Thank you for all this great information!! I have a few of the Earthboxes, which I love. You mentioned about growing squash. I tried yellow squash and zucchini this summer and had quite a challenge with them. Beautiful plants, lots of blooms, had baby squash but then they never full developed before rotting or just did not grow any more. Trying to learn how to grow squash in these boxes before next spring! Thank you again!
Well... stay tuned... I made my OWN covers this year (for pennies each) and they worked out great I didn't do a video on them, but will do one in the spring Keep watching 👍😎
This is my first spring using wicking tubs. I got a little over zealous this year and planted 18 tomato plants along with all my other veggies, I'm sure I'll be begging people to take them. The big running joke at church is finding sacks of squash in your car when you get ready to leave. You learn real quickly to lock your doors! Love your channel!
I have the square City Pikers and I do not remember where I put the fertilizer when I planted last year. For the planters that have 6, it's going to be easy, likely in the middle. But I'm not sure what to do about the ones that only have four plants. How do I make sure to remove the old fertilizer?
If you dig through it, you can usually see the fertilizer. It very seldom breaks down completely unless it was organic. It’s best to try to remove it, but if you don’t remove it all, it’s probably not a big deal. I never get all of it. Be sure and put it on a tarp or something to catch the dirt that falls out. Reuse that dirt. You can reuse the dirt for several years.… (The potting mix).
Hi Alan , Congratulations on hitting 120,000 New Friends/ subscribers You will be at 200,000 in no time , with all your GREAT INFORMATIVE CONTENT 👍 God bless you & your beautiful wife and family . Mrs Josette Tharp Montgomery County , Texas 🙏🏻 Looking back on how you planted all your amazing plants , Great content Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍
I have tomatoes in wicking tubs and had put in 2T epsom salt and fingered in 1/2 Cup of pelletized gypsum at planting time, Some of the tomatoes that are growing are having blossom end rot. (Maybe it's normal to have SOME) I've kept the tubs watered, so not sure why, should I sprinkle in another 1/4 or 1/2 Cup across the top and water that in or can you put too much of that in? Any other ideas?
I saw a comment on the Earthbox forum. Some guy said he puts "1 tsp of calcium nitrate and 1/3 tsp of epsom salt down the watering tube every week" Swears by it... said he gets more production and no BER I started doing it last week The CN needs to be water soluble. Hoss has some: bit.ly/homesteadadvisor
@@BIGALTX Thanks! I'll give that a try. I'll try to first find it (water soluable calcium nitrate) locally so I can start ASAP. But I bet I'll end up getting at Hoss :) I love the fertigator from them.
It would have to fit VERY tight... as if it was made for the wicking tub. No gaps on the sides or the potting mix would get down into the black pipes. And, I'm not sure the grow bags would outlive the landscape cloth anyway.
Thank you! Do you. Purchase the covers every year or do you reuse them? I’m going to go look at your fencing for these containers because I’m using one earth box and multiple wicking tubs this year. Last year I used the woven ground cover to conquer weeds (success!). Now I can really enjoy gardening and not spend my summer dreading it. I’m trying to figure out the trellising for all this. I’m off the watch more of your videos!!
Earthbox sends two covers with each item so what I have done is just use last year’s cover this year. However, when I DO need new covers I will probably make them out of white garbage bags. I will try to make a video next week showing my trellis system for earth boxes and wicking tubs. Stick around :-)
I think this is one of the most helpful videos you have made. Thank you for all of the information. Is there any reason you do not do plastic covers (like each box cover) over some of your wicking tubs? For example: over a larger tomato plant?
I've thought about it, but not sure it's worth the trouble. I'll probably experiment with a few and see what difference there is. Remember, when there is a cover on containers they can't receive any natural rainfall.
@@BIGALTX Mr. TexasPrepper2, he has passed away in 2019. His brother told me (shut gun Red) Sorry to spoil your day. to me he was great videos, inspiring. He introduced me to virginia gold, and blackberries, and wicking, he was just a you tube great.
