Earthbox Mosquitoes? Drat!!

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, splogue. This was originally posted on July 9, 2009.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, chriscartens. This was originally posted on June 28, 2009.

I took a bronze wool pan cleaner, pulled off part of it and fluffed up the fibers. Stuffed it down into the water tube, and a smaller amount into the drain hole. Water passes just fine, but bugs can't get through. Seems to have solved the problem with minimal expense and hassle.

I totally love that idea.  I'm still gonna use the dunks because mosquitoes terrify me, but next time I'm at the grocery store some bronze pan cleaners are going in the cart.

Sean

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, Vincerama. This user is located in San Mateo, CA - Zone 8b(9 GW), Sunset zone 15. This was originally posted on July 13, 2009.

Not sure if this would work...but what about pouring some vegetable cooking oil in the reservoir? The oil should float on the surface and prevent the skeeters from laying eggs.

The problem I see in it might be that the wicking areas might get covered with oil and not wick anymore. Also the oil might get rancid. If the water level is held constant, this might not be a problem. Also I guess oil might screw up the AWS.

Putting a layer of perlite in the reservoir might make for a good floating anti-skeeter layer?

V

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, boxed-in. This user is located in Sedona, Arizona, Zone 6. This was originally posted on July 13, 2009.

Good thinking with the perlite!  But wouldn't it wash out when you add more water, especially if the hose is delivering water at high pressure? 

I added Mosquito Dunks a week or two after I set up my EBs, and haven't had any problems yet.  Just no-see-ums,  Angry  but that's another story!

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, anndelise. This user is located in WA Zone 8 bordering on Zone 7. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

From the first when I got my EBs, I used foil to create a 'cover' for the watering hole that I take off when I water and put back on to prevent buggies and sluggies from getting in that way.  I don't do anything to the overflow hole.  Sometimes the wind will blow a cover off, and sometimes I have to replace a cover that I've torn during the process of removing and putting back on.  But so far I've had no problems in that area.

I admit though, aside from worries about rusting, I like the pan cleaner idea.  This way I wouldn't have to do the whole on/off thing.  Would rust create issues for the plants or the 'soil'?

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7. South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, anndelise. This user is located in WA Zone 8 bordering on Zone 7. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

From the first when I got my EBs, I used foil to create a 'cover' for the watering hole that I take off when I water and put back on to prevent buggies and sluggies from getting in that way.  I don't do anything to the overflow hole.  Sometimes the wind will blow a cover off, and sometimes I have to replace a cover that I've torn during the process of removing and putting back on.  But so far I've had no problems in that area.

I admit though, aside from worries about rusting, I like the pan cleaner idea.  This way I wouldn't have to do the whole on/off thing.  Would rust create issues for the plants or the 'soil'?

If that's the way you wish to go, then why not get some nylon net at the fabric store and bunch some up in the tube?

Mickie

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, anndelise. This user is located in WA Zone 8 bordering on Zone 7. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7. South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

If that's the way you wish to go, then why not get some nylon net at the fabric store and bunch some up in the tube?

Mickie

*slaps forehead*
yeah, nylon wouldn't have the rust issues.

I wonder if maybe just placing 1-2 nylon knee-highs over the tube would work.  Easy on, Easy off.
I think I'll try that out on one of the EBs this evening for the rest of the season.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7. South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, anndelise. This user is located in WA Zone 8 bordering on Zone 7. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7. South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

If that's the way you wish to go, then why not get some nylon net at the fabric store and bunch some up in the tube?

Mickie

*slaps forehead*
yeah, nylon wouldn't have the rust issues.

I wonder if maybe just placing 1-2 nylon knee-highs over the tube would work.  Easy on, Easy off.
I think I'll try that out on one of the EBs this evening for the rest of the season.

Now that my plants are grown, I can't imagine trying to get to the tube to remove a cover... how on earth do you do it?? As it is, I use a watering wand with the shower head removed to reach through the foliage to the tubes without my having to bend down or struggle.

