Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
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.
2
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.
3
Questions and Answers / Re: Removable fittings for AWS?
« Last post by shrinkrap on June 16, 2023, 07:02:08 pm »
Great ideas!
4
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!
5
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
6
Questions and Answers / Re: AWS Leaking
« Last post by CathyM on June 14, 2023, 12:40:38 pm »
I can't address the AWS because I don't use one.  But as far as the fill tube goes, there are little slanted ridges under where the fill tube sits, so there isn't a way to make it sit vertically even if you wanted to.  You're good on that.

Edited to add:  The reason you wouldn't want the fill tube sitting flat on the bottom of the box is it would prevent water from flowing from the tube into the reservoir.  But the plastic ridges built into the bottom of the box won't let the tube sit flat on the bottom anyway, so you don't have to do anything in that regard.
7
Questions and Answers / Re: Tips on how to “train” tomatoes after they’ve reached the top of cages??
« Last post by robstur on June 13, 2023, 11:35:10 am »
If you haven't switched to determinate tomatoes this year, yes, you can gently train a main stem back down the trellis. Depending on the plant's structure and how you have pruned it, sometimes there is a sucker that is pretty well formed/mature that could take over as the main stem if you cut the top of the main stem. You might also look into how greenhouse growers train cucumbers and tomatoes to be single-stem plants on a string that they can lengthen and slide along an overhead support bar such that the plants get shifted from vertical to an angle.
8
Questions and Answers / AWS Leaking
« Last post by samstk on June 12, 2023, 06:48:49 pm »
Can someone explain exactly how to or send a picture showing how to lean the Earthbox watering tube. Under the FAQ regarding leaks, it says that the watering tube should not be place completely vertical. Exactly how am I supposed to do this and what exactly is the reason for doing this?

There seems to be some debate about the difficulty of setting up an AWS without leaks. I can say that it is definitely challenging! I am guessing that those who do not notice leaks have their Earthboxes on the ground and so are not noticing how much they leak. Ours are on the outside edge of a deck and drip they do. These drips vary throughout the day so are hard to catch, but the puddles on ground definitely tell the story.

Sam
9
Questions and Answers / Re: Mounding potting mix on top of fertilizer... is 5 inches too much?
« Last post by gardendoc on June 12, 2023, 03:15:43 pm »
I don't bury the ag grade granular fertilizer, just make a small trench for the fertilizer.
10
Questions and Answers / Re: Mounding potting mix on top of fertilizer... is 5 inches too much?
« Last post by robstur on June 11, 2023, 09:02:03 am »
Thank you so much.  I studied lots of videos and instructional blogs the past couple of days, and, although it's hard to tell from the viewing angle, it looks to me like most people only mound the potting mix up a couple of inches rather than the 4-6 in the instructions.

I also found your YouTube channel and watched a lot of your videos... thank you for all the instruction you provide.

I read that organic fertilizer should be buried several inches to keep animals from digging it, and it looks like most of the instructional videos bury any fertilizer an inch or two.

Is it important to bury the fertilizer at all if it's synthetic?
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10