Re: My squash died.

On Sun, 04 May 2008 01:07:02 GMT, jim <jim10293@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[Default] On Sat, 03 May 2008 11:13:30 -0700, El Castor
<No_One@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Fri, 02 May 2008 21:56:54 GMT, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
<lakuNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Sordo" < sordo @privacy.net > wrote in message
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On Fri, 2 May 2008 12:28:58 -0700, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
<lakuNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Sordo" < sordo @privacy.net > wrote in message
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On Fri, 02 May 2008 15:18:21 GMT, jim <jim10293@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[Default] On Fri, 02 May 2008 12:28:48 GMT, "JC"
<dontbother@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I'm thinking I'm using the wrong kind of plastic to cover my earth
boxes.
Most everything is doing fine except for the squash. It comes up, looks
around for a couple of days and then just dies. I've replanted and it
did
the same thing. Now a couple of relatives, cucumbers, look like they
want
to
do the same thing. The wife said to take the plastic off and try again.
I'm
using that fairly thick opaque/clear plastic that one uses to cover
hoop
houses with. Maybe that's cooking the plants.

??????

If you are using potting mix, turn bags inside out to see it that
works. They are white and thick.

I am not real comfortable with putting the fertilizer into the top.
Worried it will burn the plants but that is what they say is supposed
to be done. Perhaps the fertilizer is getting too close or wet and
burning them??

The fertilizer will slowly leach into the soil at a rate the plants
need. If you mix it into the soil, it may be too hot for the plants.

Use liquid fertilizer or the kind of fertilizer that you dissolve with
water
before applying to the plant. If the former, dilute with some water. If
the latter, use less than directions say. I use the latter, using about
half of what is recommended (1/2 T vs 1 T per gallon water) and apply
twice
as frequently as directions call for.

Planter pot construction instructions are quite explicit in saying "do
not use" fertilizer you have to disolve in water.

http://www.seattleoil.com/Flyers/Earthbox.pdf
"5. Pour two cups of dry fertilizer in a 2" wide stripe directly on top
of the potting mix according to the planting guide (see the next
section). DO NOT MIX THE FERTILIZER INTO THE POTTING MIX
OR SPREAD IT AROUND. Simply pour it in a narrow strip on top and
gently pat it down. Do not use fertilizer that requires mixing with
water, such as Miracle-GroT or other "blue water" brands."

Fish emulsion, by the way, works great. Remember those Thanksgiving
stories
about the Indians teaching the Pilgrims how to grow corn? Dig hole, drop
in
suitable sized dead fish, cover some with dirt, place corn seed, cover
rest
of hole with dirt. Much to my surprise, I found out some years ago that
youngsters these days are not told this story. Fish emulsion (especially
the de-scented variety) is the current analogue. Of coure, you can do
ditto
with any left over fish you catch, clean, or eat. Or bury those fish
parts
into the old compost pile.

wups...I stand corrected. Dunno, though, about the prohibition against
liquid fertilizers. Given the design, I'd think that a weak solution of
liquid fertilizer - say 10% rather than full strength - in place of the
water would work. Me, I just work with raised beds, plastic containers, and
wine barrels and cultivate as though working in the ground. Thanks for the
link. Fascinating stuff!

I have an Earthbox (a real one), and it works! Despite the fact that
it really doesn't get enough sun, anything I plant in there just goes
nuts. I had so much Basil last year I had to invent uses for it. The
thing that surprised me the most is the enormous quantity of water it
uses. Despite the plastic mulch, on a hot day it can go through a
gallon or more. Since it has a built-in reservoir, it never goes dry,
but daily watering during the hottest part of the summer is a
necessity.

Couple questions. If you recall. Is that plastic *** inside
riddled with holes? What size are holes and spacing to get some idea
of how it looks?

The box has a rim that curves over creating a lip around the outside
edge. The plastic *** is very thin (about as thick as a *** of
paper, but limp and flexible, with a matte black finish on the outside
surface, and white on the inside. (In hotter climates than mine, the
white side is up.) It has an elastic band around the outside edge,
like a plastic shower cap. The elastic slips under the curved lip and
forms an almost airtight seal -- except the box has a watering tube
that sticks up a couple of inches in one corner, so you have to cut a
hole to allow the tube to get through the cover. The cover goes on
before you plant, Wherever a seedling goes, you cut a small X in the
cover (maybe 2"X2" or a little larger), make a hole in the soil with
your finger, and stuff the seedling through the cover into the hole.
Other than that, there are no holes. BTW, the box comes with a spare
cover, but the old one can be re-used by just taping up any holes
you're not going to use. 20 mil pvc pipe wrap tape works well.

The Earthbox web site has spacing diagrams, but you can cram in more
if you want -- I have.
http://www.earthbox.com/consumer/grow.html

How deep is the whole box and how deep is the section with water?

29" L x 13.5" W x 11" H. I think the water is about 3"(?) deep.

My
buckets do not draw up a drop of water over two days. I did wet the
potting mix as instructed and it has generous amount of
dolomite/perlite.

My box draws almost nothing this time of year. The plastic cover holds
in the moisture, and the plants are too small right now to use much.
Later, when it gets a big load of foliage it will really suck it up.

My boxes with tomatoes are not drawing water up but I forgot to drill
lots of holes in the dividing plastic or moisten the potting mix. I
am going to disassemble and fix those two tomorrow morning.

The Earthbox uses a rigid plastic grid -- like a grill, but the water
doesn't get up into the soil through the grid. The grid is cut out in
two(?) corners, maybe 3" square. The soil falls through those cutouts,
piles up on the bottom, and acts like a wick, sucking up water through
the column of soil. There is an overflow that drains excess water out
one side, so you can't overfill. Sounds crazy, but it works.

Today had to drive wife and daughter down to Shenandoah to visit
wineries and Polyface Farms. Great day and all we saw was beautiful
and green. But want to sort out those boxes immediately. I have a
couple more to set up and want to be sure I am doing all correctly
first.

I'm not sure what you are doing, or how it works. Thing is, the
Earthbox looks simple, but it actually has a complicated design that
would be tough to duplicate. I'm not saying there aren't other ways to
accomplish the same thing, but whatever they are, they are going to be
different, and may not work in the same way as the Earthbox.
.