Set Up of an Earthbox Jr for Strawberries

[greenthumbomaha]

I've used the EB jr for greens with okay results. I used it as a box planter, leaving all the pieces and ferts in the package unused.

So, I have 3 Bonnie type strawberry plants that need a home. The Eb website suggests three strawberry plants, just what I have!

Now I am clueless to the next step. I previously covered the grate with weed cloth to save on potting medium, as the lettuce was rather shallow. The strawberry roots will need the extra depth and more ferts. Any runners will go in another pot to grow bigger until severance.

I will be using the Walmart version of ProMix with a handful of perlite. As a first time "real" user as it was intended, do I need to add the dolomite and fertilizer strip. Would some granular Tomato Tone mixed in to the promix suffice? The watering tube is new to me too. I also have the cover.

Any sage advice is appreciated as I break new territory on the mini version. Thank-you!

- Lisa

[JosephineRose]

I did three strawberry plants in a jr and it was too crowded. I didn't feel I got a great harvest and they just outgrew the space rather quickly. That was before it sent out runners. It turned into a buggy mess. If you are going to use a junior, use only two plants, max. I might just do one.


I actually have discovered that the juniors are great for peppers, of all things. I only plant one or two per box, but they do beautifully in there.

[greenthumbomaha]

Thank you for replying. I held off planting the strawberries due to weather, and when I was watering my pepper tray I was thinking maybe a peppadew would be a better choce as I want to isolate the seeds for the MMM swap next year and I could keep a closer eye this way.

I'm stubborn though. I've read the instructions and I don't fully understand the purpose of the tray. I blocked mine off with weed fabric to use less soil, and to have a place for drainage. If I didn't leave a gap, what is the function of the tray?

I assume it will all come in to focus once I've gone through a season using the equipment properly, but I'm still curious how it is supposed to work differently from a regular window box. Thank you for any insight that might clarify this in my mind.

- Lisa

[JosephineRose]

The EB Jr tray? The idea is it wicks the water up, and the aeration screen allows an air pocket for the roots.

https://earthbox.com/science-behind-the-earthbox

You pack the little square pockets in the middle with soil first to get a good contact from which the moisture can wick.

I actually feel the Jr. is better at this than the regular EB.

[greenthumbomaha]

I only half filled my box and I needed the remaining soil to pot up, but I am finished and planting out now. There was a sudden turn in the weather from cold and rainy to.. ta da .. sunshine!Now I need to get back to the berries. I bet the birds are happy that I have been busy.

Well it's good to hear from your experience. I thought the holes for the screen were rather large and the potting soil would eventually fill the bottom too. Well ya don't say - thanks!

- Lisa