I can't recall ever seeing that - can you point out the specific instructions you want to follow?

Sure:
http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm
http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-make-an-earth-box/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Single-Bucket-Self-Watering-Vegatabl/
ETA: ...and the nursery I went to today (that sells them for $20/ea) also had the lids attached with a hole for the plants.

This post was edited by joflo723 on Sat, Sep 27, 14 at 15:51

http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm

I actually had seen that and ignored it because he's using Rubbermaid containers. You'll be lucky to get 2 seasons out of those before they start cracking. They might last longer if you painted them - but I imagine the paint will peel easily off the plastic.

http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-make-an-earth-box/?ALLSTEPS

Ditto the above - Rubbermaid containers DO NOT LAST outside in the sun.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Single-Bucket-Self-Watering-Vegatabl/

I hadn't seen this one before. I have no first-hand knowledge of how long those containers could last outdoors, but since that kind of container is typically available for under $5 or even free if you make the rounds of bakeries and delis - longevity isn't THAT much of a concern.

In any case, the use of the lids appears to be an effort to reduce evaporative loss. However under some circumstances it also introduces an unacceptable (to me at least) risk of increased problems with fungus and the like.

I just mulch my containers, same as for the plants in the ground, and I don't use anything but ceramic or UV-stabilized containers such as cut-off garbage cans or purpose-made containers that are sun-stabilized.

There's another problem with those lids - once the plants have grown through those holes, if you need to get into the container for any reason, now you can't take the lid off without damaging the stem or plant. Or at least *I* can't.

I have found that a drip system for well-mulched plants, regardless of whether they are in the ground or in containers, works far better than any of the "self-watering" schemes, and is way cheaper over the long haul. Putting it on a timer or flow meter (timer is way cheaper and pretty reliable if you've properly installed a pressure regulator) requires literally no attention on my part once its set up. Here in the arid west I don't even need to worry about turning it off if it rains - because it doesn't rain, LOL!

I do still have a couple of self-watering containers with houseplants in them but by and large I've gotten away from self-watering containers. My ideal situation would be a plant room with its own water supply so I could drip water all my indoor plants as well... but that'll happen when we win the lottery, I'm sure, LOL!

I might make an exception for one of the large bed designs that use "self-watering" - really a modification of the hydroponics system. I would like to test such a design out but probably won't be able to until we are no longer in a rental. But in small containers like that, I would #1 go with cut-down trash cans which are UV stabilized and last for years, and #2 put them on drip.

But if you really want to go the self-watering route, I'd just leave off the lids and go with a good layer of mulch instead.

This post was edited by zensojourner on Sat, Sep 27, 14 at 16:16

Thank you for the great info and advice. I think I'll be trying those 5 gallon buckets instead of the Rubbermaid containers, based on your advice.

What kind of mulch would be best to use if I do not use the cover?

Also, possibly OT, but what is the 5-1-1 I see everyone talking about on this forum?

5-1-1 is a potting soil mix. It is

5 parts pine fines
1 part sphagnum peat
1 part coarse perlite

plus some lime and other stuff in small quantities.

If you can find pine fines, its great. The problem is finding the pine fines. I've NEVER been able to lay hands on any in at least 5 different areas of the country. Of course I don't drive so that limits my choices a lot. There's no question of driving to another town just to get pine fines, assuming there were any to be found anywhere nearby.

BTW, Home Depot carries coarse perlite packaged by Thermorock. Make sure it's the coarse perlite and not the medium grade.

Unfortunately I don't have a workable alternative that I would suggest to other people. I have a make-do mix that I use and it works, but then I have 40 years of gardening experience to Make It So.

But maybe you'll be luckier than me and you'll be able to find the pine fines. It is very small pine bark, basically. I think the details are in the link I'll post at the bottom.

As for mulch, almost anything will do. It depends on where you live and what's locally available. When I had access to straw or hay, that's what I used, but these days I'm in an urban environment so I buy un-dyed cedar or pine bark mulch.

I bought a bunch of hardwood mulch at first that I'd been using, until I discovered that it's basically old ground up houses and could contain old pressure treated wood. Plus, it turns out its dyed. So now I look for pine bark mulch preferably in a medium size, or cedar mulch, and use that. Just make sure it's 100% wood that did NOT come from demolition, or 100% bark mulch. In the quantities you'll need for containers, it'll be quite cheap at under $4 per 2 cu ft bag. One bag will cover a lot of containers to a 2' depth, LOL!

If you live in a municipality that collects yard waste, you might be able to get ground up tree limbs from the city for low to no cost. Unless you have a truck, you might still need one of those rubbermaid containers to transport a couple cubic feet home.

Here is a link that might be useful: About Al's 5-1-1 mix

I grow in Earthboxes. They are a little pricey but last pretty much forever. The purpose of the lid in a self watering container is 1) to prevent drying of soil through evaporation and 2) to prevent rain water from entering what is designed to be a closed system. The presence of rainwater, or for that matter top watering can saturate the fertilizer strip causing over fertilization of your plants.

