If you surf the net a bit, you'll find a few comments from long-time Earthbox users and supporters (> 5yrs) who would like EB users to know that from experience that EB does work well and makes a gardener's job easier in most cases, but they should also be aware and recognize that EB's guidelines are not suitable in all cases and for all plants where the constant moist potting mix, which never airs out, could be a detriment to and create unsuitable growing conditions for certain species of plants. They should be flexible to use the grower differently than instructed and experiment in meeting the horticulture needs of the plants to be successful.

actually, the Gardner's Supply Self Watering Container has niether aeration pipes nor an aeration screen. I don't have an empty one, but when one finishes I will post some pictures. they are doing great for me and NancySil (of PVC trellis for earthbox design fame) has also used them for years. I have 5 of them side by side with a real Earthbox, and they are doing as well as the Earthbox. Joe, why don't you get one for next year and try it...may stir your creative juices some more!!!! I will try to remember to let you know if they go on sale at GS. I have pictures of the interior of the Johnnie's Self Watering Container you show on your site, if you would like them... I also have some photos of the new ones from Johhnies, which I don't like as well because it is slightly smaller than the old one, not as easy to patch if holed by a moron with a weed eater, and only has one water exchange spike into the bottom. I am making some of my own containers with 5 gallon buckets from HD and Lowes, some 5 gallon square pickle buckets, and also more from 4 gallon drywall compound buckets, which have the singular virtue of being free - every drywaller is dying to get rid of them w/o having to pay for disposal...a neighbor has a drywaller acquaintance who will even drop them off in his yard!!! I am using a standard design such as most are using, but have standardized on using 2 10oz clear solo cups in the base for water absorption....obviously much less volume is needed since the new style Johnnies has only one small spike of maybe two ounces going into the water, and it is supporting a giant Druzba tomato quite well, thank you....just can't really get my mind about that, though...in any case, I think it is probably impossible to have too much volume in the water absorption probes, but fatal if no water is getting into the root zone, so I have choosen to err on the side of excess. anyone with 70 tomato plants (almost all in containers) for a family of two cannot be accused of excess in any other way!!! Michael P.S. also have a lot of happy friends!!!

Hi Neighbor, I'm in St. Pete. You'll have a hard time finding MVP here in Florida. If you do decide to go that way you'll probably need to find your local Lesco dealer and settle for Allsport, just be aware that some have stated that it's slightly finer than MVP, which probably means it will hold a little more moisture, something that can be detrimental in our humid environment unless you compensate by reducing the amount used.... Having said that, look at this site but be aware that's a northern environment, who's to say Al's 5:1:1 won't work as well for us here as a 7:2:2. I wish I could give you better advice but I'm a newbie too, just moved into containers last year after giving up fighting nematodes in the Florida soil. I had moderate success with the spring crops because I bought a bagged mix that held too much moisture and had my containers above ground where the Florida sun literally cooked the soil mix, stressing the plant roots. My yield for this fall, remember - we here in Florida get TWO veggie seasons, has been substantial in comparison to last spring due to moving to Al's 5:1:1 mix and going to a pot-in-pot model, burying the larger pots in the ground simply to keep the soil mix in the plant pots cooler. BUT, now I'm thinking of moving into SWCs to diminish the amount of time I'm spending watering since I work 50 hours a week, and to reduce the water waste, something inherent to a fast draining mix in a hot environment. Happy Gardening! Tom

Thanks for the comments. Terrybull - maybe I shouldn't have said A1's SWC mix.. I'm basically using A1's 5:1:1 standard mix. But A1 stated in a thread that if you're using that recipe in a SWC, then up the Peat to 2 parts. So basically what I've got is a 5:2:1 (Pine bark fines - Soil Pep, Spaghum Peat moss, and Perlite. with Lime added) EG - I guess my problem with the finger test is that I'm not sure of the results. This "soil" has a bit of a different feel, and it's hard for me to determine the proper moisture. It's funny, I've been growing veggies and herbs for several years, but this first year using new soil and in SWC's, I feel like I'm just beginning all over again. I'm doing all of my fertilizing with Foliage Pro which feels different also. And since I'm not sure if the SWC's are wicking properly (and if the roots are reaching deep enough), I'm not sure whether to fertilize the reservoirs or top water-in the fert. I've been doing a little of both basically. But all in all the plants are not looking too hot, and I don't know if it's the extremely wacky weather we've had here in Boise, ID or the fact that my greenhouse went down a few weeks ago in a windstorm and dumped every container upside down.. Not a good season so far..