Tomatoes in contaners

daylilyfanatic's picture
Submitted by daylilyfanatic on Mon, 03/03/2008 - 11:13
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could some one tell me what it takes to grow tomatoes in containers
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‹ Mesclun in Containers Brugs in containers! ›

Half barrels for larger tomato plants

Submitted by Tatyana on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 15:18.

I decided to grow tomato plants in containers this year for the first time too. And after reading all the comments here and on the old site, I bought half wine barrels for tomato containers. Christmas Tree shop has a very good deal going....hand made barrels are only $17, compare that to any regular garden center!

Plus the natural cedar wood hopefully will be sort of bug repellant too. Tatyana

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I grew tomatos in 5 gallon

Submitted by Heidi_McC on Mon, 03/03/2008 - 19:04.
I grew tomatos in 5 gallon buckets.  I took a drill and put alot of holes in the bottom and about 3 inches up the sides, I put course rocks in the bottom, some really good soil with alot of compost mixed in, and plunked a tomato plant in the middle.  I used 3 stiff stakes around the inside of the bucket and tied old pantyhose around them for support.  I had no problems with my tomatos.... they were nice and big and juicy!  Of course you do have to water them more frequently, but they grew great and were good producers.
sharry_lynn's picture

You may also want to make

Submitted by sharry_lynn on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 13:42.

You may also want to make sure you buy tomatoes that are designed to grow in containers.  There's one called Patio and and cherry called Tumbler (or Tumbling Tom) that are supposed to do well.  5 gallon pots are usually sufficient for these.  Romas also do well since they are smaller plants to begin with.  I grew abotu 3 Roma plants in a 5 gallon bucket and had good results. 

 On thing NOT to do.....don't use Miracle Grow Moisture Control potting soil.  That's what I used last year.  I thought it would help me not to water as often, but it ended up just not draining well enough.  Perhaps if you used it mixed with Perlite or some other drainage-improving substance it may perform better. 

I also recommend growing early-fruiting determinate varities.  That way you get your fruit before the worst of the summer heat, then you can just get rid of the plant if you choose instead of struggling with it all summer.  Perhaps with the proper watering and fertilizing schedule, you could keep your potted tomatoes happy all summer (I know some people do).  I'm trying again this year with different varities and different soil and better fertilizer more often.  Hopefully I'll be able to keep them alive all summer.  Last year they got real ragged around August, and even though I kept them alive, they never really fruited again.

I'm trying cucumbers in pots this year too.  I'm sure I'm just a glutton for punishment since I now have less time to deal with all this!  But home-grown veggies are so worth it, and I don't really have enough room in the ground for them.  :)  Good luck with yours! 

disgett's picture

Good advise Susan.  I have

Submitted by disgett on Mon, 03/03/2008 - 12:18.

Good advise Susan.  I have grown tomatoes and cucumbers in LARGE containers in previous years.  They require alot of extra care versus what is needed when planted in the ground.  Good luck.  Dale

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skbeal's picture

Here is an outstanding

Submitted by skbeal on Mon, 03/03/2008 - 14:11.

Here is an outstanding source of information on tomato problems. You'll want to book mark this so you can have it handy should you need it!

Tomato Problem Solver 

 

Susan, the Texas Yankee, the Texas Rangerette and the Assistant Administrator

SKBeal's Snazzy Tra

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skbeal's picture

It takes a HUGE pot! I

Submitted by skbeal on Mon, 03/03/2008 - 12:00.
  • It takes a HUGE pot! I really mean huge. If you don't use one that's large enough (and I know this from experience,) the plants will be top heavy and always toppling over. Moreover, you won't give the roots enough room to grow.
  • You need some really good draining soil. Look for something that specifies that it's for improved drainage. You will then want to add perlite, maybe some peat moss and possibly some polymer crystals. Containers tend to dry out a lot faster than tomatoes do in the ground.
  • Look for something rich in calcium like bone or blood meal and maybe lime. Add those to your soil. Tomatoes grown in containers are much more likely to suffer from blossom end rot or other problems associated with uneven watering. Adding calcium rich minerals will help alleviate the problem.
  • You'll need to fertilize your tomatoes more often. Look for a fertilizer that's geared for tomatoes or for vegetables. Tomatoes grown in containers tend to lose the nutrients from their soil faster. Water really leaches that out of them.
  • Plan to provide your tomatoes with supports. Make sure that the supports you use are adequate. Have a way to tie the tender branches.
  • Plan to water your tomatoes more often. They will need water more frequently to keep them as moist as they should be.
  • Buy some Bacillis Thuriengis. I never grow tomatoes without this protection. It's a purely organic insecticide that can be used right up to the time of harvest.
I hope these tips are helpful to you.....and if you have other questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Susan, the Texas Yankee, the Texas Rangerette and the Assistant Administrator

SKBeal's Snazzy Tra

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