No mention of GrowBox (tm)?

[cythaenopsis]

I've seen people talk about DIY grow boxes and the commercially available EarthBox, but nothing yet about the retail GrowBox. Is there something about it that makes gardeners in-the-know turn away? With the "plant by numbers" template on the fertilizer layer, I thought that maybe it implies "novice gardener" too much.

I don't have one, but a friend of mine is growing tomatoes in two of them (indeterminate beefsteak varieties). He started off with seedlings that he'd bought and the plants have been growing like mad from week #1. Right now the plants are very big and bushy, having extended beyond their cages by quite a bit. Tomatoes ended up appearing a bit later than I would have expected, but once they started they've been popping up all over. Watering requirements are significant. The 4 gallon reservoirs need filling at least once per day.

Now, beyond the basics of watering, my friend is doing nothing at all to them. He does not adjust branches to minimize tangling. He does not prune or remove suckers. The larger tomatoes seem to be on target for 1lb or greater. I'd told him about the issues related to suckers and how a very bushy plant is prone to disease, but because he sees no problems he just dismissed my points off hand. As you might surmise he's not the consummate gardener, although he has been growing vegetables and herbs for a number of years.

I'd read up quite a bit about tomato plant growing and how a bushy plant is supposed to be a recipe for disaster, as the canopy provides an opportunity for disease to flourish. I guess we'll just see how it goes in his case.

Anyway, despite the lack of pruning, the plants just seem excessively bushy to me. And so that has me wondering if the "Nutrient Patch" layer that is placed on top has a high nitrogen content to it. The retailer's website doesn't go into those details. They only say "it contains a powerful mixture of fast-acting and time-release nutrients as well as critical minor elements not found in many garden fertilizers. In addition, we've eliminated 95.5% of the harmful, plant-burning salts found in most off-the-shelf fertilizers."

So I'm just curious as to what people here in Tomatoville think of the GrowBox; if anyone has used them with success or tried it but didn't like how it worked out.

[Sun City Linda]

I have not used them. I have been on threads where they were discussed before and the general conclusion is that Earthbox is a far better constructed product. I have 14 Earthboxes and I agree that they are built to last and do a great job.

[cythaenopsis]

^ Ah, OK -- that explains it. Despite the EarthBox costing more, it sounds like it's well worth getting due to the superior construction helping it to last longer. Thanks, Linda!

[ginger2778]

I have 15 grow boxes and 12 earthboxes. I wish I had 27 earthboxes. They'll do a comparable job, but you have to snap together a top and bottom, so there is a seam with a potential to leak all the way around. They aren't machined as well so tightly fitting pieces only happens maybe in 2/3 of them. The potting mix basin is somewhat smaller, doesn't hold as much mix. I don't use their nutrient strip attached to burlap, I use my own organic ferts and an earthbox " shower cap" over the top. They will still give you huge plants with lots of production.
Just get earthboxes, well worth the 5 or 6 more dollars they cost IMHO.

Marsha

[amideutch]

I'd read up quite a bit about tomato plant growing and how a bushy plant is supposed to be a recipe for disaster, as the canopy provides an opportunity for disease to flourish.

If you grow in containers soil borne disease is a lot less likely than growing plants in the dirt. If it's airborne disease then it does not matter how much foliage you have or whether it is growing in the ground or a container. This is why we stress preventative applications of fungicides rather than wait till your plant gets infected then it is too late.

I grow my plants in containers, raised beds and open ground and have never pruned my plants. I do spray my plants periodically with bio/bio friendly fungicides and do not have a problem with disease. Check out our "Common Garden Diseases and Pests" Forum as there is a lot of good info in there.

Ami

[Balr14]

I have 18 Earthboxes, two of which were given to me at least 15 years ago. I have tried other commercial containers and a few DIY projects. They don't last nearly as long and are a lot more fooling around. I don't use any kind of fungicide or pesticide and have never had a disease problem. I had some leaves on several plants get brown patches, due to way too much rain, but once the sun came out that problem went away.

In all, I have spent about $500 on Earth Boxes. I've spent nearly as much on other products and DIY containers that I have thrown away.

[Sun City Linda]

Earthbox users are very loyal to the brand, because the brand is THAT GOOD. In this day and age where nearly everything you purchase has a useful life of maybe a couple of years (sometimes much less) it is a joy to purchase a product that is built to last.

[cythaenopsis]

Sounds good. I think next year I'll be doing an EarthBox and an Earthtainer.

[cythaenopsis]

Wow... I feel bad for my friend who I'd mentioned is growing 2 tomato varieties in a Grow Box. I just inspected his tomato plants and they are suffering a rather nasty bout of BER. It's one of those insidious afflictions. You look at your tomatoes from a distance and they look just fine, even from the sides. But then if you lift up an afflicted tomato, you can't miss that brown patch.

This is a prime example of what can go wrong if you use a Grow Box and expect that all you have to do is just water. He hasn't pruned one sucker--none whatsoever. "The GrowBox gives you all the nutrients you need for the whole season--let your plants grow, grow, grow!" You wouldn't believe the overgrown bush he has now. A notable number of branches buried under the canopy of foliage withered away. And those tomatoes just look sad. There is a good number of them that are healthy, but who knows if they'll succumb to the affliction as well.


"It's a jungle out there!"












"Dried out leaves inside the tomato cave."






"It's insidious. It's the ugly side of brown. It is blossom-end-rot."










Anyway, I'd rather have a smaller healthy crop than a larger one with more than half suffering from BER. In all honesty, I tried to offer up some advice on what to do and he decided that he'll figure it out his own way. He knows I'm new at tomato growing and since I didn't go with his advice on a Grow Box, I'm apparently not in a position to advise.

[MikeInCypress]

I think Earthbox has a sale every year in the fall - early winter. The savings is significant. Look for it.

MikeInCypress

[TightenUp]

my self watering container(homemade) suffered from BER when my timer broke and they didn't get watered properly. make sure your friend is keeping that reservoir full at all times. i can almost guarantee that's his issue

[cythaenopsis]

Originally Posted by MikeInCypress

I think Earthbox has a sale every year in the fall - early winter. The savings is significant. Look for it.

Thanks for the tip, Mike -- I'll be sure to keep my eye out for them.

Originally Posted by TightenUp

my self watering container(homemade) suffered from BER when my timer broke and they didn't get watered properly. make sure your friend is keeping that reservoir full at all times. i can almost guarantee that's his issue

Interesting point, because his tomato plants are extremely thirsty. The reservoir is 4 gallons and it ends up down to less than a gallon by the next morning. He uses a smallish watering can that requires a minimum of 4 trips, and he may have missed a day periodically or didn't fill the reservoir to the top. I'm taking care of his place while he's away and I'm diligent about watering the plants every morning (I leverage a few other containers to cut the trips down to just 2). That last tomato that looked horribly pale has now taken some color. So I think you could be right about the watering issue.

[Rockporter]

Ozbo.com has Earthboxes often as well. Usually less than $40 and the shipping is just $4.95 no matter how big your order.

[cythaenopsis]

^ Good to know that, thanks.

[Greatgardens]

Bought a Grow Box a few years ago and sent it back for a refund. The separator grate had about 1/4 (or so) of the holes flashed over. Never looked back from the EarthBox again. I have 7 EarthBoxes and 4 Juniors. Juniors are great for lettuce, etc.
-GG