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 afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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 tomatoes in containers 
#4782374 - 10/10/05 12:29 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'm tired of not having a yard.
I've been trying to get tomatoes going
in containers this year....no love.
I've got really big pots too, providing
deep waterings every 4-5 days.
They don't grow vigorously and aren't
as healthy as those I've planted in the
ground.
Anyone have any tips?
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All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Taskenti
MadPsycho
Registered: 12/09/04
Posts: 2,102
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 Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4782523 - 10/10/05 01:05 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Make sure the pots stay evenly moist. Dont let em get dry and then real moist and then real dry etc etc....keep it consistent.
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rod
Ψ
Registered: 06/29/05
Posts: 3,727
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4782546 - 10/10/05 01:10 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I know this might sound crazy, but have you seen those upside down growing containers? I have a friend who bought some, and they look stupid, but they actually work.
www.cleanairgardening.com/totuupdotofl.html
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: Taskenti]
#4782552 - 10/10/05 01:11 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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are you sure?
I mean...I was always told and always have allowed them
to go without water for a couple days and then watering
deeply intermittently.
I guess in containers this is exacerbated by the lack of
ambient moisture...
hmmmmm.
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Taskenti
MadPsycho
Registered: 12/09/04
Posts: 2,102
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4782619 - 10/10/05 01:27 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Don't keep them soaked but keep the soil at a consistent moisture.
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 Schwip
Never sleeps.
Registered: 06/27/05
Posts: 3,937
Last seen: 11 years, 4 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4783849 - 10/10/05 05:47 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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tomatoes are like maryjane in the way they will consume nutrients....
are you sure you were feeding them enough?
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" If the sky were to suddenly open up there would be no law. There would be no rule. There would only be you and your memories... the choices you've made, and the people you've touched. If this world were to end there would only be you and him and no-one else. "
..............
"MAN! You know there aint no such thing as left over crack!"
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: Schwip]
#4784363 - 10/10/05 07:18 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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yeah...
but I was using MG
I should look into some organic fertilzers.
going to get some horseshit for the soil mix too.
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All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Mycomancer
Psi Cubed
Registered: 09/28/03
Posts: 586
Loc: United States
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4784391 - 10/10/05 07:22 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Are you picking off the suckers and training the plant to a single vine? This is the simplest/most effective practice you can do to improve production. Also, watering cycles should be consistent, or the tomatos will crack, called "catfacing", and regular feedings, you can find nutes specific to tomatos at a garden center/hardware store.
suckers:
 ,
mycomancer
Edited by Mycomancer (10/10/05 07:29 PM)
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Prisoner#1
Even Dumber ThanAdvertized!
Registered: 01/22/03
Posts: 193,665
Loc: Pvt. Pubfag NutSuck
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4784992 - 10/10/05 09:28 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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what kind of soil are you growing them in.... I suggest next time you're out for a hike in a forrested area you take a couple of buckets, dig a couple of inches of top soil from several locations and use that for your soil mixture.
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: Mycomancer]
#4786627 - 10/11/05 09:13 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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dunno, I always liked letting the shoots go longer
and training them off onto the trellis.
I was looking for a short, bushy plant to keep it
within the scope of the pot and trellis I have.
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Organic
Lloyd
Registered: 04/14/02
Posts: 5,774
Loc: Overlook
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4786827 - 10/11/05 10:39 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Have you taken any clones off them and repotted? The clones I've made have all had more vigor than their mothers...adaptability?
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: Organic]
#4786945 - 10/11/05 11:18 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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how are you cloning?
what pieces are you taking and how are you rooting them?
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Organic
Lloyd
Registered: 04/14/02
Posts: 5,774
Loc: Overlook
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4788783 - 10/11/05 07:37 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I've had success taking just about any amount of growth as long as it isn't fruiting or flowering heavily. Smaller cuttings seem to take root easier. The humidity is high naturally here and clones will root outdoor. I've got some rooted and vegging right now outdoor while the mothers are finishing for the season.
I usually do it by taking some new growth with about 8" of stem length and a fet sets of leaves. Cut at an angle and place in a bucket with non-tap water for about a minute...gently submerge the leaves and everything...
