One of the special joys of EarthBoxes is the ability to make viable cuttings more easily than any other method. My lavender and rosemary cuttings haven’t failed yet in EarthBoxes. Can’t say that about all the methods I’ve tried with cuttings of those plants.
I take cuttings, strip off all the bottom leaves, leaving only a few at the top, dip it in rooting hormone, stick it in the EarthBox and then don’t have to worry about it. I add water every week or so. I leave the cuttings box where it gets a little morning sun and is in shade in the afternoon.
The lavender cuttings did so well I left them in the box; they are blooming now. Quite a treat in Florida where lavender is very picky about surviving the heat.
The rosemary “mother plant” I have in one end of an earthbox in as much sun as I get in my yard. Take bunches of cuttings and put them in the same box. When they are growing nicely, I transplant them. Add potting mix to fill all the holes, some fertilizer if I have it, and start again.
A fun fact I discovered this season: I have one tomato plant in a container next to the rosemary “mother plant”. Part of the tomato plant is growing onto the top of the rosemary and is the healthiest part of any tomato plant I have this season. A good hint that a rosemary spritz can help repel the types of bugs that frequent tomatoes in Florida.
I bought the “official EarthBoxes” so those are the ones I know work. Not everything has worked perfectly for me in earthboxes but that’s gardening with any method. I haven’t had a problem with any herbs I’ve grown in them. I have a box overflowing with oregano now and have started a number of other containers with the cuttings from that box
There are some concerns about what type of plastic container to plant vegetables or fruits in, whether it needs to be food safe. Also about using PVC pipe. Since PVC pipe is used in all the plumbing that supplies drinking water, that type should be safe. If you have any doubt, use something else.
Several years ago I did consider making some imitations but after figuring in the cost of the heavy duty tubs, and reading comments about how this design or that design wouldn’t work, I decided to bite the bullet and buy the real thing.
The excuses about why the imitations wouldn’t work mostly involved the size of the pond basket. If it was too big, too much water would wick. If it was too small, not enough water would wick. I couldn’t find the size suggested in town or on-line. That size was sold out everywhere I tried.