Great pics, THankyou. I'll try to implement some of your methods.

Bingster you are da man (or woman). I am sure you will have a very successful tomato growing season as you did last year. I could only wish for the harvest you had. This will be my first year growing in an EB and I am trying Cherokee Purple and Kellogg's Breakfast. GL

Bingster,

Looking great!!

Couple of questions. Where did you place your fertilizer "trench" and did you bury it just under the potting mix? It looks like you are using a 9"x9"x6" wicking basket. Is this the same size and cutout in the aeration bench as you used last year? Have you checked the current moisture content of the potting mix? Reason I ask is that with the 9"x9" cutout, I found mine getting too much wicking, and ended up reducing the opening by about half, to keep the moisture gauge in the "Moist" range.

With 28 containers, did you consider adapting the EarthBox Company's Automated Watering System so that you didn't have to manually water them all? I built 27 containers this year and am just now installing the AWS. Quite easy to retrofit, so you may want to consider it. With 28 containers, you are going to be spending a lot of time on that hose!!

Raybo

Great pics!!! Really looks nice and orderly. Do you use straight Miracle Gro Potting Mix in those containers? I grow the Supersteak, Porterhouse, Big Beefs, & Beefy Boys also, aren't they great!!! Do you have those numbers memorized as to what each stands for?

Earthworm---I am "da MAN"!!! I've heard great things about both but this is my first year growing them. We'll see...good luck

Thanks ohgirl--good luck, keep us posted.

Mewste--have watched all your posts with great interest as you built and modified your baskets. I am using the 9x9x6 this year. Last year I used round 6" 1 gal baskets. My cut-out, however is about the same size. I do not use a moisture meter but didn't have any problems last year so expect no problems this year. I did read your post about too much wicking so my hole is only about 2/3 the area of the 9x9 basket. My fertilizer trench is between the two plants...from front to back. I bury it about 4 inches or so. I also saw your auto watering method. But to be honest, all my boxes are right out the back door and I enjoy taking the time to water my buckets when I get home each day. Helps me "decompress" from work! It also allows me to take a good look at all the plants while I'm watering to check for disease and/or bugs.

Rocklandguy--straight MG 2 cubic foot bags. When I started my seedlings I made a list of all 17 varieties and assigned each one a number so I can refer back to my list to check on what variety corresponds to each number. I'm going to do a better job this year of tracking the production of each type so I can cut my list down to 6-8 varieties of the best for next year.

cheers all

Bing

Bingster,

Thanks for the reply. This has really been a fun project. Your 4 pictures that you posted last year "inspired" me to go out and spend about $1500 to date, in setting up 27 EarthTainers and potting mix, cages, AWS, etc.

I am doing same container comparisons of a wicking orifice of 75 sq. inches, 40 sq. inches, and 25 sq. inches in several of my 'Tainers and will report which wicking size seems best, later in the season.

Good stuff!

Raybo

bingster
Really? 4 cups of fertilizer per container? Wow. That sounds like a lot. So I assume you never top water? I have made my first self watering type containers this year. I used Metromix 500 as the mix and mixed in a little less than recommended 9 month slow release granules (with minors). I used the slow release because finding a good description (let alone pictures) of applying a fertilizer strip is hard to come by. Well, the four plants in two containers are doing great so far. Arkansas travelers in one and a Persimmon/Brandy Boy combo in the other. I'm doing cukes in a third. I have the reservoirs full, but I have top watered while they were still small. I think I can stop that now.

rnewste

"$1500 to date"
heh. I had wondered about that...

I'm reasonable with the math and the $18 I spend to fill one container with Metromix with the ~$7 for the container means I have to get quite a few tomatoes just to break even with Publix prices. Oh yeah I can't forget the PVC cages.

A pic from a few days ago....

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I'm no expert but that tomato cage looks pretty small. I would think your plants would outgrow that very quickly.

Also, I think the whole theory behind the earthboxes is that they are self watering and that you don't have to nor should you top water, especially when using the fertilizer strip. That's why there is plastic covering the soil on the earthboxes--to prevent any water from reaching the plant other than what is wicked up through the reservoir.

its_kristy

Yes, the cage is a bit small at this point. But, if you look close, it is designed so I can add one new section at a time as the plants grow. That is one of the reasons why I decided to try this type of cage. It grows with the plants. And, at the end of the season, it will all break down into pieces less than two feet long. I'm getting tired of wrestling with/storing CRW. Also, I have a four year old. CRW is a bit to pokey/scratchy for my taste.

