Homemade selfwatering containers. - Page 2

MsCowpea · March 2, 2006

Earthboxes are very UV resistant--my oldest one is 8 years or so and ALWAYS out in the weather/sun year-round and no problems.

Though initially expensive they look like they will last a long long time.

Tim. very good post with lots of good information. Just one little nitpicky point--tomatoes actually don't prefer a pH above neutral. Depending on the source I have seen 5.8 to 6.5 as ideal , one extension brochure goes as high as 7 (neutral), another as low as 5.5. I think these are field pH requirements--container grown toms may tolerate a little higher as they are fertilized more frequently. (Though one greenhouse site I was reading said yield was reduced by 25% at 7 pH.) They adapt to even higher alkaline soils as I can attest but that is not the ideal as you must deal with minor element deficiencies with high pH.

Soilless mixes have to adjust pH to an ideal level as they contain sphagnum peat (3.0-4.0 pH) and/or bark (4.0 to 5.0 pH) which have acidic pH. From an ideal pH the mix becomes increasingly acid when organic matter breaks down over the season so that is another reason dolomite is added. I have read that a slow-release one would be even better.

Technical brochure on container soil as it relates to the nursery trade-(not everybodies cup of tea). This brochure also explains why it is not a good idea to add rocks/pot shards etc for additional drainage.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CN004

timcunningham · March 2, 2006

MSCowpea,

Thanks for catching that, I knew that the adding Lime was to change the PH, I just forget which way is up on the PH scale. Excellent link too, Thanks!

creister · March 2, 2006

So one could use a soiless mix, or mix some compost, potting soil and maybe soiless mix for soil?

How much lime do you add, and do you mix it in with your soil or just sprinkle on top around the plant?

timcunningham · March 5, 2006

Yes, you could use a good 1/3 Peat Moss, 1/3 Vermiculite, and 1/3 compost. Add two cups of lime, voila perfect tomato growing medium!

creister · March 7, 2006

Do you think your recipe would work well for regular 5 gallon pots as well? Seems like it would to me.

timcunningham · March 8, 2006

creister,

Probably.. not my recipe.. it got it from the Square foot Garden book. But a straight 5 gallon bucket without a reserviour , you don't get the fool proof watering of an earthbox.

valereee · March 9, 2006

Here's there recipe for Al's Soil:

3 cu ft pine bark fines (1 big bag)
5 gallons peat
5 gallons perlite
1 cup lime (you can add more to small portion if needed)
2 cups CRF, such as osmocote
1/2 cup micro-nutrient powder or 1 gal composted manure

His explanation of soil requirements for containers is here:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/...557203792.html

MikeInCypress · March 9, 2006

Mischka,

The Sterolite containers you see at Big Lots and WalWart are usually 1/2 the price of the Rubbermaid Totes. They are thinner but I am using some for the 3rd year here in Trxas. I find the greatest danger to the containers is the string trimmer that we use to trim around the tomato patch, not ultraviolet degradation.

I have 12 10 gal ones set up for 2 plants each and 3 18 gal ones also set up for 2 of the bigger plants each. I love them. Last year I had Brandywine OTV, Brandy Boy, Yellow Brandywine, Burrackers Favorite and Neves Azorean Red in the 18 gal containers and SunGold, Snow White, Galinas, Black Cherry, Little Lucky
and a host of others in the 10 gal ones. Hope to have a few more this year.

Michael

**Mischka** · March 10, 2006

Well, if they can take the Texas sun for three seasons, I'll stop worrying about UV breakdown

Thanks for the info. :wink:

cthomato · March 10, 2006

Every so often HD here sells the Rubbermaid 18 gal totes for $3 each. Unfortunately I did not buy enough of them for my containers and the price went up. How much are the sterolite ones at Big Lots and Wal-Mart?

BTW, I have been reprimanded by a very knowledgeable source (THE actual source, actually) that Brandywine OTV should be OTV Brandywine (like Red/Yellow/Black Brandywine).

Chris, whose knuckles still ache from that ruler-rapping

snappybob · March 10, 2006

I'm very new here and unfortunatly a little late reading this thread. I'm very interested in your homemade earth boxs but the link to the instructions no longer works. Is anybody else having trouble with the link? This Earthbox deal might work very well to solve some of my space problems.

