I'm only answering because no one else did so far... I have no idea what a lot of that stuff is ..."Mosquito Dunks"?

You should probably post it in a container growing forum for more replies.

Well given your list of things here is what I would do.

1) I don't think you'll have enough of the potting mix to fill all your pots even though they are relatively small and personally I don't care to use compost in containers as it doesn't drain as well. But I guess you'll have to in order to stretch the mix. So mix the MG and the compost together well and fill up to 1" from the top as many of the pots as you can. You may only have enough to fill 4 pots.

Wet it well, compress it gently, and add more mix if needed. Mix into each pot 1 cup of the EB Stone SureStart fertilizer. Mix it in well and plant 1 plant in each pot. Plant it deeply.

2) You don't mention the variety names so I don't know if they are indet. or det. varieties so you will just have to add stakes or support for them as needed. For that size pot I hope they are determinate varieties.

3) I don't see a liquid fertilizer - at least none I recognize - on your list except for the fish oil but some is needed so use that. Once a week when you water the plants include a 1/2 strength dose of it. Nutrients leach out of the pot every time you water so they have to be replaced regularly.

4) AVOID OVER-WATERING. Get used to sticking your finger deep into the soil to see if it is cool and damp. If it is don't water. As the plants grow and the weather gets hotter they wlll need increased watering, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day in such small containers, but the tendency is to water too much so take care.

5) Use the Thuricide (BT-K) for any hornworms or caterpillars you see on the plants but only IF you see them. Use the Capt. Jacks per label directions for any other pests. But FIRST make sure they really are a pest. Just because you see a bug on the plant doesn't automatically mean you have to spray something. Watch it, see if it is alone or has friends, is it just passing through or staying to eat, and what is it eating the leaves, the fruit or the bad bugs. :)

6) Use the FungOil and or the Seranade for any fungus diseases IF they develop. At first sign use it regularly as neither works well as a preventative but will slow it down. If you avoid hosing down the plant (water at the soil level only) and make sure it has good air circulation around it you can reduce the odds of getting Early Blight or Septoria the 2 most common.

7) After the plant sets its first fruit do a side dressing using the Master Nursery Tomato/Vegetable Food 5-10-10 or the Tomato Tone. Lay a 2" wide band of it (about 1 cup full) in a circle around the inside rim of the pot and work it gently into the top 3-4" of the soil. Repeat that 6 weeks later. After that the weekly dose of fish oil should be enough.

Please know up front that this is far from ideal but based on the info you have provided it should work fairly well IMO.

Dave

Dave -- thank you so much. You helped with my greatest concern which was fertilizing too much or not enough at planting time. All the plants are indeterminate and I have some PVC cages that I made that worked well last year. In that size pot, I got 6-7 foot plants and a decent yield (although a few cold temperature weeks made growing less than ideal).

I learned a lot last year as I did so many things wrong (e.g. watering too much and/or too often and splashing). That caused lots of problems (e.g. septoria, fungus gnats). With that experience, I think I'll do better this year as long as I had a guide on feeding and knowing how to find pests. Last year I didn't know what an aphid was (or the others). Now, I'm prepared, or at least more so.

When you say less than ideal, what is the biggest issue. Pot too small? Soil? etc. I looked around the forum for a comprehensive "how to" but I couldn't find one (although I am guessing it has been posted here a zillion times.) If you have any links handy, that would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

b_kCT

Thanks for the post. Mosquito Dunks contain Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BT-I) which I was told last year helped fight off fungus gnats by killing the larva.
From overwatering, the soil was infested with the little buggers. After my watering habits improved, that solved most of the problem.
I didn't think the dunks were very effective but maybe it would have been worse without them -- I don't know.

Dave's advice is great. I especially appreciate that he's working strictly with what you have on hand. There's only one possible thing I would add. If you can get your hands on a 2 or 3 cubic foot bag of pine bark mulch to add, I think it would greatly improve the drainage of your potting mix and your success. It would also allow you to fill at least 5 of your pots so you could plant just one tomato in each pot.

