Greetings from a brand new EB user in San Diego

[Island girl]

I am getting ready to plant my very first Earthbox.  I have to admit, I am a bit overwhelmed with all the information on the forum.  I wonder if things would have been simpler had I simply bought my EB and followed the directions and winged it without looking here.  I've had a great time admiring all of your photos and reading all the advice.  Now I want to get started.  I have just two boxes to start but forsee more in my near future.  I am planting these with my daughters who are 9 and 13, and I homeschool them so this is official school stuff. 

I am going to plant two tomato plants in one.  I have a Cherokee purple heirloom and an Early Girl.  Now, I know they will need a support system and I almost bought the EB version they had at my nursery but it was $50, and I remember reading on hear about some that you can make yourself for much cheaper.  The problem is, I don't want to screw with it.  My husband is out of town and I don't know that I could make one myself.  Do I have to install whatever I'm using for support as I'm setting up the box or can I put it in in a couple of days when he is here to help me.  In the other box I have 12 corn seedlings.  I also have a random eggplant.  Can I do 12 corns and the eggplant together in the same box?

Well, here goes nothing.  Wish me luck, and I look forward to learning more from you all.  This seems like a great welcoming community.

[Fldeb]

I would not put the eggplant and the corn together.  When I did corn, it totally filled the box with it's roots.  Do you have just a plain pot you could put the eggplant in?  See what happens--the addiction to Ebs begins, you already need another one.  Have fun growing your garden with your girls.  Deb

[PaulB]

Hello Island Girl, and welcome to the forum.  Filled earthboxes are heavy, around 80 pounds when filled with mix and water, so in some cases it is best to get the trellis started before setting up the box.  There are many different ways of doing it, and the following thread contains many of them.  Have fun learning!

http://forum.earthbox.com/index.php?topic=5527.0

[Sun City Linda]

Hi again, I posted on your other thread about cages but as to the cost of the EB staking system, You can get one for about 25-30 on amazon with free shipping.  HSN also has them for 20something.  LInda

[cushman350]

Generally, I prefer trellises that are independent of the Earthbox so tipping doesn't effect the box itself. The media of the EB is not that deep, therefore, not that good in performing stability as the ground would be. Don't overlook structures such as railing or overhead eaves to attach trellises. If you have the EBs sitting on the ground, one of the simplest and strongest trellis designs is EMT (electrical metallic tubing coming in several sizes), 2-90° corners, 2- two to three foot long sturdy stakes, rebar is preferable, that are driven into the ground about halfway and the EMT slides over it. Then some sort of netting or fencing is attached to the structure.

In the bottom photo, lower right is a fixture for mount on wooden decks or concrete ( if hammer drill and concrete anchors are used).

[butterflygirl67]

I just use tall stakes pushed into the ground and garden twine.

[cushman350]

I just use tall stakes pushed into the ground and garden twine.

Even simpler than the EMT trellis. Kind of a Florida Weave. You just need tall sturdy poles and garden twine.
Start at one stake, around first plant and between the two tomato plants and tie to other stake, then continue around the back side of the near plant and figure 8 the two plants. Add figure 8s as the tomato plant grows taller as needed.