Earthboxes in STX

whats an earthbox

i think he or she may be speaking of raised beds?

http://www.earthbox.com/

Please keep us posted on how the earthboxes work out.

I have several friends who use them. The most successful uses drip irrigation on a timer.

The most elaborate home system I have seen is earth boxes with drip irrigation on a timer, enclosed in a screened space with agricultural shade cloth stretched over the top .

Sloop Jones

I have been using Earthbox in southwest Florida for years. They are great! Maintaining is easy. Stick the garden hose in the tube and keep an eye on the little hole on the front....when water starts seeping out of that hole, turn off the water. Then, you don't need to water again until about a week.....in the hot / dry season you may have to check it more often and fill it back up once every 4 days. You can also mix liquid Miracle Gro with the water and the plants produce even more. I like it that you can put the box on a dolly (or they sell a "cabinet on wheels") and you can move the box around easily - inside outside screen enclosure. It's easy to erect a screen/small fencing around it to keep the critters out. When the plants are "done" it's easy to remove, put in fresh soil or fertilizer and start new garden/plants for different growing seasons. We've also found it's easy enough to design and build your own with recycled "dumpster diving" materials.

greetings and good morning

i truly thought earth beds were raised beds (my bad) and then come to find out that they are made from PLASTIC?

whatever happened to good old fashioned digging in the dirt and playing with it til you get a good ph level and then planting, chasing off the bugs and so and harvesting ur food and eating it.
there is nothing better than a cucumber or tomato straight off the plant, all dirty and dusty, calling out for a wash up and eat me!!!!!

plastic and semi indoors is okay, don't get me wrong, but i prefer real digging and dirt....just my humble opinion.

although a set up like that could be good for any medicinal herbs.........:P

guidance

Sistalrijah, I do agree with you.....I grew up in the country in southern Indiana and there is no better meditative activity for me than to be barefoot in the middle of the garden tending to my plants. Then......I moved to an urban setting and a friend gifted an Earthbox to me....so nice to have fresh produce and herbs at my table. I'm not in an urban setting anymore but after battling the sandy "plastic" FL soil, the racoons and other vermin, etc......I have become comfortable with Earthboxes. I still enjoy the peacefullness of tending my garden....just in a little different way.

i overs completely when in that context.
give thanx

Just planted 3 similar boxes for my 87 y/o mother, easy for her to reach.
Bought ; www.agardenpatch.com.
Got the 10 pack, the best deal, Planted 7 for us, i love the sub-irrigation. I have always been a raised bed gardener and used the " square foot " method. These boxes look very promising, excellent use of water, easier than drip. I would highly recommend this method for wise water use. I will certainly bring some down with us. Several good sites on make your own earth box.
Happy Gardening!!!

Update:

The plants are doing great in the Earthboxes so far, everything is growing super fast.
So far only thing pestering the plants is dog who wants to root around under the white cover, apparently the stinky organic fertilizer that came with the kit smells great to canines.

about gardening in the dirt vs. plastic.
I don't disagree....There is nothing better than to get out the handy machete and pick axe and get busy in the crucian dirt. I grew up on the west side where the dirt was decent and we'd add fine dark dirt from banks of nearby gut. But the current spot is pretty vertical, all caliche, not much extra time, and wanted to economize on water with the sub-irrigation.

So the Earthboxes are an experiment. Very curious if the white sides and soil topper will reflect the sun enough to keep the plants cooler enough to do better in July/August/September. With the casters they could roll into a place with less sun hours shade, dunno if that will come in handy or not. Or be rolled inside if hurricane.

Will update periodically.