Soil SIP vs Earthbox

[greenfox]

An earthbox is just a patented SIP right? That being said, the standard earthbox is a 15 gallon rectangle which I hear is a good amount of space for living soil!

I've also seen people modify individual pots such as a 3.5 gallon to utilize a similar SIP method.

What are some pros and cons and which method do you think I should use?

Thanks!

 

[Stickybred420]

the earthbox and SIP style gardening origonated in the desert if im not mistaken. the idea being you can add the water directly into the root zone where it is all utelized. rather than doing a drench, where the water would evaporate from the heat of the substrate/environment before making its way to the root zone. also the earth box utelizes primarily anaerobic microbes to feed the plant rather than primarily aerobic organisms in conventional container gardening. there is no runoff with the earthbox so it is a very efficient system as far as water consumption goes. often requiring much less over longer periods of time than conventional pots. it seems like you really couldnt go wrong with either method. just depends on your circumstances. if you are growing in a hot, arid environment, the earth box may be the way to go.

 

[greenfox]

the earthbox and SIP style gardening origonated in the desert if im not mistaken. the idea being you can add the water directly into the root zone where it is all utelized. rather than doing a drench, where the water would evaporate from the heat of the substrate/environment before making its way to the root zone. also the earth box utelizes primarily anaerobic microbes to feed the plant rather than primarily aerobic organisms in conventional container gardening. there is no runoff with the earthbox so it is a very efficient system as far as water consumption goes. often requiring much less over longer periods of time than conventional pots. it seems like you really couldnt go wrong with either method. just depends on your circumstances. if you are growing in a hot, arid environment, the earth box may be the way to go.

Thank you for the reply!

I plan to grow in my garage so hopefully I can get the temperature regulated well no matter the outside influences. I like the idea of the SIP since it uses less water and I feel it would make watering easier more hands off as well.

I've been considering the earthbox since it's fairly cheap ready to go system. The dimensions are about 26" long and 14" wide. Would there be any reason not to put two plants or even more in a single box?

 

[iBogart]

Earthbox's we're invented by a Florida tomato farmer. His problem wasn't the lack of water, but too much. A heavy rainfall event ruined his crop as his field sat under water for days. He developed the Earthbox to provide the perfect amount of water and fertilizer to the plants without wasting it. The same microbes are at work in the root zone in any organic medium. That's not the intent of the Earthbox to selectively choose microbes.

The number of plants would be determined by strain and length of growing season, i.e 8 lowryders #2's in a box, or maybe one or two Haze varieties.

 

[greenfox]

Earthbox's we're invented by a Florida tomato farmer. His problem wasn't the lack of water, but too much. A heavy rainfall event ruined his crop as his field sat under water for days. He developed the Earthbox to provide the perfect amount of water and fertilizer to the plants without wasting it. The same microbes are at work in the root zone in any organic medium. That's not the intent of the Earthbox to selectively choose microbes.

The number of plants would be determined by strain and length of growing season, i.e 8 lowryders #2's in a box, or maybe one or two Haze varieties.

Soma style is essentially an earthbox wouldn't you say?

 

[iBogart]

Soma style is essentially an earthbox wouldn't you say?

I don't think so. Unless it's watered from the bottom with a drain hole for excess. You want a light, fluffy medium with good water retention and wicking abilities for the fertilizer strip.

 

[Stickybred420]

I think if you are gonna do a garage grow that would be a great idea. just have a calendar by your grow so you can keep track of how long its been since you watered last. I know it doesnt seem like that much of a deal but even I forget if I watered my plants 3 days ago or 4 days ago....or was it 5? wait..


haha it will be a fun endeavor for youl they do require a lot less attention then regular pots. however its still good to keep a close eye on things until you know everythings good. id love to hear about it more as you bring it together!


as for ibogart, you are correct about the earth box origins. haha I just meant that the principal of it has been around for a while. I know that theres a plethora of microbes involved in any natural situation as far as soil goes. also im not saying it selectively chooses microbes. but due to the nature of the process, anaerobic bacteria flourishes. normal pots have holes in the bottom for water drainage/airflow and no covers on the top. the earthbox is just like a normal solid bottomed container with a cover. and the only inlet is the sub irrigation tube that you water through. if you put water in a bucket of dirt with no drainage eventually its going to smell like stagnant shit (ammonia) so in the earth box they utelize microbes such as lactobacillus ( among many, many others). lactobacillus loves to consume that ammonia to the plants benefit. this is why the earth box works and why anaerobic gardening is still practiced today.


and just so you know I wasn't trying to be a prick haha just wanted to clarify.

 

[greenfox]

I don't think so. Unless it's watered from the bottom with a drain hole for excess. You want a light, fluffy medium with good water retention and wicking abilities for the fertilizer strip.

I do know that it is watered from the bottom.. Not sure about drain holes. I'm thinking of a soma style box.

 

[greenfox]

I think if you are gonna do a garage grow that would be a great idea. just have a calendar by your grow so you can keep track of how long its been since you watered last. I know it doesnt seem like that much of a deal but even I forget if I watered my plants 3 days ago or 4 days ago....or was it 5? wait..


haha it will be a fun endeavor for youl they do require a lot less attention then regular pots. however its still good to keep a close eye on things until you know everythings good. id love to hear about it more as you bring it together!


as for ibogart, you are correct about the earth box origins. haha I just meant that the principal of it has been around for a while. I know that theres a plethora of microbes involved in any natural situation as far as soil goes. also im not saying it selectively chooses microbes. but due to the nature of the process, anaerobic bacteria flourishes. normal pots have holes in the bottom for water drainage/airflow and no covers on the top. the earthbox is just like a normal solid bottomed container with a cover. and the only inlet is the sub irrigation tube that you water through. if you put water in a bucket of dirt with no drainage eventually its going to smell like stagnant shit (ammonia) so in the earth box they utelize microbes such as lactobacillus ( among many, many others). lactobacillus loves to consume that ammonia to the plants benefit. this is why the earth box works and why anaerobic gardening is still practiced today.


and just so you know I wasn't trying to be a prick haha just wanted to clarify.