But the OP is building their own SWC so there won't be a fertilizer strip. I don't hold with the closed system idea. I think its unnecessary overkill. I WANT my plants to get rain water - it is better for the plants than tap water, in many cases.

Home Depot sells an Earthbox knock off quite affordably - under $30 I think - I think its called City Gardens or City Pots or something. I may try one next season. Or I may not, as I'm building my own version of veggie trugs so I can grow something on the stupidly hideous and hateful astro-turf somebody thought was a good idea. I have to vacuum it to keep it clean! OMG what a dumb idea, LOL!

This is great and very timely information for me. I usually hang out over in the Harvest forum, discussing all things canning and preserving (lol). But I was just given a couple of Earth boxes and was wondering about that very point. My concern being that here in my zone (SW FL), the plastic covering would heat up the soil way too much, as well as the concern about fungal infections. I think I'll just go with mulch as well.
Thanks for the great information!

Because the op is building his own SWC I don't know why he would not add a fert strip? Fairly standard. Everyone is of course free to do their own thing. I am just passing along Earthbox recommendation. Plenty of EB growers on their forum in TX, Florida, etc. In fact the inventor of EB is a professional tomato farmer in Florida. He designed them for his own use in the field. Still uses them today.
I'm familiar with the knock off PatioPickers, avail at Lowes here. I set one up for my sister. They are crap compared to EB, but you should get several seasons out of them. You can usually pick up an EB on Ozbo.com for about $35.00 and they have flat rate shipping of, I think about $4.00

I wonder why someone WOULD add a "fert strip". Just fertilize as needed. Plants are not on a time clock. They don't have set needs that are always the same. Different varieties have different needs at different times; even the same kind of plants planted in the same medium in different containers will often have different needs.

Earthboxes have their pros and cons. If you like them you should certainly keep using them. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution for growing things, in containers or in the ground.

This post was edited by zensojourner on Tue, Sep 30, 14 at 2:49

> My concern being that here in my zone (SW FL), the plastic covering would heat up the soil way too much

FWIW, the earthbox was developed originally for commercial growing in FL and the originator is in Ellenton. In FL you put the white side of the cover out to deflect the heat.

Re: the fertilizer strip, I wanted to update what I ended up doing.

I figured, with so many different ways I've read about doing things, why not experiment? So I ended up making three SWC using buckets for my tomatoes.

Bucket #1: I'm the using the lid, which has a hole for the plant. Soil is just a Mel's-type Mix (1:1:1 of peat moss, vermiculite, and compost). On top of the soil, I placed a "ring" of vegetable fertilizer around the inner perimeter of the bucket (which I assume is what you all are referring to when you say a "strip"), so that any rain that does come in from the top won't hit directly on the fertilizer.

Bucket #2: I'm using the lid also; however, instead of a "strip" of fertilizer, I mixed garden lime into the soil mix.

Bucket #3: Same as Bucket #2, but I'm NOT using any lid.

This will be a fun way of seeing what works best...in my area and with my weather conditions (which has been MONSOON-ISH lately!). However, any feedback about these methods would still be appreciated!

Thanks!

Jo

Zen - As I mentioned and was noted by another poster the EB was developed by a commercial tomato farmer in Florida. It was developed as a specialized, and closed growing system to be fertilized once during the growing season. Blake (the inventor) was dealing with heavy rains typical in Florida flooding his plants and washing away nutrients. These and other things obviously influenced his invention and system.

Since it is a specialized system, designed for the parts to work together, deviations can have undesired consequences. However, as I also mentioned, everyone is free to do their own thing. I stick with what has been shown to work =)

"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Single-Bucket-Self-Watering-Vegatabl/

I hadn't seen this one before. I have no first-hand knowledge of how long those containers could last outdoors, but since that kind of container is typically available for under $5 or even free if you make the rounds of bakeries and delis - longevity isn't THAT much of a concern."

Oh! I tried using those types of buckets this year and was VERY pleased with the results. This year I grew in 3 types of container - rubbermaid tubs that didn't make it 6 months in the west Texas sun before cracking; 5 gallon plastic buckets from food service; 40 lbs square plastic buckets from kitty litter (these look most similar to what you posted).

The rubbermaid tubs were a joke. My basil is in these and I can only move them if I slide them along the ground by pushing on the part of the tub that still contains soil. The rest of the plastic just cracks with the smallest amount of pressure.

The 5 gallon food service buckets are my favorite, they seem to have held up the best in the sun and are the sturdiest seeming - just a little bit sturdier than the square kitty litter buckets I'm also growing in. I haven't seen any wear from the sun just yet. It will be interesting to see how the winter treats them.

The 40 lbs square kitty litter buckets are pretty excellent. The plastic seems slightly less sturdy than the round buckets, but it has held up just fine under the sun.

