Hi Mark -

What about just planting them in a standard five gallon bucket as well and compare those results to all those more expensive items?

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog

Hi Bstech:

I didn't put plastic buckets into the mix because they didn't seem very different from standard plastic pots. I wanted to test items where the manufacturer claims a benefit versus traditional clay or plastic pots. That said, I'm open to ideas based on the feedback I get from this forum.

Don't you need a control group for your experiment? For comparison purposes?

Mark,

Looking forward to seeing your results. I grow in EarthBox and DIY self-watering containers. I found the Topsy Turvey to be OK but only for certain tomato varieties. A huge indeterminate like San Marzano did not fare well in the TT -however- a smaller plant like Patio did quite well.

DL

Hi Brismith70:

To do a statistically valid experiment comparing these systems, you would need to do alot more than what I'm doing currently.

Specifically, you would want to plant in several different hardiness zones to eliminate climate as a factor and you would want to plant at least 50 plants in each type of container in each location to eliminate random noise such the influence of pests or having some tomato plants inherently less healthy than others etc.

That kind of test would be scientifically valid and impossible to dispute, but it's beyond my capability as a backyard gardener. That said, the comparison I'm doing (1 plant in each of 4 containers) is useful; it will allow me to provide advice to fellow gardeners on the pros and cons of each system. For example, I can already tell you that I think an issue with the topsy turvy is that it's so heavy that you will be limited in where it can be placed. I don't need to hang it 500 times to know this. Likewise, if all the containers produce about the same amount of fruit, or one produces almost none, I can make reasonable conclusions about the likelihood to produce fruit for other gardeners, even if this opinion is not one that would not measure up to the rigors of what a agricultural scientist would require as proof.

However, I did make every effort to eliminate differences that would bias the results such as planting the same type of tomato plant in each container and putting all of them in the same general location so that they get the same amount of sunlight etc.

Hope that helps.

SmartPot, AutoPot, EarthBox and Topsy Turvy. This season, I'll test the effectiveness of these systems and report back periodically on how each is producing tomatoes.
- I can tell you the earthbox does well with tomatos but you have to trench the seedlings to have enough roots because it is too shallow. The basic thought I have is considering Ceteres Paribus all those containers will do about the same with the topsy turvy doing the worst! I am growing my matos 4 diff varieties in 5 gal home depot buckets and they are doing super fantastic! I contribute the soil quality, nutrients and depth of container to this! So while your experiment may keep you entertained during the growing season I dont think it will yeild any revelations to the growing of tomatoes. Now I have Carrots, Beets, Radishes and Corn in my earthboxes this year and all are doing fantastic. Furthermore I have never seen anything like the homemade earthtainers for growing anything, same principle as the earthbox only deeper! Those rock!