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Container Gardening

Which is best for container gardening--EarthBox or EarthTainer?

13 years ago

which do you like better, and why?

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Comments (8)

rnewste
13 years ago
rob,

Some questions first before we can give you guidance:

What are you wanting to grow?

Do you need a cage support system?

Do you want to be able to move the containers around on wheels?

Are you handy (or not) with Power Tools?

Do you take pride in building something - - or is it more of a chore?

Is cost a significant issue? (the EarthBox is much less expensive).

Raybo
rob043055
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi Raybo:

Thanks for answering. Here are answers:

What are you wanting to grow?

(Tomatoes and watermelons mostly, and cayenne peppers)

Do you need a cage support system?

(I will, but the Earth Box one is too pricy so i would have to juryrig one)

Do you want to be able to move the containers around on wheels?

(no)

Are you handy (or not) with Power Tools?

(I am OK with them--I have a drill but not a saw and i would have to buy one)

Do you take pride in building something - - or is it more of a chore?

(It's a chore, mostly)

Is cost a significant issue? (the EarthBox is much less expensive).

(Less expensive is better. Thanks for your help raybo,)

Rob
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rnewste
13 years ago
Rob,

In your case, I would definitely go with the pre-made EarthBoxes. Plant it - - and forget it. Low maintenance, and you won't need a rigid cage system for Peppers and Watermelon. I own both, for reference.

Raybo
jerrya
13 years ago
If you are growing tomatoes, earthtainers are the way to go! I have both this year and in the earthbox, I have one black cherry tom and in one of the tainers I have a black cherry sharing with an Indian Stripe. The tainer cherry is shooting out of the top of the inverted cage, at least 7 feet tall on about 4 stems. It probably has 100 or more toms on it right now (multiple clusters of more than 10 toms) and probably 30 have come off of it already. The B.C. in the earthbox is about 4 feet tall and probably has 30 toms on it with maybe 10 already picked. It is healthy and happy, but the one in the tainer is a beast!

I can't speak to the other veggies as I haven't tried them. Good luck.
rob043055
Original Author
13 years ago
You said: "Low maintenance, and you won't need a rigid cage system for Peppers and Watermelon"

Raybo, a follow up please. I hear a watermelon vine can grow 20 feet. How should I deal with that? If not a cage, then what?
rnewste
13 years ago
Rob,

I've never grown watermelon but I believe they sprawl horizontally, rather than climb vertically. If true, then a cage is of no value.

Raybo
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
13 years ago
Wow a 20 foot high watermelon is very likely to turn over the EarthTainer. I have never seen one more than 2 feet high, but it is possible to grow one with a spread of 20 feet. Al
engineeredgarden
13 years ago
I've never grown watermelon but I believe they sprawl horizontally, rather than climb vertically. If true, then a cage is of no value.

I trellis all my melons and pumpkins, and the vines will easily grow vertically if they have something to attach to. A tomato cage is useless - you need to position the swc against a really strong trellis system, then sling the heavy fruit from it with netting, knee highs, etc....

EG

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