I am just getting started with my Earthboxes. I added one lb 8-8-8 garden fertilizer and then one lb dolomite per Earthbox instructions. The dolomite contains calcium and magnesium. Did you run into an issue with dolomite at some point and need to switch to gypsum and epsom salt? Thanks
Well, I thought the Dolomite would solve that problem, but last year I really had a problem with blossom end rot. HOSS Tools says the Pelleted Gypsum prevents that, so I got some.
I love your channel, I'll do containers next spring, gog willing. I am having a garden for the first time in 10 yrs. I'm a firm believer in heirloom tomatoes. I have brandywine, purple Cherokee, yellow tiger stripe and black Russian. If you want an awesome melon, try French Charmel.
Thank you for all this great information!! I have a few of the Earthboxes, which I love. You mentioned about growing squash. I tried yellow squash and zucchini this summer and had quite a challenge with them. Beautiful plants, lots of blooms, had baby squash but then they never full developed before rotting or just did not grow any more. Trying to learn how to grow squash in these boxes before next spring! Thank you again!
The EB's will grow squash and zukes just fine, but this year was just tough on everything :(
@@BIGALTX Is there a certain variety of squash to grow in the earthboxes?
Anything that will do well in your area will do well in an Earthbox.
At least that has been my experience
@@BIGALTX Thank you! Maybe it was just a bad growing year here in VA too!
I do like the taping tool.
It ROCKS! :)
Thanks for the info. What are the dimensions of the Earth Box. Take care
About 29" X 13" X 11"
earthbox.com/learning-center/how-earthbox-works/original
Yes. The covers are a smart idea however at $1.99 a cover for one season is costly. (Well it is for us because we have 45 boxes).
Well... stay tuned... I made my OWN covers this year (for pennies each) and they worked out great
I didn't do a video on them, but will do one in the spring
Keep watching 👍😎
This is my first spring using wicking tubs. I got a little over zealous this year and planted 18 tomato plants along with all my other veggies, I'm sure I'll be begging people to take them. The big running joke at church is finding sacks of squash in your car when you get ready to leave. You learn real quickly to lock your doors! Love your channel!
That's funny... and yep... you'll have a LOT of maters and squash.
Wish you would video from bottom to top preparation...like watching your videos
Check out my Earthbox Playlist. I have a few videos that show the entire procedure.
I have the square City Pikers and I do not remember where I put the fertilizer when I planted last year. For the planters that have 6, it's going to be easy, likely in the middle. But I'm not sure what to do about the ones that only have four plants. How do I make sure to remove the old fertilizer?
If you dig through it, you can usually see the fertilizer. It very seldom breaks down completely unless it was organic.
It’s best to try to remove it, but if you don’t remove it all, it’s probably not a big deal.
I never get all of it.
Be sure and put it on a tarp or something to catch the dirt that falls out. Reuse that dirt.
You can reuse the dirt for several years.… (The potting mix).
@@BIGALTX Copy. Thank you so much!
Hi Alan , Congratulations on hitting 120,000 New Friends/ subscribers
You will be at 200,000 in no time , with all your GREAT INFORMATIVE CONTENT 👍
God bless you & your beautiful wife and family .
Mrs Josette Tharp
Montgomery County , Texas 🙏🏻
Looking back on how you planted all your amazing plants , Great content
Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍
Thank YOU for watching!!
I have tomatoes in wicking tubs and had put in 2T epsom salt and fingered in 1/2 Cup of pelletized gypsum at planting time, Some of the tomatoes that are growing are having blossom end rot. (Maybe it's normal to have SOME) I've kept the tubs watered, so not sure why, should I sprinkle in another 1/4 or 1/2 Cup across the top and water that in or can you put too much of that in? Any other ideas?
I saw a comment on the Earthbox forum.