Yeah ... any time I hear the phrase "deviations can have undesired consequences" or any variation on that theme, alarm bells immediately go off.

You do realize that he is not, and has not been for many years, a commercial grower any more? He puts all his time and effort into the Earthboxes and the "Earthbox Research Center" - where they have Earthboxes lined up on asphalt in what looks like a parking lot.

I would like to point out that once allowances are made for the reservoir in the bottom and normal clearance at the top, this thing is only 8" deep. And its a VERY expensive solution for a commercial grower - hydroponics would be a ton cheaper and easier than dealing with hundreds and hundreds of containers. $33 apiece for a container that allegedly will grow 2 tomato plants at a time is an awful high initial expense.

This is NOT a feasible solution to the problems of a large grower. It does, however, work for a minority of folks who have extremely limited growing space and options for container growing. Whether or not the fertilizer strip is at all useful is arguable - but not very. Tons of people use SWCs just like the Earthbox, with no covers or fertilizer strips. The Rubbermaid container based versions can work better than Earthboxes because they're deeper (within limits) - they just don't hold up to the sun.

And that's the root of the situation - soil volume. Because of the limitations of a self-watering system, there is a limit to how deep any SWC can be. Personally I have found that limit to be unacceptable - which is why I have stopped using SWC and have gone to drip irrigation and mulched containers. When I'm top watering I can have a container that is sufficiently deep to let the plants I grow root well, without becoming root bound.

In an apartment situation, where there is no garden hose to hook up, its a whole different ballgame. If you can't water regularly - and I am sometimes not to be trusted to handwater in a timely manner - a self-watering system becomes much more attractive.

Earthboxes work well - WITHIN THEIR LIMITS. And those limits are imposed by physics. Some of us just choose not to be limited and seek more optimal growing conditions for our plants - because we have the space, the desire, and the know-how.

You know, it's clear you're a convert. That makes it very hard to respond to you without sounding overly harsh. But here are a few things you might just think about, if you could.

2. Earthboxes are expensive.

3. Earthboxes are low-capacity

4. They were "invented" for a particular purpose in a particular environment - growing a couple of tomatoes in a hot, humid area with heavy rainfall during one part of the season,

5. Very few people actually live where those conditions exist

6. Peppers are not tomatoes. Eggplants are not tomatoes. Carrots are not tomatoes (and need way more than 8" depths for many varieties). Even tomatoes are ... well, they're tomatoes, but they don't all have the same growth requirements.

None of that is meant to detract for their usefulness in some circumstances for people who are limited in their growing options by space, Nazi homeowner's associations, demands on their time, etc. Earthboxes have advantages, and they have limitations. When one outweighs the other, then a person makes their choice accordingly.

But a system that insists you must slavishly follow a cookie-cutter pattern regardless of the plant you want to grow or local conditions is already flawed from the outset. That doesn't mean that your tomatoes or other plants are going to die in an Earthbox, because Nature is way more flexible than that.

And any method of growing things needs to be flexible as well, because everybody does better when we adjust to reality. You can only push things so far. A Wall-o-Water may extend your growing season in Chicago, IL - but it isn't going to do much for you in the Antarctic.

You like your Earthboxes. We get that. I once had a couple myself.

They were fine. But over time I realized almost any other container worked better for me, in my varied conditions, than the Earthboxes.

Earthboxes and their ilk - including the home-made, unapproved, heretical versions - have their place, in some situations and for some people.

Just not in all situations or for all people and plants.

Zen - I actually know a good bit about Earthboxes, their history and their present situation. I am offering Earthbox recommended information, as I have said several times. You, on the other hand just seem to be looking for an audience. Good luck.

Thank you, but I don't NEED luck. I gots TALLENTS!

*preens*

LOL!

Forget the Earthbox and build EarthTainer from 31 gallon tan colored RUGGEDTOTE from Lowe's. Building directions are publicly available and the designer, Ray Newstead, from Silicon Valley has photos of monster 10-foot tall heirloom tomato plants and uses 75% less water than top watering methods (think Calif drought and water conservation) . You can grow almost any veggies. You get 3 cubic feet of GrowMedia versus 1.5 in Earthbox and 7 gallon water reservoir. http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com has a downloadable pdf file with full and clear instructions with photos. He is currently on Version III, constantly improving his successful design. I live in hot, wet, humid deep south. No way I would try SWC with anything smaller unless my goal was "steamed veggies".

The science behind self-watering container gardening is well established (used by ancient Egyptians). No soil or compost. Just grow media based on Premeir Pro Mix BX, pine microbark and perlite. Always add dolomite lime, seedling starter fertilizer, fertilizer strip.

To combat UV degradation of plastic container, he suggests spraying outside with 303 Aerospace Protectant (SPF 40 sunscreen). EarthTote typically survives at least 5 years.