Thanks

MsCowpea · March 10, 2006

Dear Snappy,

I don't know how to link a PDF but if you can figure it out this still brings it up:

http://hometown.aol.com/jmalt31/myhomepage/Earthbox.PDF

Hey --it magic--works like a regular link.

snappybob · March 10, 2006

Thanks MsCowpea, worked like a charm. I'll bet I'll be building some of these in no time.

jmhewitt · March 14, 2006

I only grow tomatoes in containers (sort of)....

don't forget the self-watering containers from Gardeners.com....they work great, and hold more water than the real EB. sometimes they are on sale (I sure didn't pay $30 for mine!!!). I (and NancySil) use a PVC cage on these (her design). my challenge this year is to make them hurricane proof, which I think I am accomplishing.

WallyWorld had a big round SW container last year for about $10 that worked great....same problem as the EB in that it didn't hold much water (less than the EB, in fact). but it holds LOTS of potting mix, and the maters love them.

the 14" self watering container from Johnnyseeds.com works great - about a 7 gallon container. I use the burpee cages on these, strapped into place with plastic ties.

I also made some self watering containers last year from nested wallboard joint compound buckets - contractors are usually delighted if you haul them away. these are about 4 1/2 gallons, with about a gallon of water in the wicking area (I use plastic cups with holes in them, will last for another year!). these are definitely the low-cost winners. for a cage, the good quality conical ones from Ace work great (the only place they are worth anything): you need to strap them into place and give them form with plastic ties. the legs go INSIDE the container.

Michael in Hampstead, NC

P.S. the "sort of" is that I have one raised bed, which I don't recommend: It has been a CHOW CALL for all the moles in the neighborhood. tomatoes grow great, though. in fact, any container where the roots can grow outside the container calls the moles. I found an azalea yesterday where the mole went INSIDE the container for dinner! no wonder it wasn't doing so well.

the other sort of is that I have used bags of potting mix with slits on the bottom side and the plant stuck in the top side on an x slit. I used a 32 qt MG Moisture control bag last year and it worked great....but the same chow call to the moles....

timcunningham · March 14, 2006

jmhewitt, I would be interest in seeing photos of your creations!

March 2, 2006	#16
MsCowpea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S. FLorida / Zone 10 Posts: 369	Earthboxes are very UV resistant--my oldest one is 8 years or so and ALWAYS out in the weather/sun year-round and no problems. Though initially expensive they look like they will last a long long time. Tim. very good post with lots of good information. Just one little nitpicky point--tomatoes actually don't prefer a pH above neutral. Depending on the source I have seen 5.8 to 6.5 as ideal , one extension brochure goes as high as 7 (neutral), another as low as 5.5. I think these are field pH requirements--container grown toms may tolerate a little higher as they are fertilized more frequently. (Though one greenhouse site I was reading said yield was reduced by 25% at 7 pH.) They adapt to even higher alkaline soils as I can attest but that is not the ideal as you must deal with minor element deficiencies with high pH. Soilless mixes have to adjust pH to an ideal level as they contain sphagnum peat (3.0-4.0 pH) and/or bark (4.0 to 5.0 pH) which have acidic pH. From an ideal pH the mix becomes increasingly acid when organic matter breaks down over the season so that is another reason dolomite is added. I have read that a slow-release one would be even better. Technical brochure on container soil as it relates to the nursery trade-(not everybodies cup of tea). This brochure also explains why it is not a good idea to add rocks/pot shards etc for additional drainage. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CN004 __________________ "When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest we inherit their work." Carl Huffaker

March 2, 2006	#17
timcunningham Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 241	MSCowpea, Thanks for catching that, I knew that the adding Lime was to change the PH, I just forget which way is up on the PH scale. Excellent link too, Thanks! __________________ Visit my site: tomatoindex.com a database of over 2700 varieties. Vote for your favorite.

March 5, 2006	#19
timcunningham Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 241	Yes, you could use a good 1/3 Peat Moss, 1/3 Vermiculite, and 1/3 compost. Add two cups of lime, voila perfect tomato growing medium! __________________ Visit my site: tomatoindex.com a database of over 2700 varieties. Vote for your favorite.

March 8, 2006	#21
timcunningham Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 241	creister, Probably.. not my recipe.. it got it from the Square foot Garden book. But a straight 5 gallon bucket without a reserviour , you don't get the fool proof watering of an earthbox. __________________ Visit my site: tomatoindex.com a database of over 2700 varieties. Vote for your favorite.

