Thread: EarthBox Issue
View Single Post
Old July 21, 2017   #23
Shrinkrap
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N. California
Posts: 694
Default

Good advice Marsha! My son just moved to Florida. Quite a climate change for him!.

Disclaimer; None of my comments are about flavor, and I have no ripe fruit yet this year.

I'm a little confused about what you mean when you say "soil" (perhaps Miracle grow is "soil"), but I would have to agree that the "soiless mixes" seem to be the way to go with Earthboxes. I especially like ProMix HP (for high porosity ), but usually find bx.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...fk3DK4FIdOzDuQ

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...Y48l4QQWiQybVw

I often read that adding compost doesn't turn out well over time, so I avoid it. I'm not sure how much tomatoes depend on bees, but I'm sure they make things easier.

I have collected about 9 Earthboxes over the last 10 years, almost all growing tomatoes and peppers in a hot and dry climate, on my deck with drip irrigation.

I have several other SIP's, mostly from Gardener's Supply, and I use ProMix there as well, but not with the strict EB setup and, this year I am exerimenting with other types of "wicks", still ProMix, and with hydroponics, using the two 10 gallon bucket set up, net baskets, and hydroton. I can't imagine hydroton working in Earthboxes , and hydroton and perlite is a bigger stretch. Can't say why exact, but im thinking it has to do with wicking and particle sizes.

I linked an article in a thread about hydroponics vs wicking somewhere in here, and I believe it discussed factors related to your medium as well. I will try to find it.

Here is a quote;

"The solid media used is better divided in two, the first media is a highly absorbent, capillary efficient media (like rice husk combined with sand 1:1) which is put in a small cup or container while the second media is a non-absorbent very capillary deficient media like gravel which is used to occupy the rest of the available space. Other coarse media can also be used to fill the rest of the container like vermiculite or other types of rocks"

ETA here is the link
http://scienceinhydroponics.com/2010...ge-plants.html

The second and third pictures are of overwintered "Scotch Bonnets" from saved seed from my MIL's plants. One is in a net basket supported with hydroton, with Maxigrow for nutes, the other, much bigger plant n a Gardener's Supply SIP, fertilized with Osmocote, and supplemented with Foliage-pro.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 15006495519671992966029.jpg (578.4 KB, 58 views)
File Type: jpg 15006496339842077305378.jpg (473.1 KB, 58 views)
File Type: jpg 15006496708402015105194.jpg (627.4 KB, 57 views)
File Type: jpg 1500650253523149590968.jpg (598.5 KB, 57 views)
File Type: jpg 15006502721581729150475.jpg (511.4 KB, 57 views)

Last edited by Shrinkrap; July 21, 2017 at 12:22 PM.
Shrinkrap is offline   Reply With Quote