Homemade Earthbox soil/etc question - Page 2

creister · January 22, 2007

I paid about 22 dollars for two of the 2 cubic feet bales at the Home Depot in Houston back at Thanksgiving. I haven't seen it here yet at our local store, in fact they were just starting to set up their spring display. We had about a week of snow, ice and freezing temps. Unusual for us.

Thomas · January 22, 2007

I am going to try the EB this year. Thanks for the ideas!
I was wondering though, has anyone ran air from a aquarium pump to the water chamber? It might be overkill but just thinking that if the roots get submerged, maybe a little oxygen could boost there intake of nutrient rich water

Also, has anyone tried alfalfa tea, or any other homemade brews?

creister · January 22, 2007

Thomas,

I have made aerated compost tea, and just compost tea (soak compost in water and drain lechate). Plants really like this stuff. If you go to a site called dirtdoctor.com, they have alot of info about home brews.

Thomas · January 22, 2007

creister,

I have made my own homebrews before also..I should have made my post a little more clear. I meant has anyone added these teas directly to the water chamber? Sorry for the confusion

Suze · January 22, 2007

Thomas, with an earthbox (either the real deal or homemade), people usually put fertilizer in a strip on top of the potting mix inside the box. That should really be enough; you probably wouldn't want to add anything else to the water to avoid possibly overfertilizing the plants.

creister · January 22, 2007

One of the other topics in this forum, the poster said they used the strip and foliar feeding. This overfed his plants with nitrogen, which led to increased BER. I think it is in the Post titled Homemade Earthboxes, has about 7 pages.

feldon30 · January 22, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by creister

One of the other topics in this forum, the poster said they used the strip and foliar feeding. This overfed his plants with nitrogen, which led to increased BER. I think it is in the Post titled Homemade Earthboxes, has about 7 pages.

Was that with TomatoTone or another fert with low nitrogen?

Ruth_10 · January 22, 2007

Okay, I have another question. What is a pond basket? It looks like a colander to me. Is it the same?

bydsign · January 23, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth_10

Okay, I have another question. What is a pond basket? It looks like a colander to me. Is it the same?

It's actually smaller than a colander, but it does kinda
resemble it.

I buy my little pond baskets from Lowe's.

dcarch · January 23, 2007

For all you DIY "self"-watering boxes, you will still be watering yourself.

Information is availabe on the net for truly automatic self-watering systems so that if you are going on vacations, you don't have to find someone to care for your plants.

dcarch

bydsign · January 26, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcarch

For all you DIY "self"-watering boxes, you will still be watering yourself.

Information is availabe on the net for truly automatic self-watering systems so that if you are going on vacations, you don't have to find someone to care for your plants.

dcarch

I've gone close to a week without adding more water to
the 18 gal sized self-watering containers.

In the summer time, I'm expecting the time in between
topping off the containers to be less... maybe 2-3 days.

dcarch · January 26, 2007

I don't have room for containers, but I was intrigued by people who use float switches with aquarium pumps and toilet float valves to make fully automatic self-watering containers.

dcarch

Earl · January 27, 2007

Would you folks help me figure out what and where to buy products needed to fix DIY EBs so they'll be self-watering, as in a float controlled device that will fill EB with water from a 1/4 inch water line. Any help will be appreciated.

Edited

bcday · January 27, 2007

Can't see the pic in the thread at Dave's Garden, Earl. I got this message and a big blank spot on the page:
Only paid subscribers may view the full-size forum photos.

Earl · January 27, 2007

BC, I sent you a PM. Or just go to Feldon's site and check in my Miscellaneous folder.

January 22, 2007	#23
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	Okay, I have another question. What is a pond basket? It looks like a colander to me. Is it the same? __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

January 23, 2007	#25
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	For all you DIY "self"-watering boxes, you will still be watering yourself. Information is availabe on the net for truly automatic self-watering systems so that if you are going on vacations, you don't have to find someone to care for your plants. dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

January 26, 2007	#27
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	I don't have room for containers, but I was intrigued by people who use float switches with aquarium pumps and toilet float valves to make fully automatic self-watering containers. dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

January 22, 2007	#16
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	I paid about 22 dollars for two of the 2 cubic feet bales at the Home Depot in Houston back at Thanksgiving. I haven't seen it here yet at our local store, in fact they were just starting to set up their spring display. We had about a week of snow, ice and freezing temps. Unusual for us.

January 22, 2007	#17
Thomas Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 180	I am going to try the EB this year. Thanks for the ideas! I was wondering though, has anyone ran air from a aquarium pump to the water chamber? It might be overkill but just thinking that if the roots get submerged, maybe a little oxygen could boost there intake of nutrient rich water Also, has anyone tried alfalfa tea, or any other homemade brews?

January 22, 2007	#20
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Thomas, with an earthbox (either the real deal or homemade), people usually put fertilizer in a strip on top of the potting mix inside the box. That should really be enough; you probably wouldn't want to add anything else to the water to avoid possibly overfertilizing the plants.

January 27, 2007	#28
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	Would you folks help me figure out what and where to buy products needed to fix DIY EBs so they'll be self-watering, as in a float controlled device that will fill EB with water from a 1/4 inch water line. Any help will be appreciated. Edited

January 27, 2007	#29
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	Can't see the pic in the thread at Dave's Garden, Earl. I got this message and a big blank spot on the page: Only paid subscribers may view the full-size forum photos.