Like Dave said, what you have there is a SIP, but it's a different brand from Earthbox. Earthboxes are just one well-known brand of SIP, and there are literally dozens of designs on the internet for homemade SIPs using everything from totes to buckets to rain gutters.
SIPs are not hydroponics, sorry to disappoint your friend.
In hydroponics the plant roots grow in rock wool or some other medium whose entire purpose is to provide physical support - the medium is just something for the roots to grow on and through. All moisture and nutrition comes from a nutrient solution that is pumped through the system over the roots.
SIPs use potting mix with fertilizer to feed the plants, and water wicking up into the potting mix (via capillary action) to provide constant moisture. There is a simple cutaway image of a typical SIP on this page:
earthtainer.tomatofest.com/, which helps visualize how it works. Since the water gets distributed throughout the potting mix by capillary
action (wicking) there is no need for pumps or electricity. Once you
have your SIP set up and planted, you only need to keep water in the
reservoir. Usually SIPs are watered with plain water (no nutrients or fertilizers),
though water-soluble fertilizers or nutrient solutions can be added to
the water reservoir if desired.
The reason peat-based mixes are optimal for SIPs is that peat-based mixes wick water at the right rate to maintain just the right amount of moisture for most plants. If you use plain dirt, compost, or some other planting medium, the water might not wick up well enough. The top could dry out even if you keep the water reservoir filled. Some other mediums can take up too much water and cause mucky conditions so that your plants die of root rots.
There are a few types of plants that do not do well in SIPs - particularly plants that need to dry out between waterings. But most vegetables and herbs go gangbusters in SIPs! And if you use sterile media to fill your SIP, you can completely avoid soilborne plant diseases and certain soil-inhabiting pests such as nematodes.
How to Set Up Your SIP:I did a little web searching and didn't find pictures of that brand of SIP so I couldn't get official instructions. I went off my own experience with SIPs, plus your photo, to come up with these instructions:
Materials (in addition to your SIP):(I am assuming that the dimensions of your SIP are similar to an Earthbox; it looks to be about the same size from the photo.)
1.) About 2 cu ft of peat-based potting mix - see this link for good brands:
earthbox.com/approved-for-earthbox; I actually use ProMix BX and ProMix HP with great results as well.
2.) 2 cups dolomite - there are recommended brands at the "approved for earthbox" link, or you can use any garden lime that has about 10% magnesium to 20% calcium. Note that most garden limes don't have nearly enough magnesium, so you need to check. The Epsoma Organic Garden Lime is easy to find at any big box store and comes in a small bag, which is good if you only have one box to do.
3.) 2-3 cups fertilizer of your choice - any balanced synthetic or organic fertilizer with NPK numbers between 5-5-5 and 13-13-13 works. If you're using a synthetic fertilizer with NPK of 7-7-7 or higher, use 2 cups. If you're using organic fertilizer or a synthetic fertilizer with NPK numbers below 7-7-7, use three cups.
4.) Plastic cover. A garbage bag cut to about 6" longer and wider than the top of the box is all you need. Or you can use any kind of opaque (NOT clear) sheet plastic you have on hand, as long as it will hold up to the sun for at least one season. You'll want something flat to tuck it in with; a putty knife is perfect.
Instructions:1.) Set the soil chamber onto the water reservoir.
2.) Push down the tabs (red circles on photo) so that they close off the u-shaped areas (blue circles in photo) from the rest of the water reservoir. These u-shaped areas are your wicking columns.
3.) Pack moist potting mix tightly into the wicking columns, filling them all the way to the base of the grid.
4.) Loosely fill the box with moist potting mix to about 2" below the rim.
5.) Mix the lime with the potting mix. Don't disturb the wicking columns, but mix it in thoroughly everywhere else.
6. a.) If you are using organic fertilizer, you can choose to either mix it all in at the same time as you mix in with the lime -- or -- place it in a band as described below.
6. b.) If you are using synthetic fertilizer, you
must place it in a band as described below.
7.) Use your fist to pack the soil ONLY directly above the wicking columns. Leave the soil loose and fluffy loose everywhere else!
8.) Water the soil with a sprinkler or mister attachment.
9. a.) Consider what you'll be planting in the box. If you are putting your fertilizer in a fertilizer band, you'll want to place the fertilizer band where all plants can reach it, but you
cannot plant any plants directly on top of it.
9. b.) If you'll be planting two large plants (like tomatoes or eggplants), put all the fertilizer in about a 2 inch wide band as shown by the white lines in the picture below. You will place the plants to either side of the band, about halfway between the center of the box and the edges. Tomato/eggplant placement is shown by the X's in the picture below:
9. c.) If you'll be planting several smaller plants (peppers, lettuce, etc.), I would put the band across the length of the box as shown by the white lines in the picture below. You will place the plants in two rows lengthwise...the spacing in the row depends on what you're planting. I put 4 peppers in a box, 6-8 lettuces or spinach, etc. Placement for 6 plants is shown by the X's in the picture below:
10.) Once the fertilizer is in place, fill the box the rest of the way with moist potting mix and mound it up at least 2"-3" above the lip of the box. The box should look something like a loaf of bread rising above the edges of the pan.
11.) Place the plastic cover on the box and tuck it in tightly all the way around.
*If you are using a fertilizer band, you
cannot skip the cover! Rainwater leaching through the fertilizer band, especially with synthetic fertilizer, is bad for your plants.
*If you mixed organic fertilizer throughout the box, you can skip the plastic cover. However, the cover really slows down moisture loss through evaporation. In hot, dry conditions the sun may dry out the soil too fast for the wicking to keep up unless you use a cover.
12. ) To plant, just cut holes in the appropriate spot and plant or sow seeds! Keep the holes as small as they can be; X-shaped holes are good.
*Avoid cutting holes directly over the fertilizer band - as mentioned above, you
don't want rainwater to leach through the fertilizer band.
Maintenance is dead easy - just keep the water reservoir filled. I will say that if you have a box full of big plants (like 5' tall tomato plant loaded with fruit) you may need to fill that reservoir every day, maybe even twice a day.
Dropping some mosquito bits into the reservoir once a month to keep skeeters and other nasty flying bloodsuckers from breeding is a good idea, too.
Have fun!
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