Many people seem to have trouble finding this, but it is widely available under different names, like soil conditioner. What you want is partially composted pine or fir bark, with most pieces under 1/2 inch in width. I've found it in big box stores. In the Midwest, I was able to buy 3 c.f. Bags for $4 from an Ace Hardware store. If you add it, you probably should add about a half cup of dolomitic lime per cubic foot for the calcium. If you don't have that, ashes from a wood fire will do.

And one other thing, I am concerned about you reference to systemic insecticides. I don't know of any that are safe to use with tomatoes.

When you say less than ideal, what is the biggest issue. Pot too small? Soil? etc.

For me the less than ideal is 1) having to use the MG as I don't care for it at all. But many people use it. 2) having to use the compost - great for the garden, not so good for containers. 3) bigger containers are always better, especially for indeterminate varieties. Your size pots work ok for determinates but are stressful for indeterminates. And 4) my personal preference would be a better liquid supplement than the fish oil, preferably one with micro-nutrients added like one of the fish/kelp blends etc., but the fish stuff will probably be ok.

For future ref, the dunks are for use in standing water. They float in water and need the water to work. And Ohiofem is right that systemics are not generally recommended for food crops no matter what Bayer claims about them. I just don't care to have systemic insecticides inside my food as I'm eating it.

Good luck with your plants this year! :)

Dave

Thanks again Dave -- and Thanks Ohiofem.

I went ahead and planted everything, with some modifications, given the comments here.

I decided to not use any of the compost (I'll save it for the garden--vs. containers). I got my hands on some 'lightly' used potting mix with a lot of vermiculite. I used this to stretch the MG quite a bit. Also, the MG went a lot further -- I should have been more specific. I had (4) 2.5 cu.ft. bags. About 2/3 of the bag filled up a 20 inch pot. But, I also got my hands on a couple of 24 inch pots. So, with the used mix, I was able to fill up 6 pots in total. I also held off on using the systemic. I'll take Dave's advice and wait to see what critters appear and attack them then, as needed (with a non-systemic). As to liquid fertilizer, I only have a bit of the fish emulsion left from last year. When I run out, I'll look for one of the type you recommend.

Thanks again, so much. I can't tell you how much it is appreciated.

I'd like to add my thanks for this post & the f/u's as well. I've been reading the searches for container gardening but this one is most helpful. I'm trying to squeeze more tomato plants into my garden this year by using 8 pots and also have the fish emulsion. Most of the varieties in these pots are Determinate or Semideterminate & I'll be trying to use the cages and/or stake as well.

Of course, I'm trying to do this as inexpensively as possible as well. But, based off your advice I'll pick up a basic fertilizer to amend the soil while filling the pot, use the fish emulsion in the meantime & then pick up one of the many "tomato fertilizers" once I get fruit set. Of the 8 pots, 6-7 of the plants would be determinate or semi-determinate. I do have several (16) indeterminate plants I'm planting as well in the planter beds. I'm half tempted to put a couple of the indeterminates into the pots & let a couple of the determinates in the garden beds to give them a fighting chance. Should the determinates be happy enough in the pots, assuming they're well taken care of? You hear so much about how tomatoes in pots don't do well and should just be in the ground. I'll be putting them on a drip as well as monitoring their moisture & fertilizing to keep them happy. WWYD re placement? Thanks!

Gardenmommy,

I don't have the luxury of to plant in the ground so containers were my only option. After looking at the threads last year with pictures, tomatoes can do well in containers. While they may not do as well as in the ground, it is certainly worthwhile. Just peruse some of last years threads titled "Post Your 2010 Tomato Pictures." You cans see the success of posters to this forum.

Here are a few
Part 5: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0517424223302.html
Part 6: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0612251331256.html
Part 7: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0615250524114.html

Good luck!