How do I set up an EarthBox or Tray2Grow?Updated an hour ago

Fill it with BuildASoil 3.0, top dress, cover the surface, and top water for the first week or two until roots reach down. After that, an EarthBox runs on fill-and-empty cycles, and a Tray2Grow can stay on until harvest.

EarthBox setup

1. Fill with soil. Set the soil screen and fill tube in place, then add about 10 gallons (about 1.25 cubic feet) of 3.0 to the top. Pack the two wicking corners firmly and pre-moisten them. Loose corners are the most common reason an EarthBox will not wick.
2. Plant. Settle your plant in before top dressing.
3. Top dress. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Craft Blend per plant on the surface, then mound about 1 gallon of BuildAFlower compost on top.
4. Cover. Put the plastic mulch cover on.

Starting from seed? Wait until the seedling comes up through the cover before adding the heavy top dress, or leave open space around the seed.

Watering an EarthBox

• Weeks 1 to 2: water gently from the top around the plant. The roots cannot reach the reservoir yet.
• After that: fill the reservoir through the fill tube, then let it run completely empty before refilling. Do not keep it topped off.
• Checking the level: look down the fill tube. A reflection means water is still there.
• Keep the top dress layer moist. Mist it if it looks dry.

As the plant grows, repeat the top dress (same amounts). Feeder roots showing under the cover mean it is time.

Tray2Grow

• Top water until roots establish before turning the system on.
• Once the reservoir is on, you can leave it on until harvest. If you want, you can experiment with drybacks later in flower, but it is not required.
• Keep the reservoir plain water and apply amendments from the top.
• The Grassroots Tray2Grow bed takes 1.75 cups of Craft Blend for a full top dress or re-amend, plus about 1 gallon of BuildAFlower.

Full EarthBox walkthrough: EarthBox Setup Guide.