EarthBox vs. GrowBox

GrowBox

• The assembly of the GrowBox container is relatively easy and consists of snapping a couple of sections together and installing the four pegs that connect the water reservoir to the unit. It should take you only a few moments to achieve. The GrowBox comes with a piece of fertilizer-enriched burlap to lay across the surface of the soil. The burlap also aids in reducing weeds by working as as a natural mulch across the soil. Its surface is covered with easy-to-see drawings that indicate exactly where you should plant vegetable seeds.

EarthBox

• The EarthBox also offers ease of assembly. Once the plastic pieces that form the container have been popped together, you stretch a fertilizer strip across the soil's surface. The strip slowly releases fertilizer into the soil. Unlike the GrowBox, the EarthBox container sports wheels, so you can easily move the container from place to place without having to pick it up. The EarthBox has a plastic lid that stretches across the soil's surface. The lid works as a mulch to reduce weed growth. It also deflects the condensation that accumulates on its lid so the moisture is recycled and the plant can utilize it.

Similarities

• The GrowBox and the EarthBox have some similarities. They require very little water or fertilizer. The containers recycle the water lost through condensation, so you can water less when growing your vegetables in these containers. Both containers are sold as kits that include enriched soil. When watering the EarthBox or GrowBox, you cannot overwater because the water simply runs off into the container's water reservoirs. At the time of publication, the price of a GrowBox and an EarthBox were similar also, around $20 for a starter kit.

Uses

• Both systems have the capability of providing water for the plants for several days. You can grow a wide array of plants in the containers, such as flowers or vegetables. They can be reused season after season for over five years, according to the Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension. Depending on the size of the GrowBox or EarthBox, you can plant from two to 10 vegetable plants in each container.