Gardening Tips
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Gardening Tips |
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PLANT SELECTION |
| Try Everything! Whatever at your local nursery will grow in your EarthBox. Use the smaller 5-7" tall seedlings available in 2" pots, or start with seeds. Your County Cooperative Extension Agency (in the phone book) can recommend the best varieties for your area and season. |
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POTTING MIX |
| Almost any brand of potting mix for containers or hanging plants will work. You'll need the big bag - 2 1/2 cubic feet or about 75 quarts per box. Some national brands are: Jungle Growth, Pro-Mix, Majestic, Sam's Choice and Peters Professional Mix. Or mix your own: 45% peat moss, 45% compost, 10% perlite, and two cups of dolomite or hydrated lime. |
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FERTILIZER |
| The EarthBox is designed to be used with a stripe of common dry granular fertilizer or plant food for vegetables. Almost any brand of fertilizer will work as it is not designed to be mixed with water and all 3 numbers on the label are between 5-15. Some national brands are Vigoro, K Gro, Scots, Rite Green, Sam's Choice and Fertrell. You'll need two cups of fertilizer for each planting. Organic fertilizer can be used by mixing three cups with the potting mix. Do not add any additional fertilizer. |
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PLANTING |
| Select a sunny spot, as most vegetable plants need 6-8 hours of daily sunlight. The plants should always be planted through the plastic cover into the potting mix. Always leave the cover on. Gently loosen the plant's root ball and set your plants into the soil as far away from the fertilizer strip as possible. |
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WATERING |
| It's impossible to over water with the EarthBox. so don't try to regulate the water level. The plants will take only what they need - no more, no less. this could be up to a gallon a day! Use the fill tube to keep the reservoir filled. Add water every few days when the plants are small, and every day when your plants are mature. Allowing the reservoir to go dry will shut down the system. |
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STAKES |
| Tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, beans and other vines or tall plants need support. Install a garden stake in the center at each slot of the EarthBox and secure it to the side. Run strings between the stakes to support the plants. Wire plant cages or trellis' can be also be placed outside the EarthBox. |
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REPLANTING |
| Remove the old plants and dig out the fertilizer stripe. top off the box with wet potting mix and add a new fertilizer stripe in the same position. Cover the EarthBox and replant. the potting mix can be used 3-4 seasons before replacing. |
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FOR TOMATOES ONLY |
| Tomatoes require a higher pH level than most potting mixes provide. To prevent blossom end rot, simply add two cups of dolomite or hydrated lime to the plotting mix before planting. |
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THREE SIMPLE RULES |
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