MICKIE

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, anndelise. This user is located in WA Zone 8 bordering on Zone 7. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7. South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Now that my plants are grown, I can't imagine trying to get to the tube to remove a cover... how on earth do you do it?? As it is, I use a watering wand with the shower head removed to reach through the foliage to the tubes without my having to bend down or struggle.

MICKIE

Unfortunately, I don't have that lush a garden...yet.
Currently I just have 3 boxes of lettuce, 1 of celery, 1/2 of green beans, and the canabalistic zukes.
It does hurt to bend down to remove the cover as well as to get the watering can's tube in the hole to reduce spilling water all over the place.  But I only have the 6 boxes.  So at the moment it's livable, though not ideal.

This is my first year with the boxes.  At the time of initial setup, I was more concerned about reducing the skeeter population than the mechanics of watering.  I guess I've been running on habit regarding watering and the covers.

This winter, when I have time to stop and reconsider some things, then I'll look for a can with a longer tube to reduce the bending, or figure out how to dramatically lengthen the hose and on/off setup, as well as keeping skeeter populations down without the on/off cover, heh.  For now I'm just pulling in ideas to let stew in the back of my head for a while.  Thank you for pointing out the value of the nylon netting.

Oh, I just reread what you were responding to.  The knee-high idea was meant to be that the knee-highs would stay on during the season, but at end of season or end of year time, it would be easy to remove them, or if I had to remove them for some reason, that would be easy to do instead of having to pull the tube out of the box to remove something I've placed in the tube.  Water should still be able to get through, maybe, and preferably without the buggies and sluggies.  I'll find out tonight how the watering part works.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, MacSmiley. This user is located in Zone 4b in South Dakota. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Knee-highs are too much of a bother for me. I've taken to using the new smaller caps from the Faultless Starch/Magic Sizing spray cans. Much easier on, much easier off.

They even come in different colors, too.

The caps have both an inner and an outer cap. The inner cap goes inside the fill tube and the outer part of the cap goes outside the fill tube. We've had some wildly windy weather in South Dakota, and but these guys hang on to the fill tube for dear life, despite not being a tight fit.

I like the darker green on the Magic Wrinkle Remover can, but I also have the bright green one from the "Extra Crisp" sizing shown below.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7, South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Here's a thought... put the foot half of the knee-hi into the tube, and fold the upper half over the tube edges and tie it on. Now, you can water into the tube and the stocking will filter as you water while keeping out the skeeters.

Mickie

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, anndelise. This user is located in WA Zone 8 bordering on Zone 7. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, mjb8743. This user is located in Zone 7, South NJ, Garden State. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

Here's a thought... put the foot half of the knee-hi into the tube, and fold the upper half over the tube edges and tie it on. Now, you can water into the tube and the stocking will filter as you water while keeping out the skeeters.

Mickie

That's my plan tonight. 
Or some form of it, depending on how things go.  Basically, having a portion of the stocking inside the tube but not the whole stocking.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Horticulturalist The EarthBox Hero Member, kathy. This user is located in the mountains of PA Zone 5, almost 4. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

I am not a domestic goddess by any means and laundry and ironing are both challenges to me.....but if I have 27 EB's how much starch is that for me......a lifetime, a couple of year's worth?

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, MacSmiley. This user is located in Zone 4b in South Dakota. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

I don't buy the start... oops... starch. (See?) I buy the sizing, and 9 times out of ten, just spray and hang instead of iron.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Horticulturalist The EarthBox Hero Member, kathy. This user is located in the mountains of PA Zone 5, almost 4. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

HMMMM I don't even know what sizing is......but if it would keep me from ironing.....I am all over it.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, MacSmiley. This user is located in Zone 4b in South Dakota. This was originally posted on July 23, 2009.

LOL! Sizing is kind of like starch, but isn't.

Here's what I found at Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizing

You won't want to put sizing in your EarthBox, that's for sure.