EarthBox tomatoes not ripening properly

User avatar
Ginger2778
Reactions:
Posts: 1412
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 3:01 pm
Location: South Florida zone 10b

Re: EarthBox tomatoes not ripening properly

#21

Post: # 26681Unread post Ginger2778
Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:12 pm

PS1452 wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:00 am
Growing Coastal wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2020 10:42 am How does one check the ph in an Earthbox? PH that is off can affect nutrient uptake.
That is certainly a valid point. I do have a pH meter, and no I haven't checked it. Being a first year box I would expect it to be on the low end since the lime may not have had a chance to fully "activate" in it.
Yes, this!
I just ordered a pH meter.
- Marsha

User avatar
PS1452
Reactions:
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2019 3:34 pm
Location: Conway, AR - Zone 7b

Re: EarthBox tomatoes not ripening properly

#22

Post: # 26694Unread post PS1452
Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:21 pm

So I've checked the pH and the average is around 6.0, which as I expected is on the low side but tolerable. BUT...the soil temp is over 90 degrees, confirming my suspicions that the roots are too hot. We'll be investigating ways to shade the boxes, and how to get water to them in the afternoon that isn't super hot from laying in the sun heated hose all day.

User avatar
Ginger2778
Reactions:
Posts: 1412
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 3:01 pm
Location: South Florida zone 10b

Re: EarthBox tomatoes not ripening properly

#23

Post: # 26704Unread post Ginger2778
Mon Jul 27, 2020 5:35 pm

PS1452 wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:21 pm So I've checked the pH and the average is around 6.0, which as I expected is on the low side but tolerable. BUT...the soil temp is over 90 degrees, confirming my suspicions that the roots are too hot. We'll be investigating ways to shade the boxes, and how to get water to them in the afternoon that isn't super hot from laying in the sun heated hose all day.
An excellent idea about the water. Do you have many earthboxes, I am asking because maybe you can turn the hose on full, and just hand water with cooler water. I do that with all 48 of my Earthboxes. I only need to water about every 3 days, it takes about 25 minutes.
- Marsha

Post Reply

Return to “Containers, Earthboxes and Raised Beds”