EarthBox - sub-irrigated planter, garden container for vegetables

Sub-irrigated planter (SIP) is a generic name for a planting box used in container gardening and commercial landscaping. A SIP is any method of watering plants where the water is introduced from the bottom, allowing the water to soak upwards to the plant through capillary action. SIP's are available as products, under brand names such as EarthBox, Grow Box, Earthainer, or as do-it-yourself projects made from plastic buckets and boxes.

The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers. The EarthBox measures 30 by 13-1/2 by 12 inches (l x w x h) for a soil capacity of 2-1/2 cubic feet. The box rests on four wheels and easily rolls into full sun and then moves to the back row so another Earthbox can get sun rays. The growing kit includes fertilizer, dolomite, and two germination covers. EarthBox is expensive at $44 to $55 (with shipping).

Blake Whisenant, Inventor of the Earthbox, demonstrates how it works:



Hoss Morgan tours Whisenant Farms in Florida where the EarthBox is used for commercial production of organic tomatoes:





There is a Junior EarthBox at half the price ($23) and size of the original EarthBox. The EarthBox Junior Garden Kit includes: Jr. EarthBox container, Jr. Aeration Screen, Jr. Water Fill Tube, 2 reversible B/W Jr. Mulch Covers, 4 Saucer, 8 oz. 7-7-7 fertilizer, 8 oz. dolomite.



Here are some videos from the EarthBox's YouTube channel:

Planting a Double Row Crop:



Rick's Rooftop: Rick Bayless from PBS's Mexico: One Plate at a Time talks about the importance of freshness and local produce in his EarthBox garden on the roof of Frontera Grill in Chicago:



EarthBox inventor Blake Whisenant answers your gardening questions: Blake's Tips & Tricks: Tomato Ailments:



You can make your own potting mix:

- 30% peat moss or coco coir
- 30% perlite or vermiculite
- 30% compost or soil

Here is how make your own "EarthBox"-like container: Homemade Self-Contained Gardening Systems - http://goo.gl/gbIf4

Global Bucket is DIY container growing system with two 5-gallon bucket, supposedely similar to Earthbox http://www.globalbuckets.org:





5-gallon bucket at Home Depot.

Related reading:

Plant & Fertilizer Placement Chart http://bit.ly/TbUE0k and What to grow in an Earth Box (diagram) http://on.fb.me/TbUENT

Earthbox Gardening | Steamy Kitchen Recipes http://goo.gl/bnWFm

Homemade Self-Contained Gardening Systems http://goo.gl/gbIf4

Blake's Tips and Tricks - EarthBox inventor Blake Whisenant answers your gardening questions (video) http://goo.gl/xuT41

7 Tips for Growing Vegetables in Grow Boxes - About.com http://goo.gl/ZhzW3

Four Season Garden #4: Planting Lettuce in an EarthBox - YouTube http://goo.gl/AhNzE

New to Earthbox? Start Here http://bit.ly/XeW8a5

Earthbox replanting/prepping - YouTube http://bit.ly/11xt2K8

Frequently Asked Questions - EarthBox - Homegrown Vegetables Without A Garden http://bit.ly/11xtgRw

EarthBox Instructions [PDF] http://earthbox.com/earthbox-pdf/EB-WEB-INSTRUCTIONS_NEW-2.pdf

Earthbox inventor Robert Blake Whisenant | Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame http://buff.ly/1AAcstx