I made 3 of the mock earth boxes last year and used them for jalapenos and eggplants. I am totally in love with the mock earth box and plan to make several more for the coming season. I used the 18 gallon rubbermaid container for the base and planted 6 jalapenos in the finished box using a compost/peat/sand planting medium with a 10-10-10 fertilizer strip. My jalapenos were awesome last year [Early Jalapenos from Johnny's selected seed] good heat and very productive. After the initial set-up I watered maybe 6 or so times for the whole season. When I tried to pull the spent plants out of the box the root system was a dense mat - I had to actually chop through the roots to get the plants out of the box. Making the mock earth box was pretty easy except for cutting the center out of the top - I think I used tin snips but I'm going to try a jig saw this year.
some things I learned - place the box where you want it before filling - they get really heavy.
make sure you position the filler tube so you have easy access.
I found my rubbermaid containers on sale at HD at 3 for $12 - that was the best price for my area.
Good luck!

I love the earth boxes. I don't know about 6 peppers since they get so big here in Texas. Maybe 3. But they sure help cut down watering time.

I made some of those faux earth boxes and they were fine the first year but the plastic did not hold up to the Texas heat; all in all the genuine boxes were worth the money considering that I use them every year, I've had them many many years and they are still in perfect shape.

I've converted from standard containers to homemade 5 gallon buckets with a wicking system, and the super easy walmart "plant spas". I haven't had them in there for a growing season yet, but the plants are happy. I've also done seedlings in self-watering juice containers and they are growing to fast for me to handle.

I'm a little leary of making my own due to the fact of the dangers of PVC and pvc replacements can get $$$ from what I've been reading on making my own. Plus I plan on putting my pepper patch along my driveway, which is in view of the street and my hubby doesn't like the idea of having totes line the driveway compared to pots. Instead of buying the Earthbox brand I was considering buying Garden Patch boxes. They seem very much like the earthbox and I can get 3 for only $100, this includes shipping. Was gonna wait a bit though, because I did see actual self watering pots at Walmart. Might wait and see if they have a window box shape one. I doubt they can hold as much water, but I like to water my plants, so a weekly watering for me is very relaxing. I don't have to go weeks without watering. Thanks for the replies so far.

Lucille, I was wondering about how many they claim you can fit, but I guess in a zone 5 that doesn't leave much time in the season for the plants to get huge so it would be OK for that many?

I don't know about claims for them, but my own experience is that with the long hot growing season the plants get large so I myself would not put more than 3. Y'all yankees might get more per container to fit in, I don't know.

I grow year round in earth box mock ups I make using totes from Home Depot. The totes (18-22 gal.) are on sale each year for about $3.50 each. I have had some in use since 2003, and have not had degradation problems, even with ones that were out in our hot summer sun. Peppers can live for years in these things, and they really do thrive. Even though I have an automatic watering system for everything, I like these boxes, because the plants grow better in them than they do in pots for me. My peppers cover the tops, and often hang way over the sides of the containers, so that you do not see much of the side. Four to six peppers of a moderate to large size will fit in a 22 gallon container, and grow for the year or two I allow each plant. I usually put fewer peppers in each container, however, and plant something else in the container as well (like garlic). This makes it easier to stake up the plants, and keep them from growing all over the place. If you have a concern about construction plastic, you might use PVC that is intended for home drinking water, which is what I use (well under a dollar per container cost). The costs to make these containers are so small, and the benefits so great, that I often have to restrain myself from getting more containers when I am in Home Depot. Using the blue containers from Home Depot for me makes a quite attractive container. I will also echo the comment about the root systems: they make a solid brick of soil that takes a bit of time to break apart when replanting.
Renais

Is there a step by step instruction manual to make one of these mock Earth Boxes?

http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0501044214330.html?12

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/596179/

I put a bunch of links on how to make/use Earthboxes on this Flickr page.

I think they're a great product, even better/cheaper when you make them yourself!

Here is a link that might be useful: Homemade EBs on my garage roof

I don't know why you would worry about PVC.

The National Sanitation Foundation (makes rules about what can come in contact with foodstuffs) thinks it's just fine.

I am trying my first self watering container this year, and I did everything as demonstrated except drilling the air holes in the bottom. There is a gap all the way around between the soil floor and the water reservoir, quite a bit of soil fell down when filling initially. I can't see this as being a plant killer. Has anyone else made a self watering container with no perforations betweeen the soil and the water reservoir? If my plants use two gallons a day in the summer, then two gallons of fresh air must enter the container each day to compensate. This fresh air 'tide' surely would provide opportunity for oxygen to diffuse into the soil, right?

Thanks.

Vance8B - Are you talking about the piece called the 'aeration screen' in the plan? I did not drill holes like shown. I made the hole in the middle for my 'pond basket'. I cut the screen a little too small for one of my containers and had to use a piece of landscape cloth to keep too much soil from falling through the gap around the edge. Everything worked fine.