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Container Gardening

Tomato Containers in South Florida

12 years ago

After some disappointing experiences growing tomatoes in raised beds in my small urban garden, I'm going to try putting in some containers around the edges for my tomatoes this season. For this first effort, I'm going with the low-tech (low cost) double five-gallon bucket, probably with a top watering system.

I've got a few pretty newbie questions that I'm sure have come up from time to time, but they're so general I'm having trouble using the search engine to find answers. If anyone could point a link to a thread answering them I would greatly appreciate it.

1) I've read through the Al's Mix threads, and am planning on building a soil - but is there anything I should take into account given my climate zone and choice of crop? Given our high heat and precip (even in fall), I would think that drainage should be my top priority - but do tomatoes have special needs in a container garden?

2) I know that fertilizer choices can spark a lot of discussion - but is there any reason why a basic, big-box solid tomato fertilizer would be problematic for this type of set-up, until I get my feet set for container gardening?

3) Any tips for calculating the rough level of ingredients I'll need, given that I'm looking to get about eight cubic feet of soil at the end?

Thanks so much,

Alan

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Comments (2)

yumtomatoes
12 years ago
Over on the tomato forum the majority recommend soil-less potting mixes for container tomatoes. Most have lime already added so you don't need to worry about adding calcium. But if you are making your own, then you do need to worry about adding calcium to prevent blossom end rot. They recommend adding dolomite lime on the tomato forum. But you need to make sure you don't raise the pH too much with the lime.

I am using Miracle Gro Potting Mix and adding Tomato Tone to it. I supplement with Miracle Gro tomato fertilizer. I probably overfertilze, but with all of the watering I have to do because of the heat, it washes the fertilizer out.
Jay5
12 years ago
You are going the right route using Al's 5-1-1. It drains really well. I like the fact it is as Al says, almost impossible to over water.
I am using 5-1-1 this year for the first time in 18 gallon storage containers from walmart that were $4.88 and I have been well pleased with my tomatoes as well as yellow summer squash and bush cucumbers.

Conventional wisdom says to use at least a 10 gallon with larger size preferred. It gives the roots room to grow and holds more moisture for lower watering needs.

I am growing Better Boy and Brandywine tomatoes which are large vined indeterminates and the 18 gallon containers have no problem supporting their water and nutritional needs, as long as I do my part that is. I am also growing Better Bush which top out at 4 feet and they are doing well.

For 18 gallon containers I used each,

1.5 cf of soil conditioner, pine bark fines, from Lowes
8 quarts of perlite from walmart.
8 quarts of peat moss from wherever.
1 cup of powdered dolimite lime.

As far as fertilizing there are many choices.
Try doing a search for "fertilizing 5-1-1"

We had some really hot weather over 100 for 2 weeks and I used the lids to shade the containers and the plants didn't suffer much to the eye. I watered well every two days during that time. I can go 3 when cooler. I also used shredded paper as a mulch and it reduced my watering needs and helped keep the mix cooler than without.
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I used to never use gravel in the bottom of the pots. Until I started fighting root rot every time we get a week of rain. ProMix holds a lot of water and unless your pot is pretty much root bound, it's going to stay soggy. Even then, plants don't take up enough water when it's cloudy and raining. When you use a couple of inches of gravel, then put the window screen on top of it, you are creating an air pocket under the potting mix. Also, along with the air, the entire bottom surface of the potting mix can drain. I like that, I can flush my pots out a lot faster and better. You can't flush out the area dead center in a pot without elevating the potting mix. Your link is talking about adding gravel to the bottom of a pot - without - covering the gravel with window screen to elevate the potting mix. What you link is talking about is that gravel is denser than the potting mix and will not drain or aerate as well - when it is mixed with the potting mix. Elevating the potting mix above the gravel with window screen is two different things. From your link: "Some have suggested the placement of gravel in the bottom of containers improves drainage. In fact, the gravel decreases the total volume of medium with favorable aeration. The pores at the interface of the container medium and gravel must be saturated before water will move down into the gravel. This means that a layer of medium with near maximum water content is positioned above the gravel rather than on the container bottom. Therefore, the effective height of this container is reduced by the depth of the gravel in the bottom." What I'm talking about is creating a bottomless pot. Because of the window screen, the potting mix is elevated off the bottom of the pot by a couple of inches. There are no pores at the interface of the container medium and gravel, because the gravel and potting mix are not touching and are not mixed together. Make any sense? Corrie
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