Earth-Box Aeration Screen - - I Don't get its Real Purpose

[rnewste]

I have gotten "religion" about Earth-Box advantages and now have 12 under construction. After finishing the first one following Josho's .pdf instructions (I am using 2 Rubbermaid 31 gal totes with one cut-off, and flipped inside the other) I am REALLY in a puzzle as to the true function of what he calls an "aeration screen", bullet marked with hundreds of holes.

Specifically, he states that these large number of drilled holes are necessary "to deliver Oxygen to the roots". Wait-a-minute - - if delivering mass quantities of Oxygen to the roots for a tomato plant to grow is necessary, please tell me how in-ground tomato plants (without this aeration system) successfully grow?

My own theory is that the original Earth-box inventor (who lives in rainy Florida) put holes in this surface to drain off excess rainwater back in to the water reservoir - - NOT to somehow deliver Oxygen to the root system.

So before I call Myth-Busters to have them sort out the science of how an Earth-Box works, can someone please enlighten me if my theory is correct (holes for rainwater drain-off - - not to deliver Oxygen).

This issue is very important in my design as I want to use tomato cages resting on this inverted surface, but drilling it with a massive number of holes will not be practical (the legs can slip into the drilled holes - see photo #1) which will defeat rigging guy-wired tomato cages (like a sailboat's mast rigging). Pictures and results of my self-contained staking system to follow in a week. For now, I need to know if my revised drilling pattern in photo #2 will work before I complete the next 10 Earth-Boxes.

Thanks for your recommendations and comments,

Ray