A calendar is a great idea thank you for that. I will definitely be doing a journal I'm just so all over the place right now trying to piece things together - my brain is just weird that way.

 

[Stickybred420]

haha we know how it is! what kinda genetics are you thinking about trying?

 

[MJPassion]

If your decide to do a earth box style grow...
Dont buy the actual earthboxes.

They're easily built & can be different sizes for different plants or planting densities. You can build small SIPs from 2 gallon buckets or you can build huge systems using rubbermaid style storage boxes. The choice is yours.

If in your garage, insulate the containers from the concrete floor to avoid coolig yours water too much.

 

[iBogart]

I think if you are gonna do a garage grow that would be a great idea. just have a calendar by your grow so you can keep track of how long its been since you watered last. I know it doesnt seem like that much of a deal but even I forget if I watered my plants 3 days ago or 4 days ago....or was it 5? wait..


haha it will be a fun endeavor for youl they do require a lot less attention then regular pots. however its still good to keep a close eye on things until you know everythings good. id love to hear about it more as you bring it together!


as for ibogart, you are correct about the earth box origins. haha I just meant that the principal of it has been around for a while. I know that theres a plethora of microbes involved in any natural situation as far as soil goes. also im not saying it selectively chooses microbes. but due to the nature of the process, anaerobic bacteria flourishes. normal pots have holes in the bottom for water drainage/airflow and no covers on the top. the earthbox is just like a normal solid bottomed container with a cover. and the only inlet is the sub irrigation tube that you water through. if you put water in a bucket of dirt with no drainage eventually its going to smell like stagnant shit (ammonia) so in the earth box they utelize microbes such as lactobacillus ( among many, many others). lactobacillus loves to consume that ammonia to the plants benefit. this is why the earth box works and why anaerobic gardening is still practiced today.


and just so you know I wasn't trying to be a prick haha just wanted to clarify.

I'm no soil microbiologist by any stretch, but anaerobic means no oxygen. anaerobic bacteria dies in the presence of oxygen. if the roots don't get oxygen, the plant dies.

I've never heard of a discussion on anaerobic bacteria being beneficial to plants. Aerobic yes. anaerobic no.

The only difference between an earthbox and a regular pot is how the plant is watered. everything else needed for a healthy plant to grow is the same.

 

[moonymonkey]

heres the thing with the earth box i got 8 of them and they can be over watered.and have seen this at a nursery and they said say thing. i use 5gallons soil,and usually 1gallon water to moisten,no soak!...pant seeds,don't fill the reservoiruntil plants need it,usually about a month,tank feels light weight and a moisture meter reads 1-2 ay both ends of tank only use 1 gallon of water ,this will help develop a good root system,making stalks bigger,new clones same thing.around the third time or 4th time you can add 1 gallon and 1qt. of water.eventually i have to water once a week.suing 1 80 watts 4ft. florescent tubes on one iside of closet,140 watt 4ft. florescent on other side,mounted horzontialy 8-10 inches to top of tank, light fixtures 14inches apart fro each other.used mg poting soil.wen you up to watering once a week,you might increase watering to 1 gallon water 80 oz of water,keep it here until it takes up the water less then a week,then increase by another 16 oz,s....do this until you get up to 1 gallon 72 ox,s,hold there and see if you need to add more in weeks to come.a jungle in 2 months can even see in there one of hose.later moved upstairs to 3-4 80 watt fixtures.moon/thats wat works for me.by the way the nursery that said that theres was overwatered was outside!that depends on how it works in wat enviorment and makes the plants grow best,i experimented with theses for over 5 years alone, I can make it dance circles now.peace mm/

 

[moonymonkey]

by the way wen you use up to 1 gallon and 1 qt.,you fill reservoir with 1 gallon,next day pour 1qt. across the top of soil,this will cause the fiborus small roots to grow great.never add more then 1qt. across the top,even wen water increases over time.jungle city smoke town/moonbusters...

 

[Cannavore]

forum cookies in SIP (actual earthbox junior model)

 

[greenfox]

haha we know how it is! what kinda genetics are you thinking about trying?

I haven't gotten that far yet but I hear that indica or indica/hybrids do well indoors and are easier to control. Do you have any suggestions?

I'm considering the mainlining technique but just discovered flux. Any thoughts?

 

[moonymonkey]

one last thing on earth box,i grrowin tomatoes out side in them and had to growthem the same way i grew them inside when setting up box,otherwise the wud be over watered.the nursey said the system over waters its self,by the wicks keep taking up water into weather plant need it or not. over and out/peace

 

[unregistered190]

I started looking at these and there are many vids on you tube. Not up to speed yet but learning

 

[Cannavore]

hows that box workin for ya cannavore?

pretty good. i bought some more lol too lazy to make my own.

 

[Cannavore]

are you using the grokashi as a top amendment?

my next step is to go organic and I was looking into this method or using 10gl pots of promix and feeding them insect frass tea A-Z.

https://www.onfrass.com/docs/Feeding%20chart_Hydro.pdf

yes i top dress with grokashi. let the mycelium take hold (usually within 24hrs). then i make a EWC slurry and apply it directly on top of the mycelium layer (sometimes i sprinkle more grokashi as well).

the growth rate in SIP is stellar and it's so easy. looking into SIP bed(s) next.