Take out and cut off any flowers/small fruit. Submerge your angled cut up to about 3/4" into some Hormex or similar rooting liquid/gel for a minute. Put in soil...I've used soil poor as loose clay to cheap potting soil with success. Water gently to soak the soil...I usually mix in 1/4tsp of the rooting liquid. Keep the soil moist but not soaking all the time. Roots in 2 weeks or so.
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faslimy
Dead Man
Registered: 04/04/04
Posts: 3,436
Last seen: 8 years, 3 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4788829 - 10/11/05 07:46 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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tomatoes in containers are ez pz for me. I usually grow the sweet 100 baby tomato varieties in pots just because they take up a lot of room in the garden, I like to walk outside on the balcony and pick and eat them while i recline in a deck chair.
As long as there is plenty of root space and organic matter I don't know why anyone can't get 15-20 large tomatoes from a container grown plant. I usually water every 1-2 days once the fruit is set.
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TheHateCamel
Research &Development -DBK
Registered: 01/31/03
Posts: 15,738
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4788923 - 10/11/05 07:59 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I had a six foot tall cherry tomato plant in a three gallon pot this summer and had tons of tomatoes.
I had to soak the thing every day.
More tomatoes than we could eat. 
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blazed123
Bing
Registered: 10/21/04
Posts: 831
Last seen: 13 years, 5 months
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I usually grow in pots. I was actually told this was better. This year I started from the seeds of the ones I grew last year, which led me to have more plants than pots. I ended up sticking extra plants in the most random areas of my yard. I even gave away a bunch of plants to my friend.
I would try to compare my plants in pots to those in the ground, but I realize there are too many variables to pinpoint (although generally the potted plants did better). I can say though that my friend used miracle grow soil with one or two plants per pot....maybe three gallon pots?? (smaller than mine) and his fruits were nice and big and tasty. I'm sure he didn't water everyday either.
Mine generally were smaller but way more plentiful in number...though the size factor can be attributed to using only organic fertilizer and a ton of rain in the early part of the season...causing little light and a late bloom...in fact I still have one plant in the ground with about 10-12 tomatoes that are still green and I picked a tiny one off another plant yesterday!
Last year I used only pots, watered like hell and got a very early harvest with huge fruits and then tiny ones as the plants started dying.
If you don't mind the chemicals I would suggest miracle grow soil to guarantee a good potted plant. Everyone that uses chemicals seems to get bigger fruits than I, but personally I'll take a bunch of small ones over the big ones for the organic factor...I can always get the juiced ones in the store.
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: blazed123]
#4792131 - 10/12/05 10:30 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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thanks for the feedback, folks.
I've got a couple things I'm going to work on.
anyone have any good organic pesticide suggestions?
I've got lots of wormies chomping my leaves...
not quite sure how they get to them...they are on a
second story balcony...must be in the soil.
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All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Organic
Lloyd
Registered: 04/14/02
Posts: 5,774
Loc: Overlook
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4792141 - 10/12/05 10:33 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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neem based, chrysanthemum based, OMRI makes some seaweed extract insecticidal soap that works really well...can't remember the name.
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Fungi_x
Firekeeper of OTD
Registered: 08/17/03
Posts: 8,960
Loc: Michigan 
Last seen: 3 years, 5 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4792395 - 10/12/05 11:29 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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neem oil never fails to gets rid of the critters on my plants I would try that first 
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blazed123
Bing
Registered: 10/21/04
Posts: 831
Last seen: 13 years, 5 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: Organic]
#4794071 - 10/12/05 05:14 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I've heard goo things about neem. The smell actually repels rather than kills...like OFF for mosquitos but not harmful. Never used it though. I had great luck with Schultz's inceticidal soap sray...but you can probably make your own using garlic and canola oil. Check out this link for a few recipies using different natural oils for all sorts of pests. Neem is mentioned too. Pesticides Made with Botanical Oils and Extracts
Edited by blazed123 (10/12/05 05:15 PM)
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: blazed123]
#4794291 - 10/12/05 06:00 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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it's funny, I only have one real pest:
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blazed123
Bing
Registered: 10/21/04
Posts: 831
Last seen: 13 years, 5 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4795687 - 10/12/05 10:01 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I had some pretty unusual caterpillars this year, but not that one. Can't you just pluck it off? I also had a bonus: a praying mantis
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Scopolia
Stranger
Registered: 10/07/05
Posts: 13
Last seen: 16 years, 30 days
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: blazed123]
#4797747 - 10/13/05 10:28 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Try picking up a bag of loose rockwool and mixing with soil in a 6:1 soil to rockwool ratio. That stuff works wonders for potted plants.
