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Growing Tomatoes

Two Different Tomato Plants in 18 Gallon Container?

16 years ago

If I don't plan on saving the seeds, can I grow two different tomato plants in an 18 gallon rubbermaid type container?

I plan on growing Kelloggs Breakfast, Neves AR, Sungold and Cherokee Purple. I'm not sure which two I would plant together but am open for suggestions.

I would really like to know if two would grow without any problem.

Thanks!

Linda

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Comments (6)

timmy1
16 years ago
Sure, they will grow fine.

Biggest thing not to do is plant a super determinate next to an unsuckered indeterminate as the indeterminate will smother the little guy.
digdirt2
16 years ago
can I grow two different tomato plants in an 18 gallon rubbermaid type container?

They are all indeterminate varieties and can grow quite large (6 to 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide) if given ideal conditions.

2 in the same container would not be the ideal. 1 in each container would be better - better plant health, better staking/caging options, better production, and better nutrient and moisture control. I wouldn't do it but I know some do so give it a try and see how well it works for you.

Good luck. ;)

Dave
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gardenscout
16 years ago
I grew all of those varieties last year in 18 gal containers, all doubled up like you are considering. I wish I had only planted one per container. It must have been a root war in there by the looks of it when I cleaned out the containers in the fall.

I didn't get a lot of fruit, and the whole first month of fruit setting was wrought with BER. Just too much root stress I think. I promised myself that if I use those containers next (this) year, I would only put in one per container.

The only reason I might recommend it is if you just want to try a lot of varieties in the same season. That's why I did it, and it was mission accomplished. But it was also frustrating because there wasn't really that much fruit per plant.

But no matter what you decide, be sure to grow the Neve's. The 5 or 6 fruits I got last year (after BER season) were divine, and he will always be on my grow list.
LindaMA
Original Author
16 years ago
I have two containers so maybe I'll only grow one per container. I would rather have better growth and more fruit. I will grow the Neves in one and maybe the Kelloggs Breakfast in the other and wait until next year to grow the Cherokee Purple.

Maybe I can grow the Sungold in a 5 gallon container, I have one that I used last year to grow Silvery Fir Tree but I wasn't very happy with that tomato.
gardenscout
16 years ago
Sungold is huge, and 5 gal is really pushing it for a large cherry.

Get more containers so you can grow them all! I would hate to go through the season without Cherokee Purple. And Aunt Ruby's German Green, for that matter.

Good luck whatever you decide.
sac_zone9
16 years ago
In my whole 2 years of gardening so far I've observed that Sungold is a HUGE plant. I planted one in the ground my first year & it riveled any of the other hybrid tomatoes from Home depot. It grew into a 6'wall that went over the cages. A 5gal container is not big enough for this one IMO.

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