each of the 18 gal. boxes, but they were the smaller, determinate plants.
tom6022
16 years ago
Check out www.hometown.aol.com-jmalt31-myhome. This will tell you all the info on homemade containers.
markdpelhamny
16 years ago
I don't really know the author of the plans below - it looks like the same person who created josho.com, but it's longer than the instructions on that site and has a 5 gallon bucket model. I'm very engaged by the 5 gallon size because I don't have a lot of room and it's far and away the easiest to create (two buckets and a plastic cup, 5 minutes with a utility knife and a drill). You can get these 5 gallon buckets free from bakeries - it's how they get their liquid ingredients. A local store with a very large bakery puts out dozens of these buckets every day for people to collect.

From my research 5 gallons is a good size for many things, including tomatoes and fig trees (what I'm trying this year). Free and easy - hard to beat.

Here is a link that might be useful: Self-watering container designs (PDF file)
akowaleski
16 years ago
Isn't it advisible not to use PVC pipe in a self-watering container due to the possibility of toxins leaching out?
jmalt31
16 years ago
Hello All,

I am the person who wrote that document. I was contacted by a lawyer for the E@rthbox Company with a cease and desist letter. They objected to me referring to there trademark name in the documents. I have 4 self watering container documents that I have written. I have complied and pulled them from the website I have not had time to go through them to remove any references to any commercial entities. Anyone here interested in doing it for me please feel free to email me. Also, any lawyers out there that would like to review them so that we do not attract any more legal attention it would be appreciated. If any one has a lawyer in the family or that they know maybe they can ask them to see if is OK. I am also looking for a website to host them as I do not think I will be able to do it anymore. Also one last point I lot of you have been emailing me looking for the documents. I have not had the time to reply to all of you and I apologize. I will try to answer as many as I can as time permits. PVC is only a problem if it is heated (well beyond anything it will see in the garden); however there are other newer "green friendly" plastic pipe alternatives that do not have the toxins if it really bothers you. PVC pipe is also used for drinking water in your home.

Thanks,
Joe
markdpelhamny
16 years ago
Joe-

I hope I haven't gotten you into trouble - I have nothing to do with the document I reference, I just found it via Google!

Mark

Here is a link that might be useful: Google query

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