EarthTainer Container Gardening
Three years ago we set up a little container garden in our front patio area (it’s enclosed and gated, as you can see here, so it’s not as weird as it sounds).
We planted tomatoes and several different peppers, and though we were able to harvest a few tomatoes, the majority of the project failed as soon as the infamous Las Vegas heat hit the valley in mid-June.
We’ve wanted to try again and have casually researched different methods since the last attempt, and this past fall we started prepping the patio area again. Since it was the end of the season, we were able to get a good deal on a solar shade that Mike installed above the courtyard. It will still let plenty of sunlight through, but not enough that it’s going to bake whatever we’re trying to grow (and it will also cut down on the amount of heat coming in through the hundreds of windows that for some reason circle the courtyard).
A few weeks ago I started to look up information in earnest — I really want some tomatoes this year! I came across the plans for something called an EarthTainer.
The EarthTainer is supposed to be ideal for areas where watering can be an issue because the system allows the water to wick up from the bottom of the container, and keeps it from evaporating out of the top. The creator has very generously made the plans for the container available for free, so last week we set out to Lowe’s and the local nursery to gather supplies.
For one planter the total came to around $100, but if we decide to do more containers our costs will be much lower since we won’t have to re-purchase some of it (weed barrier, fertilizers, etc). We had to order the aquatic plant basket from Amazon, as well as the lime since no one carried either.
We were also not able to find the exact “grow media” that he recommended so we winged that as well.
It took Mike and Hannah several hours to put together one container (I was in the kitchen playing with chocolate), but he said that now that he’s got the fiddly parts down, he could get any more out a lot quicker.
The assembly went off without a hitch, and we were both pleased with how little waste there was in the construction (just a 1-2″ strip trimmed from the cut-up bin was all that was thrown out).
We were able to find the bins (with lids) and all the nuts and bolts at Lowe’s, and the majority of the grow media components and plants at our local Star nursery.
I had the bright idea to move the set-up out to the patio before we actually loaded it up. Though these are technically portable, they weigh around 150 pounds once they’re filled. I’m not a weakling but really, the neighbors don’t need to see that.
For now it’s going to sit next to my lemon tree, where the sun hits during mid-day, but once the sun moves a little more toward the center of the sky and fills the courtyard we can scoot it so it’s not so front-and-center.
Mike filled the wicking basket slowly to make sure the water was coming up, and it worked perfectly.
Keep in mind, there are a couple of different versions of the instructions on Google, I have no idea why. Though the creator updates the instructions pretty regularly, we ended up with two different sets, and the newer one doesn’t mention anything about putting a weed barrier down at this point so the roots don’t grow down into the water.
We used the set of instructions here, but there’s also this one here if you want to get more ideas.
The creator suggested letting the container sit overnight before planting the tomatoes so that things can settle and the tomatoes won’t get moisture shock.
Once the tomatoes are in, you cover the top of the container with a black garbage bag. This not only helps stop evaporation (which we had a huge issue with the first time), but it keeps water and soil from splattering up onto the plants if we happen to get any rain (I had no idea tomatoes were so delicate before we started trying to grow them).
Grow, babies, grow!
Hey There,
I live in Vegas, too. The trick with tomatoes is to start them early (mid March), choose early varieties (70 days or less), and protect them from the afternoon sun. Also, Star Nursery does carry garden lime, so no need to order from Amazon.
I’ve built some Earthtainers this year, too. How did your crop do?
[Reply]
Heather
March 9th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
Hi Carwin! Oh good, it looks like we’ve started them in time. They’re still pretty new so no crop yet, but they are growing like crazy.
That’s good to know about Star — we had asked an employee but he seemed pretty disinterested and said they didn’t carry it (which we both thought was weird, it’s not an uncommon gardening item!).
Have you used the Earthtainer for anything else? We’re thinking about trying a few different vegetables but the incoming heat is a factor.
[Reply]
Carwin Byington
January 25th, 2014 at 9:37 am
I have used them for peppers and eggplant. The Japanese eggplant will tolerate our Vegas heat well. The peppers tend to get sun scald, so need protection in the afternoon.
This year was so mild that I could have grown tomatoes all winter! Missed the boat on that one.
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