Earthbox...insight please

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by Dutch

The buckets I use came from a local restaurant and had contained food products. You do have to know which plastics are safe and which are not.
Dutch

Most of the 5 gal buckets are High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Same material they use for gallon Milk Jugs. Its also used for water line, as is PVC. When a water line is installed using a directional drill, it is usually HDPE. It has recycle symbol with a "2" stamped somewhere on it.

[JamesL]

Originally Posted by birdermom

Do you have any concerns about "leaching" chemicals from the pvc or other plastics used in some of the diy? When reading saw that concern in some articles.

I do. I build all my DIY's out of food grade/food safe. Earthbox says theirs are food safe and I think they are reputable enough to take that at face value.

PVC - perfectly safe once made. The other plastics and additives therein are the issue.

PS- I agree with Linda and Marsha that it probably makes more sense to buy a few EB's and if they do well, buy more or build you own.

[JamesL]

Originally Posted by Dutch

I have over a 100 self watering growing containers built from buckets and totes and 44 genuine Earthboxes. After spending over a thousand dollars buying Earthboxes from Earthbox themselves, they wouldn’t give me support. They even decline my registration request to join their Earthbox forum. I have belonged to dozens of forums over the years and have never been banned from any of them! I guess it must have been my blond hair they had a problem with.
Here is a link to a rather simple designed DIY box. Simple DIY Self Watering Grow Box
Dutch

Definitely the blonde hair....

[birdermom]

Thanks for all the input...think you are right...buy a few and try

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by JamesL

Definitely the blonde hair....

Thanks!
Dutch

[Sun City Linda]

Dutch I cannot imagine how or why that would have happened. Did you tell them you were like, a terrorist or something? No matter. The company just sold and is under new ownership. Since you have EBs, you know its a good product, cmon down! We could really use more experienced growers on that forum.

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by JamesL

I do. I build all my DIY's out of food grade/food safe. Earthbox says theirs are food safe and I think they are reputable enough to take that at face value.

PVC - perfectly safe once made. The other plastics and additives therein are the issue.

PS- I agree with Linda and Marsha that it probably makes more sense to buy a few EB's and if they do well, buy more or build you own.

Technically, "Food Grade" plastics are supposed to have a little fork and cup symbol stamped near their recycle code (on the bottom usually). However, I hardly ever see it used, even on containers which are obviously used for food, so I'm not sure what the deal is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_safe_symbol

Plastics which are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation, like pvc pipe for water supply, and other items which are used in water distribution, will be stamped with "NSF" (or printed in black, in the case of PVC pipe)

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

Early morning raid for recycling bins.

Not accusing anyone of anything, but in some places (like where I live) that's considered theft. Our recycling bins are the property of the contractor hired by the town to provide recycling pick up. They even have serial numbers on them for tracking. Under their agreement with the town, we're allotted one per address. If it goes missing, they are not required to give us another because the town can't afford to pay extra for replacements (without passing on the cost to all residents through taxes). And since recycling is mandatory, we then have to purchase our own replacement.

As to Earthboxes, look at the dealer list on their website to see if they are available near you. I was surprised to learn that they are available at about seven retail locations within 20 miles of me.

[elight]

EarthBox is a great solution if you really don't want to DIY. But most will tell you that you should really only put one plant in it, whereas you can get two in a EarthTainer built to the recommended size.

You can build and EarthTainer with nothing more than a drill, kitchen shears, and something to cut the pipe (cheap hacksaw or pipe cutter). If course it will be much easier and cleaner if you have a jigsaw and a hole saw set.

If you have a Harbor Freight near you, you can get these tools dirt cheap. They won't be the best quality by far but if you're not using them too often, they'll get the job done.

I think a lot of people are afraid to use a tool they've never used before (which for many, is any tool), but are always surprised how easy they are once they actually give it a shot.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by elight

I think a lot of people are afraid to use a tool they've never used before (which for many, is any tool), but are always surprised how easy they are once they actually give it a shot.

You see this thing in the picture?
It is a wood moulder and costs many thousands of dollars.
My boss fired the guy he hired to run it before he even got the chance to run the thing.
The boss came up to me and asked me to set it up and run it.
I told him sure but I dont know a darn thing about it, someones going to have to show me.

I was scared to death the first time I started it up.
A thousand things can go wrong and kill someone.
Two years later I was training the bosses son to run it.

We all have to start somewhere.

[birdermom]

I think I could make them, in fact it seems like a new challenge to me..lol...and will probably try as a winter project next year. This is the time of the year where there are so many activities going on that I will probably will just order EB to try and then try diy later. I have looked at the EB site and another, Mastergardening.com, and they are close in price, one cheaper on box but shipping high, other higher on box, but it has the rollers, fert, lime, and free shipping...any other suggestions of where to get cheaper, etc?

[Irv Wiseguy]

Originally Posted by Worth1

You see this thing in the picture?
It is a wood moulder and costs many thousands of dollars.
My boss fired the guy he hired to run it before he even got the chance to run the thing.
The boss came up to me and asked me to set it up and run it.
I told him sure but I dont know a darn thing about it, someones going to have to show me.

I was scared to death the first time I started it up.
A thousand things can go wrong and kill someone.
Two years later I was training the bosses son to run it.

We all have to start somewhere.

Worth,

This is weird. I've never seen that machine before, but a couple weeks ago I had a dream that I had a chocolate winnowing machine in my living room and it looked just like that, except it was in off-white

Irv

[Sun City Linda]

Originally Posted by elight

EarthBox is a great solution if you really don't want to DIY. But most will tell you that you should really only put one plant in it, whereas you can get two in a EarthTainer built to the recommended size.

Originally Posted by elight

I occasionally see that advice but have learned over the years it is from well meaning folks who really don't follow or understand the EB growing system. EB instructions are designed for total yield. I, and most folks I know plant two tomato plants per EB.

[birdermom]

When you place two plants, do you put a "strip" of fertilizer in the middle...what do you use and how much...and do you use the cover? I usually plant basil or another under the tomato plants, not with EB?

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

I occasionally see that advice but have learned over the years it is from well meaning folks who really don't follow or understand the EB growing system. EB instructions are designed for total yield. I, and most folks I know plant two tomato plants per EB.

+1