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Questions and Answers / Re: Charentais melon cracking open before ripe
« Last post by CathyM on August 18, 2024, 01:47:45 pm »
I've only ever used the regular Earthboxes, but I've read about some problems with the Root & Veg type, design flaw that can cause overwatering.  This video might help you (if it will even post).

https://youtu.be/06eIv39tlkw

Also just found this:
https://forum.earthbox.com/index.php?topic=5944.msg8766#msg8766
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Questions and Answers / Charentais melon cracking open before ripe
« Last post by Valhalla on July 29, 2024, 03:41:10 pm »
Hi Everyone,

After last year having all of my Charentais melon vines killed by squash bine borer, I planted 2 root and veg EarthBoxes with two different varieties of Charentais musk melons.

Now I have huge vines growing on my tunnel trellis with many fruit, but the ones that are starting to reach 3/4 size are cracking and splitting open :-(

I've read a bit and there is some literature that corelates overwatering with melon splitting. However I would think the EarthBox should avoid this!

Any ideas?
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Questions and Answers / Re: pepper spacing
« Last post by rotor on July 20, 2024, 12:33:54 pm »
thanks good info
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Questions and Answers / Re: pepper spacing
« Last post by CathyM on May 08, 2024, 04:38:50 pm »
@rotor, this won't answer your specific question, but this is what I do.  I feel the planting guides are a bit ambitious, so I don't put as many plants in the Earthboxes as they suggest.  Last year I staggered 3 okra plants in a triangle fashion, and the roots filled the box.  Earthbox says eight to a box! 

For tomatoes, I plant one tomato and one basil in the box.  I only planted tomatos, okra and lettuces in boxes until this year, as I had my peppers in 5 gallon buckets last year.  This year I had only planned to plant four peppers in one box, but I had a plant left over, so I added it because I hated to throw it away.  I think four would have been better, but we'll see.

Aside from air flow and diseases, also remember some plants have very extensive root systems that compete for soil space and nutrients, so crowding in the soil itself is also a factor.  Sometimes there is no exact right or wrong answer, but judgment and experimentation will determine your results.

Check out Next Level Gardening and Gary Pilarchik (The Rusted Garden) on YouTube for ideas on battling diseases.  One of their homemade sprays (peroxide and water) stopped a disease for me just last month that was spreading on my tomatoes.  They have lots of info.  Best wishes for a great garden this year.

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Questions and Answers / pepper spacing
« Last post by rotor on April 30, 2024, 11:10:29 pm »
The last two years I have grown bell peppers from seeds from the peppers I purchased at the grocery store. Yellow red orange bells.
Anyways had good luck but feel the production was never amazing. I followed the directions and planted 6 plants per box.

I purchased some Bounty hybrid/ jimmy nardellos king george and king of the north.  They all say 18 inches to 24 inches apart for best production. Is this what people are doing? That would be 2 plants per box and thats pushing it. I keep reading about airflow and wonder if I space them out more production will skyrocket.
 
would like to hear what others are doing.

I also am thinking about spacing my tomatoes out more to help prevent disease. They get huge but by July I'm usually battling blight.
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Questions and Answers / Re: EB is leaking
« Last post by CathyM on July 21, 2023, 01:36:40 pm »
It's disheartening to hear about these leaking problems.  This is only my third year using Earthboxes, but I had heard they last 20 years or more.  I hope you folks with leaks find a way to remedy the situation.

The wheels are of no use to me, as mine are in the back yard and not on a solid surface, just weed barrier on the ground.  I'm not sure I would even know if any of mine had a slow leak.  They are all adobe colored, so I hope that doesn't have anything to do with it.

I own nine of them, but I have since learned how to make sub-irrigated containers using 5 gallon buckets.  I have four in service this year.  They do get brittle in the sunlight over a few years' time, but they're cheap to make and easier to move.  The two jalapenos and two bell peppers are doing great in them.  Buckets have their place, however Earthboxes hold more soil, better accommodating larger plants such as heirloom tomatoes, which have massive root systems.

I have been recommending Earthboxes to everyone I know, so I really do hope their quality is the same as it was long ago.  It's a great system, and it would be a shame to be undependable after so many years of success.
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Questions and Answers / Re: EB is leaking
« Last post by LuvTomatoes on June 19, 2023, 05:00:04 pm »
kerryV, that is my situation exactly.  It looks like the drips are directly in the middle of the box, lengthwise.  I was able to slow the amount of water leaking by taking off the wheel (staking) kit and letting the box sit directly on my patio.  Most of the water stays in the reservoir and my 4 pepper plants seem to be thriving.
I'm disappointed that this newer box has the problem, even though it is over 5 years old.  Maybe there is a new issue with the adobe colored boxes as apposed to the green ones.
I purchased another adobe one for next year' growing season, to replace the leaker.
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Questions and Answers / Re: Removable fittings for AWS?
« Last post by shrinkrap on June 16, 2023, 07:02:08 pm »
Great ideas!
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Questions and Answers / Re: EB is leaking
« Last post by kerryV on June 15, 2023, 04:11:35 pm »
I have the same issue.  I had one leak last year and replaced it.  Now I suspect two are leaking (the new one and another that is 2 years old.) Mine are on castors and it is difficult to see underneath, but there seems to be water seeping out slowly, forming droplets on the underside, eventually, the droplets get large enough and drip down to the saucer underneath.   My older EarthBoxes never did this.  I can't replant now...I am thinking of using waterproof tape underneath....there are no seams, so I'm assuming it's the castor sockets or around the overflow drain - just guessing!
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Questions and Answers / Re: AWS Leaking
« Last post by gardendoc on June 14, 2023, 05:26:49 pm »
A look at the reservoir tube base
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