On-going cost of EB gardening per season

[bobk]

I just don't understand why leaving a pepper on the plant until it turns red makes it cost twice as much. I guess it's that much longer before they can ship out a product to sell, but still.

Leaving the pepper on the plant until full ripeness decreases the yield, less peppers higher cost.

[Claudia]

I'm a little confused.  I've seen that the leftover strips of the fertilizer that came with the EBs should be removed when you're ready to replant - but last year, we couldn't find any remnants of the fertilizer,

But, about that fertilizer . . . any ideas?

If you were using organic fertilizer there is no problem. If you used non organic I doubt there would be a problem this one time, but you don't want the salts from the fertilizer to build up in your EB.
Sue

Sorry not to answer - computer problems kept me offline - I used the fertilizer that came with the earthboxes both years.  That's what I thought I'd seen people talk about having to remove the strip of that they'd put in the previous year, but mine's just disappeared.  Getting two earthboxes ready to plant okra in - and there's no strip of fertilizer there again. 

[mjb8743]

I'm a little confused.  I've seen that the leftover strips of the fertilizer that came with the EBs should be removed when you're ready to replant - but last year, we couldn't find any remnants of the fertilizer,

But, about that fertilizer . . . any ideas?

If you were using organic fertilizer there is no problem. If you used non organic I doubt there would be a problem this one time, but you don't want the salts from the fertilizer to build up in your EB.
Sue

Sorry not to answer - computer problems kept me offline - I used the fertilizer that came with the earthboxes both years.  That's what I thought I'd seen people talk about having to remove the strip of that they'd put in the previous year, but mine's just disappeared.  Getting two earthboxes ready to plant okra in - and there's no strip of fertilizer there again.  

Synthetic fertilizers leave a granular residue containing a lot of mineral salts which must be removed along with the surrounding mix. For that reason many folks prefer to put the fertilizer in a knee-hi to make removal easier.

Organic fertilizers leave no residue so nothing needs to be removed. For that reason, some folks prefer to just mix it throughout rather than make a strip.

It sounds like you're using organic fertilizer.

Mickie

[writeone]

EB synthetic fertilizer left a clay like mass. There was no mistaking it for potting mix. So, you must have organic.

[stephen12]

do you have new seeds and baby plants in that cost? or do you get the seeds from the plants that you grow?

[writeone]

Good question, Steven. I based this on seeds I harvest and trade. I do buy seeds too, but it's not necessary, thus I didn't include that in the cost.

There are other total costs left out of this too like water and pest control. I was just going for the bare basics because a local gardener told me she wasn't following EB protocol because it was too expensive. She already has 2 EB, but is using then like a traditional planter.

My point is that it's really not that much expense once you have E Boxes. And if the yield is better with the EB protocol, then it could be more expensive to go the "cheaper" route.

She gets compost for free from the county.