I only had to top water while the plants were itty-bitty. I grew them from seeds and potted them up to the big containers a bit too soon, as well as I think my mix may be a bit too porous to wick all the way to the top. After the initial 24 hours, it was still too dry up top.

Without a fertilizer strip, I'm afraid my set up is more like a large pot with a big internal water saucer. I'm OK with that for now.

Vance--sorry, it's two cups of fertilizer, not four...plus I use 1 cup epson salts and 1 cup lime. Agree with "its Kristy" about top watering but I think you did it right. When I first transplant I water the plants in good one time and then just keep the reservoir full and wicking action takes care of the rest. I believe the main purpose of the plastic on top is to control evaporation. My plastic is not water tight and I never had problems with too much water, even after heavy rains, as the water will just seep through the mix to the drain holes into the reservoir. I've got another 10 boxes to make this weekend and will include a PIC of my fertilizer strip before I cover it over with soil.

Raybo--yes it does get expensive. I'll probably have about $800 in these extra 18 boxes with seed, fertilizer, soil, etc. But I kept track last year of what I spent and how many tomatoes I got and my average cost per tomato by the end of the season was .30 cents each or about .60 cents per pound. But the real joy is trying out new ideas, watching things grow, knowing your efforts will be successful and eating tomatoes that taste like they should. Plus I get a lot of joy by giving them away. Everyone is always so appreciative!

cheers

Bing

Nice pics everyone. I had thought one of the purposes of the cover was to keep the fertilizer strip dry from rain so it doesn't burn the plants from dissolving too quick. I'm just learning though so its good to watch whats going on here.

bingster,

As you are about to build 10 more, I have 3 suggestions for you.

First, I would drill a lot more aeration holes than in the photo in your original post. I too pondered the purpose of all the aeration holes in the EarthBox itself, and Earl and others convinced me that air exposure to the root system was a good thing. Blake was even quoted as saying "more holes means more tomatoes".

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Also, I took the aeration bench and "pancaked" 3 together (before attaching the wicking basket) and then drilled all the holes, and cut the wicking basket orifice in one step. Cuts down the time per bench by 1/3.

Next, run a layer of packing peanuts along the edges of the aeration bench to prevent a lot of potting mix from going down the sides of the container, and into the water below:

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And third recommendation, take the unused cut-out from the container lid and cut to fit across the narrow length of the container (see in the above photo). This will keep the two tomato plant's root systems from conflicting with each other. Also helpful if you want to experiment with different fertilizers, lime, etc. in doing a side-by-side plant productivity evaluation in the same container.

I have 4 more plants to put into 2 more 'Tainers this weekend, then I will be done with the planting phase.

Raybo

Bing

I was counting the lime and e salt as fertilizer, hence the four cups total.

A picture of the fertilizer stip would be fantastic.

I might make one more box just to try a fertilizer strip.

Thanks

Vance

Thanks Raybo,

We'll run a comparison this year to see if number of holes makes a difference. I'm pretty convinced these holes are for nothing more than drainage of excess water back into the reservoir. The reason I say this is that if you plant in the ground there is no substantial "air pocket" for the roots except the natural small air spaces within the soil itself. That's why loamy soil is much better than a heavy clay. Anyway...it'll be interesting to see.

cheers

bing

bingster,

That was my same EXACT logic, when I first posted about why so many holes in the original EarthBox product. What Earl educated me on is that in the ground, worms and other critters "aerate" the soil well down below the plant roots, and in an EB, you don't have worms to perform this function.

As an experiment, could you take one new container and on one side of the aeration bench, go "Rambo" on it with a bunch of holes. Then plant two identical plants in that container to see if you experience different production. It would be an interesting "A/B" comparison to do.

Raybo

Raybo,

I'll do that...putting in my other 10 boxes tomorrow. Will be interesting to see if there's a difference.

cheers

bing

Nicely executed ya'll.

One minor thing.

Do you think stips of cotton cloth might make a better bottom seal than the peanuts? Or maybe lay in a length of natural fiber rope?

I had a problem with the soil going down the sides and plugging up my drain hole last year. This year I bought a bunch of rags from sams to stuff around the sides. Later I also read about using the landscape fabric which I also have to line the edges. I'll probably try both since I don't want to hunt for the peanuts when I redo the box next year. I know some peanuts dissolve when wet so that probably should be tested depending on whether they are eco friendly or not.

