Yes, the plan is to replace the soil with some gritty mix in the future. Unfortunately, it looks like the temperature will drop to 29F tonight, so I have move the plants indoor for the night just in case. This is where I wish I didn't use claypots :-). Paul

lettucebabies, you have not killed any of the plants...yet. Here are my thoughts. Lettuce: the seedlings appear to want more light. They seem to be growing towards the right and front of the container. You can rotate the container or expose the whole (gradually!) to more hours of sunlight. The watering seems to be OK because of the color of the soil surface and there is no evidence of water collecting in the saucer. The seedling at 'one o'clock' appears to be suffering most. The one at 'five o'clock' might be a different variety from the rest and may be the type most suited to the conditions that you provide. Incidentally, there is a fungus (damping off) which attacks seedlings at the soil line. One way to protect the seedlings is to sprinkle a thin layer of sand over the soil surface right up to the stem of the seedling. This keeps the stem dry. You might try that now as a precaution. Lettuce is a 'leaf crop' (the leaves are useful) and a 'short crop' (30 days or less to maturity). Therefore nitrogen is the most important element. One choice is to apply a slow release all purpose fertilizer at transplant time or else apply a liquid fertilizer at weekly intervals. I favor "Osmocote" 14-14-14 at transplant time. Zucchinni: There is nothing noticeably wrong here. The 'seedleaves' have brown edges but this is normal. Their function is to provide nourishment until the true leaves begin to function; they then wither away. The true leaves are well-formed, nicely green and the youngest ones are 'clean and green'. The dark coloring of the soil around the plant indicates that watering is concentrated in this area. I would suggest that the watering be spread more evenly over the whole surface of the container. It makes for 'better use of the water used'. Basil: The only explanation I can think of is "sunburn". Is it possible that the plants were exposed to bright direct sunlight for even a short time? This can happen on the trip from the nursery. The plants are put on the floor of the back seat in full shade. But during the journey home they get some exposure which can be enough to cause sunburn. Although its leaves are the useful product, this is not a leaf crop; treat it like a tomato or pepper seedling as far as watering and fertilizing are concerned. The holes on the leaves are caused by insects, typically beetles. The leaves develop their fullest flavor when grown in full sun and not over-watered. The "Earthbox": In my opinion the symptoms on the plants are an indication of conditions in the box itself - set up and operation. It can sometimes be difficult to get the fertilizer spread according to the instructions; it can also take some time before the water distribution functions properly. Sometimes top watering is necessary. The very sick seedling nearest the watering tube might be suffering from moisture stress or fertilizer burn or both. The seedling next in line appears normal and healthy (just look at that growing center). Then the third in line looks wilted. Only you can know if the fertilizer was applied in the narrow band down the middle of the box and whether the soil mix was put in to promote even watering from the reservoir and if the refilling has been adequate and timely. But in time the system settles down to a routine of adding water to the reservoir and keeping a sharp look out for pests. You should get a very good crop of beans; indeed I think that you will have to remove every other plant in order to obtain quality beans. But time will tell you if that will be necessary. I only wish that my first attempt at growing black-eye peas was that successful; I over watered the container and earned an "F" in Gardening. Will you please tell Mr. Griffith how far I have come? That is, if you yourself think so.

I have built two lasagne beds now, and I am using them both for veggies. My top layers were manure and then a dusting of top soil... I did transplants and seeds right after building the beds. For the seeds, I layed them right on top and covered with a small amount of compost or top soil. The transplants, I just dug into the layers, moving them a little and placed the plant right in, then covered with compost and mulch. They are all thriving. I swear by this method now, especially here in AZ. HLH and have fun!

Ok well then I will add some vinegar to the water before watering it. Btw what soil pH tester do you guys use? I bought one from lowes for 10$ and tried it today and it was crap. The pH showed 6 or 7 for every soil I tested on. That is, the 5-2-1 mix that I just made today, my conifer pots in 5-1-1 mix, and regular ground soil.