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: Scopolia]
#4798337 - 10/13/05 12:14 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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why?!
moisture retention?
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All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Scopolia
Stranger
Registered: 10/07/05
Posts: 13
Last seen: 16 years, 30 days
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4799745 - 10/13/05 05:14 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Soil aeration mainly. This addition really can make a huge improvement when growing plants in containers.
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Mycomancer
Psi Cubed
Registered: 09/28/03
Posts: 586
Loc: United States
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4800419 - 10/13/05 07:50 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I've never seen a caterpillar like that! Did you happen to find a tiny hookah nearby? I'd be looking...
,
mycomancer
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afoaf
CEO DBK?
Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: Mycomancer]
#4800844 - 10/13/05 09:16 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I've discovered, with some research that my worm problems
are the results of moths.
they lay eggs, turn into worms and eat voraciously.
I picked off a REALLY big one this year...I could actually
hear it making noises with it's chompers while I was
holding it...kind of spooky.
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All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Mycomancer
Psi Cubed
Registered: 09/28/03
Posts: 586
Loc: United States
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4800931 - 10/13/05 09:34 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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On my back porch i have purple basil, sage, parsely, lemon balm, green bean, bell pepper, and broccoli growing. The broccoli is maybe 4-6ft away from the other plants. i went out one night to water them, and found a caterpillar contentedly chewing away on my broccoli sprouts.
At first I wasnt happy, and tried to wash him away with water. After some thought though, i decided to not disturb him. I came to this decision because it was already late in the year, so i probably wouldn't see a true broccoli this year, just the sprouts. Plus, my other plants have not been touched by bugs all year, so if he perfers broccoli spouts, let him have it, i keep everything else. Thirdly, because of my good luck with my garden this year, if nature wanted something back, she can have it. A small price to pay, a libation of sorts.
So now when i go out to water the plants, and i see a caterpillar on my broccoli, i just kinda of ignore him, and let him go on in his own merry way.
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mycomancer
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faslimy
Dead Man
Registered: 04/04/04
Posts: 3,436
Last seen: 8 years, 3 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4801013 - 10/13/05 09:48 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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oh yea those big green caterpillars are a nuisance here in late summer, really hard to spot sometimes and you're right they do get big and strong. sometimes i swear they try and bite me when i rip them off the tomato leaves.
i think they are a spider delicacy because they go apeshit when i chuck them in the webs
Edited by faslimy (10/13/05 09:50 PM)
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blazed123
Bing
Registered: 10/21/04
Posts: 831
Last seen: 13 years, 5 months
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: faslimy]
#4802520 - 10/14/05 06:34 AM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Hey Myco,
I was going to ask you for tips on growing broccolibefore I finished reading the end of your post because I didn't really get anything out of mine either. They were the quickest growing from the start and became pretty big as plants. Early in the summer I noticed a small head about the size of an ice cream scoop, but I figured it'd get big. Instead, it just branched out, flowered, even started producing pods before I ripped it out and allocated its light to my neglected basil plants in the back. But it sounds like you didn't get the small head?? I heard something about cutting it back so it doesn't branch out the way it did...The source wasn't someone particularly into gardening though...anyone know anything about this? Will that make it fill out? I can't imagine that would be part of commercial farming? I can imagine them juicing up the soil so what was a ltitle head on my plant would be what we get in the store...
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Mycomancer
Psi Cubed
Registered: 09/28/03
Posts: 586
Loc: United States
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Re: tomatoes in containers [Re: afoaf]
#4805805 - 10/14/05 11:47 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Check out this link, came highly recommended by a coworker of mine who has one. He said the difference between the earthbox and his soil garden were like night and day, in favor of the earthbox.
http://www.earthbox.com/
,
mycomancer
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