Hi all,

I used landscape fabric last year. It did not keep all the soil out of the reservoir but I found that after filling the reservoir 2-3 times that what little soil that had entered the reservoir settled nicely and the drain holes remained clear the rest of the time. Had to stick a screwdriver into the hole the first couple of times I filled the chamber but then the holes remained clear. Raybo is using "peanuts" but think rags would work nicely also. I found that it really wasn't a big deal whether you made the box "soil tight" or not.

Raybo...back to our earlier discussion. I had forgotten I used the landscape fabric to keep soil from entering the reservoir last year. The fabric covered all my drilled holes so I'm still convinced the number of holes for an "air chamber" above the reservoir doesn't matter. I'll still try our experiment but bet it won't make a difference.

cheers

bing

bingster do you use plastic to mulch the soil of your boxes? I noticed none in our pics.

Worm,

Yes....I'm just behind...needed to get the seedlings planted but have not put in my fertilizer strip or plastic yet.

Bing

Where do you guys get the Metro Mix? I can find Fafard, but not MM. What stores carry it, or would I have to order?

Don

Vance8b,

As promised...PICS of box building with fertilizer trench

cheers

Bing

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Thanks so much for the pics Bing. That looks just about how I had imagined it. I have enough time and money for one more container for this year, so I think I will make one using the strip.
If I understand right, a plastic cover and no top watering is part of the fertilizer strip deal. I'll see what happens.

Thanks

tomatod

I get my MM at Alachua County Feed and Seed. It is sold with professional growers in mind. $18 for 2.8 cu ft. A bit expensive, but as a novice grower, I have never had a better growing experience than with Metro MIx. That stuff did me right.

Here is a link that might be useful: Last years metro mix experience...

Wouldn't you know, they don't have Metro Mix available in my area. Bah, humbug!

Hello Bingster could you please tell me a place were I can purchase the Fertilome a Town&State Thanks

I think I have caused a little confusion/clutter in Bing's thread about his tomato growing methods.

I (vance8b) mentioned using Metro Mix, I don't think Bing uses it.

I didnÂt mean to hijack the thread.

Thanks

btfig,

I get mine at Ace Hardware but have also seen farm co-ops that carry it. I bought the fertilome because it has trace elements as well as NPK...but it's not cheap and I'm sure other fertilizers probably work just as well. Others can feel free to chime in with their experiences.

cheers

bing

As no one in California sells Fertilome, my choices were limited to TomatoTone and Fox Farms Peace of Mind. I am doing "A/B" comparisons of both in the same EarthTainer so it will be interesting later this Summer to see the results.

Raybo

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Latest PICS taken 13 April 2008. Larger plants were transplanted on 29 March. Smaller plants on 5 April.

cheers all,

Bing

Bing,
Your boxes and plants look great! I have a couple of questions. Did you use (2) containers to make (1) earthtainer? Also, do you mix your fertilizer, salt and lime together or did you do it like "Earthbox" recommends? I just bought my first earthbox this year and hope to make my own soon. Thanks for your help.

Hi Trish,

Yes, I built my boxes using two totes to make one earthbox clone. I mixed the lime, fertilizer and Epson salts all together and then just poured my fertilizer strip. I had some BER (blossom end rot) problems last year so I figured a little lime wouldn't hurt. I'll see how things go this year and then adjust for next year. I'm thinking I might mix a little lime in the bottom of each planting hole as opposed to mixing with the fertilizer strip. Will let you know what happens. Will post new pictures tomorrow...four weeks after transplanting. Plants are 3-4 feet tall and blossoms are setting.

You can also search in this forum for "earthtainer". Raybo has taken the earthbox to a whole new level and he does a good job of taking you through his methodology for building them. I've added a couple pics of my boxes which are a pretty basic build but work great

cheers

Bing

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Bingster and Trish,

One thing I would suggest is to mix the Dolomite Lime and/or Epsom Salts into the top 3 inches of the potting soil before planting. The potting mix needs the calcium mixed in to combat BER (this is also what the folks at the EarthBox Company will tell you), rather than putting it into the fertilizer strip.

Several of my plants are pushing 24" today, which is not too bad for Northern California in late April...

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Raybo

Bing, I have a question on your supports for the tomatoes. Are your joints glued or not? We're planning a similar set up and thought not gluing the pieces would make it easier to take down for winter storage. thanks for the help, gotta love those growing totes/tainers they sure save the back. Great pics. Jackie

Hi Jackie,

Funny you should ask. On the 5 supports I made last year I glued the joints...this year I did not and they seem to work just as well. As you say, you can break them down at the end of the season.

cheers

Bing