Dan, what makes them different, other than their high price tag, is that they contain an internal water supply. A wicking mat is used to move the water from the reservoir to the soil.
Basically, it just lets you worry about watering less often. And that's a big concern with container gardening of any kind.
Containers dry out faster than the surrounding environment. Which means you have to water more often. Which in turn means you are leaching nutrients out at a faster rate. Which means you need to fertilize more frequently.
The EarthBoxes mitigate that process somewhat. But, IMO, at too high a cost. And you can easily replicate the wick-from-a-reservoir system with a much cheaper do-it-yourself set up if you so desire.
Me, I just monitor the moisture and nutrient levels in my container plantings, and add more of each when necessary. |