EarthTainer Question

JamesL · April 13, 2012

Brian,
When you give a lawyer a math problem.....

Great website find. I bookmarked it already.

I think on the whole your plan works and you can't really go wrong with it as outlined. Worse case scenario - tree dies and you put something else in the pot.

A couple of thoughts.

Wood vs Plastic - Sturdiness, availability, cost, and aesthetics would appear to be the factors on the choice.

Bill has a photo that shows the inside of the pot with the PVC rings and the mesh. It looks like on that particular pot, it has some sort of internal braces (3) spaced evenly around the sides. http://figs4fun.com/fpix/FP866-15%20800.jpg
You could make an earthtainer style aeration bench and support it on them, (assuming your pot has something similar) or use 3 pvc pieces as support. Would add to your build labor and cost though.

Your idea - PVC sections as wicking baskets - that should work. Would assume you would cover the entire "bench" with the mesh and landscape fabric?
You had asked the question a week ago about wicking basket size, with no replies - I think Bill's website photo gives the answer - 3 sections.

What are you going to use as the grow media? Raybo 3-2-1? Dirt mix like Bill?

PS - If you end up with wood, you could use Tung oil, or a tung oil based product like Waterlox.
I recently used Tung oil, cut with Citrus solvent to redo hardwood floors. The Chinese sealed boats with it hundreds of years.

April 13, 2012	#23
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Brian, When you give a lawyer a math problem..... Great website find. I bookmarked it already. I think on the whole your plan works and you can't really go wrong with it as outlined. Worse case scenario - tree dies and you put something else in the pot. A couple of thoughts. Wood vs Plastic - Sturdiness, availability, cost, and aesthetics would appear to be the factors on the choice. Bill has a photo that shows the inside of the pot with the PVC rings and the mesh. It looks like on that particular pot, it has some sort of internal braces (3) spaced evenly around the sides. http://figs4fun.com/fpix/FP866-15%20800.jpg You could make an earthtainer style aeration bench and support it on them, (assuming your pot has something similar) or use 3 pvc pieces as support. Would add to your build labor and cost though. Your idea - PVC sections as wicking baskets - that should work. Would assume you would cover the entire "bench" with the mesh and landscape fabric? You had asked the question a week ago about wicking basket size, with no replies - I think Bill's website photo gives the answer - 3 sections. What are you going to use as the grow media? Raybo 3-2-1? Dirt mix like Bill? PS - If you end up with wood, you could use Tung oil, or a tung oil based product like Waterlox. I recently used Tung oil, cut with Citrus solvent to redo hardwood floors. The Chinese sealed boats with it hundreds of years.