Giant Vegetables Take Over Deck! building e-boxes

The E-box--How to make one for your deck!

Last year someone told me about an E-box that she had ordered and grew amazing veggies with just three of them. She paid somewhere between $40-$50 for them. While looking them up on the web, I found a couple of places that gave directions for making them. The sites were not well done and I had to fudge but figured it out. I made three! They went on the deck and were planted with eggplants, tomatoes and basil, and a variety of peppers. It wasn't like I needed them. I have a big garden out back and a raised bed kitchen garden out the backdoor.

Well, they were a miracle. The 8 pepper plants bore at least 10 peppers each. The 3 eggplants bore 5-6 eggplants each, and the 3 tomatoes each bore prolifically. The advantage of the eboxes are that they have a water reservoir and a lid to keep water evaporation to a minimum.

So here are the directions complete with pictures. I just made 3 more to use. I'm adding more peppers, and going to try pole beans and cherry tomatoes.

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Purchase two Rubbermaid tubs with lids (both the same size)which can be anywhere from 15-33 gallon size. (Rubbermaid is best because it maintains flexibility over the years) , one pond basket, any size 4-6 inches,?and 1 pvc pipe (cut 4 inches higher than tub), 1 -? inch diameter.You can get pond baskets from garden supply places that sell for ponds and water gardens.

On the bottom of one of the tubs, mark and cut out a hole for the basket to fit into as well as a hole for the pipe to fit into.

Mark 1/3 up from the bottom all the way around and, using a sabre saw, cut it apart.

Place the cut apart tub bottom upside down into the whole tub. Force it in if you have to. Add the strainer into the hole you cut.

Drill a water leak hole, 1/2 inch diameter, in the each side of the other tub, up 1/3 up the side of the tub.

Take the lid and cut a hole to fit the pvc pipe.

Decide what you want to grow and cut holes in the lid for the plants.

In the above left, I had 8 pepper plants, on the right was 2 tomatoes and 4 basil plants. There also was one with 3 eggplants. I'm going to plant 3 cuke vines in one this year. I'll stake that. I did stake the tomatoes onto the deck railing last year too. They grew up about 3 feet.

Now fill the tub with purchased growing soil mixed with a little manure and some vermiculite? right to the top.(Everybody has their own mixture they like. )?Put a time release fertilizer like Osmokote down the middle of the soil top.

Add the top and fill the reservoir with water, through the pvc pipe until water comes out the leak holes. Plant the plants in the lid holes. Don't use big plants. The smaller plants will just fit into the hole. You'll have to maneuver them into the holes carefully. They will recover.

The plants will not need to be watered more than once a week until late in the season, when the leaves evaporate the water, when 2 or 3 times a week water is needed.

Have fun!