March 9, 2006	#22
valereee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 6a SW Ohio Posts: 135	Al's Soil Recipe Here's there recipe for Al's Soil: 3 cu ft pine bark fines (1 big bag) 5 gallons peat 5 gallons perlite 1 cup lime (you can add more to small portion if needed) 2 cups CRF, such as osmocote 1/2 cup micro-nutrient powder or 1 gal composted manure His explanation of soil requirements for containers is here: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/...557203792.html

March 2, 2006	#18
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	So one could use a soiless mix, or mix some compost, potting soil and maybe soiless mix for soil? How much lime do you add, and do you mix it in with your soil or just sprinkle on top around the plant?

March 7, 2006	#20
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Do you think your recipe would work well for regular 5 gallon pots as well? Seems like it would to me.

March 9, 2006	#23
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	Containers Mischka, The Sterolite containers you see at Big Lots and WalWart are usually 1/2 the price of the Rubbermaid Totes. They are thinner but I am using some for the 3rd year here in Trxas. I find the greatest danger to the containers is the string trimmer that we use to trim around the tomato patch, not ultraviolet degradation. I have 12 10 gal ones set up for 2 plants each and 3 18 gal ones also set up for 2 of the bigger plants each. I love them. Last year I had Brandywine OTV, Brandy Boy, Yellow Brandywine, Burrackers Favorite and Neves Azorean Red in the 18 gal containers and SunGold, Snow White, Galinas, Black Cherry, Little Lucky and a host of others in the 10 gal ones. Hope to have a few more this year. Michael

March 10, 2006	#24
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	Well, if they can take the Texas sun for three seasons, I'll stop worrying about UV breakdown Thanks for the info. :wink: __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

March 10, 2006	#25
cthomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: SoCal z10 Posts: 96	Every so often HD here sells the Rubbermaid 18 gal totes for $3 each. Unfortunately I did not buy enough of them for my containers and the price went up. How much are the sterolite ones at Big Lots and Wal-Mart? BTW, I have been reprimanded by a very knowledgeable source (THE actual source, actually) that Brandywine OTV should be OTV Brandywine (like Red/Yellow/Black Brandywine). Chris, whose knuckles still ache from that ruler-rapping

March 10, 2006	#26
snappybob SETTFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 214	I'm very new here and unfortunatly a little late reading this thread. I'm very interested in your homemade earth boxs but the link to the instructions no longer works. Is anybody else having trouble with the link? This Earthbox deal might work very well to solve some of my space problems. Thanks

March 14, 2006	#29
jmhewitt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hampstead, NC, USA Zone 8b Posts: 41	I only grow tomatoes in containers (sort of).... don't forget the self-watering containers from Gardeners.com....they work great, and hold more water than the real EB. sometimes they are on sale (I sure didn't pay $30 for mine!!!). I (and NancySil) use a PVC cage on these (her design). my challenge this year is to make them hurricane proof, which I think I am accomplishing. WallyWorld had a big round SW container last year for about $10 that worked great....same problem as the EB in that it didn't hold much water (less than the EB, in fact). but it holds LOTS of potting mix, and the maters love them. the 14" self watering container from Johnnyseeds.com works great - about a 7 gallon container. I use the burpee cages on these, strapped into place with plastic ties. I also made some self watering containers last year from nested wallboard joint compound buckets - contractors are usually delighted if you haul them away. these are about 4 1/2 gallons, with about a gallon of water in the wicking area (I use plastic cups with holes in them, will last for another year!). these are definitely the low-cost winners. for a cage, the good quality conical ones from Ace work great (the only place they are worth anything): you need to strap them into place and give them form with plastic ties. the legs go INSIDE the container. Michael in Hampstead, NC P.S. the "sort of" is that I have one raised bed, which I don't recommend: It has been a CHOW CALL for all the moles in the neighborhood. tomatoes grow great, though. in fact, any container where the roots can grow outside the container calls the moles. I found an azalea yesterday where the mole went INSIDE the container for dinner! no wonder it wasn't doing so well. the other sort of is that I have used bags of potting mix with slits on the bottom side and the plant stuck in the top side on an x slit. I used a 32 qt MG Moisture control bag last year and it worked great....but the same chow call to the moles....