Some guy said he puts "1 tsp of calcium nitrate and 1/3 tsp of epsom salt down the watering tube every week"
Swears by it... said he gets more production and no BER
I started doing it last week
The CN needs to be water soluble.
Hoss has some: bit.ly/homesteadadvisor
@@BIGALTX Thanks! I'll give that a try. I'll try to first find it (water soluable calcium nitrate) locally so I can start ASAP. But I bet I'll end up getting at Hoss :) I love the fertigator from them.
I was wondering if you could use the grow bags in the wicking tubes instead of the landscape cloth?
It would have to fit VERY tight... as if it was made for the wicking tub.
No gaps on the sides or the potting mix would get down into the black pipes.
And, I'm not sure the grow bags would outlive the landscape cloth anyway.
Another name for the melon is Charentais
👍 thanks!
Epsom salt is also good for keeping your nitrogen salts low in container gardens. It bonds with the salts and helps neutralize them.
Good to know. I try to remember to use them every year.
thanks
Thank you! Do you. Purchase the covers every year or do you reuse them? I’m going to go look at your fencing for these containers because I’m using one earth box and multiple wicking tubs this year. Last year I used the woven ground cover to conquer weeds (success!). Now I can really enjoy gardening and not spend my summer dreading it. I’m trying to figure out the trellising for all this. I’m off the watch more of your videos!!
Earthbox sends two covers with each item so what I have done is just use last year’s cover this year. However, when I DO need new covers I will probably make them out of white garbage bags.
I will try to make a video next week showing my trellis system for earth boxes and wicking tubs.
Stick around :-)
I think this is one of the most helpful videos you have made. Thank you for all of the information. Is there any reason you do not do plastic covers (like each box cover) over some of your wicking tubs? For example: over a larger tomato plant?
I've thought about it, but not sure it's worth the trouble.
I'll probably experiment with a few and see what difference there is.
Remember, when there is a cover on containers they can't receive any natural rainfall.
Try the late Larry hall's 2 liter pop bottle wicking system
I followed Ol' Larry for a long time.
He has some great ideas
@@BIGALTX MPK, USA, I'll put my Bana peppers, in his pop bottle grow system that I build. . Just for me. and for Larry. He was from where I am now!
@@ClickinChicken
I haven't heard from Larry in a long time.
@@BIGALTX Mr. TexasPrepper2, he has passed away in 2019. His brother told me (shut gun Red) Sorry to spoil your day. to me he was great videos, inspiring. He introduced me to virginia gold, and blackberries, and wicking, he was just a you tube great.
@Brian Perendy
I was afraid of that.
Sorry to hear.
I talked to him once on the phone. He will be missed.
I am just getting started with my Earthboxes. I added one lb 8-8-8 garden fertilizer and then one lb dolomite per Earthbox instructions.
The dolomite contains calcium and magnesium. Did you run into an issue with dolomite at some point and need to switch to gypsum and epsom salt? Thanks
Well, I thought the Dolomite would solve that problem, but last year I really had a problem with blossom end rot.
HOSS Tools says the Pelleted Gypsum prevents that, so I got some.
@@BIGALTX do you have an update on whether the gypsum worked?
Thank you again for this video, very helpful.
Yes it did.
My loss due to blossom end rot was a LOT less than in previous years.
@@BIGALTX Have you ever put Calcium Nitrate down the watering tube?
No, but if it's water soluble I think it would work.
I love your channel, I'll do containers next spring, gog willing. I am having a garden for the first time in 10 yrs. I'm a firm believer in heirloom tomatoes. I have brandywine, purple Cherokee, yellow tiger stripe and black Russian. If you want an awesome melon, try French Charmel.
Hmmm... I'll look into the FC melons, thanks!
Google, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds one of the best heirloom companies
Sure... I used them years ago... good folks
Who is Mr. Leon?
Gardening With Leon on UA-cam.
He started the whole Wicking Tub craze.
Great channel