Earthbox soil fall-thru prevention

peebee · March 30, 2019

I notice lots of the lot potting mix falls thru the screen holes as I'm filling the Earthboxes. Had an idea: how about putting a couple of paper towels down first? I figure they will still let water thru and will melt away by the time roots start to form. Your thoughts please.

ginger2778 · March 30, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee

I notice lots of the lot potting mix falls thru the screen holes as I'm filling the Earthboxes. Had an idea: how about putting a couple of paper towels down first? I figure they will still let water thru and will melt away by the time roots start to form. Your thoughts please.

I've never done it. It's biodegradable, might work. I just let my potting mix fall through a little.

Worth1 · March 30, 2019

Gauze would work.

Tomzhawaii · March 30, 2019

I used micrfibre towels, for my homemade one. The yellow ones for cleaning a car. The roots became part of the towel.

rhines81 · March 30, 2019

I use burlap fabric at the base of all my planters. When I bought this house 14 years ago, the people left behind a big roll of it (I think it's 3' wide, never measured it) and I still have plenty left. Works great.

Barb_FL · March 30, 2019

When I didn't have so many EB, I use to cut some of my shade cloth. It holds up season after season.

For the past 2 years, I bought a roll of screen from Lowes and use that.

Both work well.

Nan_PA_6b · March 31, 2019

Seems you're not alone, Peebee.

peebee · April 1, 2019

Well I went ahead & used paper towels & I think they'll work great. Thanks for the feedback and suggestions everyone.

asaump · May 29, 2019

I use landscape cloth. Same thing I use for my net cups in my grow bags for my hybrid rain gutter grow system.

Gardadore · May 29, 2019

I remember mentioning to someone that I was going to use landscape cloth to keep the dirt from falling through. The reply was that then the roots would not go through the cloth. The roots are supposed to go through the holes. So the paper towels seem an ideal solution. But it is all much easier if one waters the soil thoroughly so it compacts better.

Shrinkrap · May 29, 2019

I don't usually do anything special, but a video I saw showed someone using moist soil and pressing down the first few inches to reduce it falling through. Is there some reason to think what falls through is a problem?

peebee · May 30, 2019

Well Shrinkrap, in some of my EBs when I emptied them, there was lots of yucky mud/sludge in the bottom so I thought I'd prevent that in the future. I suppose using very moist medium would work ok but the paper towels seemed so much simpler & neater.

Shrinkrap · May 30, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee

Well Shrinkrap, in some of my EBs when I emptied them, there was lots of yucky mud/sludge in the bottom so I thought I'd prevent that in the future. I suppose using very moist medium would work ok but the paper towels seemed so much simpler & neater.

I see. Well I have two more boxes to fill, so maybe I'll try it. I have some old Gardener's Supply sub-irrigation planters where that is an issue.

AlittleSalt · May 30, 2019

I've never used an EB, and that's why I haven't posted anything. It sounds like using paper towels would work though.

I know this sounds completely different, but it might be of some use? I had a few buckets that I didn't drill holes near the bottom last year. The mix sat in water from a lot of rain. Earlier this year, I dumped out the buckets. The mix looked sort of okay, but there was slimy green mold or whatever on the inside of the buckets. I got rid of the mix and bleached the buckets heavily - letting them soak for a few days. It seems to have worked well. I don't know if EBs can get that mold/green slime in them or not?

Shrinkrap · May 30, 2019

I've never had mold or green slime in my Earthboxes, and sometimes I use them year round without emptying them. I've had some container mix in the reservoir, but never the anaerobic odor I've had with my old Gardener's Supply Sub-irrigation planters. I believe those originally came with some sort of soil block, but I've had them for more than 20 years now, and haven't figured out a replacement.

March 30, 2019	#1
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Earthbox soil fall-thru prevention I notice lots of the lot potting mix falls thru the screen holes as I'm filling the Earthboxes. Had an idea: how about putting a couple of paper towels down first? I figure they will still let water thru and will melt away by the time roots start to form. Your thoughts please.

May 29, 2019	#9
asaump Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Maine, 4b Posts: 73	I use landscape cloth. Same thing I use for my net cups in my grow bags for my hybrid rain gutter grow system. __________________ Ken

May 29, 2019	#11
Shrinkrap Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: N. California Posts: 701	I don't usually do anything special, but a video I saw showed someone using moist soil and pressing down the first few inches to reduce it falling through. Is there some reason to think what falls through is a problem? Last edited by Shrinkrap; May 30, 2019 at 01:34 AM.

March 30, 2019	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Gauze would work.

March 30, 2019	#4
Tomzhawaii Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Honolulu ,Hawaii Posts: 262	I used micrfibre towels, for my homemade one. The yellow ones for cleaning a car. The roots became part of the towel.

March 30, 2019	#5
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	I use burlap fabric at the base of all my planters. When I bought this house 14 years ago, the people left behind a big roll of it (I think it's 3' wide, never measured it) and I still have plenty left. Works great.

March 30, 2019	#6
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	When I didn't have so many EB, I use to cut some of my shade cloth. It holds up season after season. For the past 2 years, I bought a roll of screen from Lowes and use that. Both work well.

March 31, 2019	#7
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	Seems you're not alone, Peebee.

April 1, 2019	#8
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Well I went ahead & used paper towels & I think they'll work great. Thanks for the feedback and suggestions everyone.

May 29, 2019	#10
Gardadore Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Saylorsburg, PA Posts: 261	I remember mentioning to someone that I was going to use landscape cloth to keep the dirt from falling through. The reply was that then the roots would not go through the cloth. The roots are supposed to go through the holes. So the paper towels seem an ideal solution. But it is all much easier if one waters the soil thoroughly so it compacts better.

May 30, 2019	#12
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Well Shrinkrap, in some of my EBs when I emptied them, there was lots of yucky mud/sludge in the bottom so I thought I'd prevent that in the future. I suppose using very moist medium would work ok but the paper towels seemed so much simpler & neater.

May 30, 2019	#14
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I've never used an EB, and that's why I haven't posted anything. It sounds like using paper towels would work though. I know this sounds completely different, but it might be of some use? I had a few buckets that I didn't drill holes near the bottom last year. The mix sat in water from a lot of rain. Earlier this year, I dumped out the buckets. The mix looked sort of okay, but there was slimy green mold or whatever on the inside of the buckets. I got rid of the mix and bleached the buckets heavily - letting them soak for a few days. It seems to have worked well. I don't know if EBs can get that mold/green slime in them or not?