Greetings from GA

[morganmac]

Hello everyone! I've been lurking around the forum for a while, sifting through the truly astounding amount of information on here. I set up my first two boxes a few weeks ago (pole beans in one, a roma tomato & bell peppers in another...I know we're advised against mixing plants at first, but this seemed like a workable combination), and I've already ordered a third after my fiance begged me to plant zukes, too. We've had a strange spring here in GA...it was 80 degrees very early and then it dropped down again. We have made good use of the casters and rolled the baby plants into the sun room when there was danger of frost.

In any case, thanks already for all the information and help this forum has given me as I start out. I feel like I have a very good chance of making this work!

[kathy]

Welcome....Free knowledge every day, you combo box will do well, as long as you obeyed the amount of plant rules! Glad you like our forum and the EarthBoxes!

[writeone]

welcome

[morganmac]

@kathy, I did follow the recommendation for the number of plants in a mixed box. So far my one tomato plant and three pepper plants are looking good and playing nicely with each other. 

[stephen12]

yeah, i am from GA too. i geuss toms are really popular. come to think of it, i am doing peppers along wiht strawberries. so mixing isnt that bad it has worked me last year

[cushman350]

@kathy, I did follow the recommendation for the number of plants in a mixed box. So far my one tomato plant and three pepper plants are looking good and playing nicely with each other. 

How do you have the 3 peppers oriented?

Below they are evenly spaced from the fert strip. Just a thought.

[agoldman]

Cushman, I like your diagram. Might you have any ideas about how to orient 3 sunflowers (the tall 12' variety)? Thanks in advance.

[cushman350]

Cushman, I like your diagram. Might you have any ideas about how to orient 3 sunflowers (the tall 12' variety)? Thanks in advance.

Never grown any sunflowers in EBs. As long as your EB is braced to prevent tipping, the tall top heavy plants should be fine along the long side opposite the water tube and fert strip along the long side, same side as the tube.

Four plants would be more stable. (Fert strips are not to scale)

[agoldman]

Thanks! Do you have suggestions as to how to brace the box to prevent tipping?

[cushman350]

Cinder blocks are the fastest and easiest, one on each long side, and will work on concrete and decks. On the ground, one could use rebar pieces or metal conduit (EMT) or strong stakes of any kind to drive into the ground, one on each side of the long side of the EB (up close/against) down to just below the edge of the EB, out of your way.

[morganmac]

@cushman, I used the orientation shown in the combination box video on the Earthbox site (the fert strip is in the middle on one half of the box, with the three peppers around it...the other half of the box has the fert strip along the side with the tomato opposite). It seemed awkward to me, but I figured it was in the video so it had to work. I do like your diagonal fert strip, though. If I do this combination again I think that's the way I might go.

@stephen12, nice to see a fellow Georgian around here!

[cushman350]

@cushman, I used the orientation shown in the combination box video on the Earthbox site (the fert strip is in the middle on one half of the box, with the three peppers around it...the other half of the box has the fert strip along the side with the tomato opposite). It seemed awkward to me, but I figured it was in the video so it had to work. I do like your diagonal fert strip, though. If I do this combination again I think that's the way I might go.

Common sense fert strip orientation is not an exact science.