Thats like saying you want to change the size of your feet because you already have the shoes. You're putting the cart before the horse, which is never advised. :)

Cherry tomatoes, while a small tomato, are not a small plant. Quite the contrary.

Consider a dwarf or determinate variety for a container that small. I used to think i could grow a tree in a shot glass if i gave it enough fertilizer, but I've since learned that it is not the case. You really need a bigger container.

Drill a hole or two in the side of the bucket, at the bottom, rather than the bottom of the bucket itself.

I'd use regular pro-mix in the blue bag from big orange box, but I'm sure any given peat/perlite/lime mixture would work.

I'm enamored with guano tea as a fertilizer. To a 5 gallon bucket of water I add:
3tbsp high N guano
3tbsp high P guano
3tbsp worm castings
2tbsp blackstrap molasses
2tsp maxicrop [powdered kelp extract]

I put a fishtank air stone in the bucket and bubble it overnight. It really gets the microherd of good bacteria going.

Containers require soil-less mixes for proper air and drainage. You can some parts of your other additives like manure (well composted first) and compost, but no potting 'soil' or garden dirt. You can mix in time-release fertilizer, or use liquids or use compost or guano tea as already suggested. Any form of fertilizer will work, just keep in mind that it leaches out of the containers rapidly so has to be added more frequently.

I agree with shelby that you need to go with compact or determinate plants for best results in 5 gal. buckets. Indeterminates are sometimes done in 5 gal. containers but will require a great deal more care and will not be nearly as successful in terms of either plant health or productions. There are ample determinate varieties to choose from.

Enjoy your tomatoes.

Dave

Wow - I'm new to this forum and I have to say that I've never heard so many hard and fast 'rules' about how to grow tomatoes!

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with the above posters - I went quite a few years with only growing in containers and always used potting soil mixed with well rotted manure. Never measured it exactly, but would guess it was about 1/3 manure to 2/3 potting soil mixed up and then more manure packed over the top to hold some moisture in.
I also did some experiments the last year that I container grew and found that with enough water and fertilizer I was able to grow just about anything in tiny containers - I had a huge (for the container) Brandywine growing in a 2 gallon pot!

Ok, so that said - I had room to do a LOT of plants and expected to lose a few (though I didn't). It was also REALLY hard to keep them all watered. It was horribly hot and I had to water in the morning, run home on my lunch break (usually to them all tipped over due to being so dried out and light) and then again when I got home. I also lost quite a few tomatoes to Blossom End Rot until I figured out how to keep them hydrated - I bought a baby swimming pool, would fill that with water and just kept them all in it. It worked great! After figuring out that I got the most delicious tomatoes ever on the most stunted (but still pretty productive) plants ever! I've read that stress causes the plants to make more sugars and I think that must be true.

I just wanted to share that - but you definitely would be much more safe taking the advice above. Patio tomatoes are great, if a bit boring, and if you're into OP's Rutgers is a determinate that is tough - no staking - and stays manageable. Sungolds did great in fruit production but they almost had no leaves so weren't very pretty. Also the yellow and red pears are pretty manageable and pretty, but the yellows split easily if you have uneven watering. I'd definitely take my advice and keep the buckets sitting in some type of container that holds water (not sure what you have room for) - especially if you have a really hot or windy spell.

Oh - and for fertilizer I used Earth Juice Grow, 1/2 strength twice a week (I'd do it once if you're being more practical in your plant sizes than I was) and the one with micronutrients from Earth Juice about once every 2wks. I watered it in and sprayed it on the plant.

alisa - If you are interested in some additional reading on this question - growing tomatoes in containers - I have linked some of the more recent discussions below for you. Hope they are of help. You might also want to browse the Container gardening forum for the many related discussions there on soil mixes, fertilization, container size, etc.

Dave

PS: mickeyjane - I've never heard so many hard and fast 'rules' about how to grow tomatoes!

No one here posts any hard and fast rules. What we post is simply our opinions based on our personal experiences and/or comparative growing experiments. Those opinions are also likely influenced by the many past discussions here on the topic in question, by research we may have browsed that is available on the web, and by the info provided to us by recognized authorities who participate here as well.

As always, one is free to accept or reject any opinions offered. ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Tomatoes in Containers discussions

While container growing might be a bit more of a challenge
for different reasons so is gardening period! I wish you
luck with your tomatoes and or other veggies. And I agree
with Dave that the information here is simply that
information to be taken as one sees fit. I have actually
harvested much useful information in a little less than
a week being a part of this forum! I can't wait to see
what people have posted new each day. As a new gardener
I find it comforting at times to know I am not the only
person who has one or two problems in the garden. I was
beginning to think I was doing something wrong. So in
short THANKS everyone!

I just read a book called Kitchen Harvest by Susan Berry (love the name!) about growing vegetables in containers. For tomatoes, she suggests containers that are at least 12 inches wide. My five gallon container that my lilac came in is about that wide, and my other containers are about that big or a little bigger. I didn't have much of a harvest last year, but I think that's because the containers weren't in full sun. That'll change this year.

I'm also planning to use kitty litter pails as containers for plants -- tomatoes and others. They make excellent buckets, and why not reuse them and keep them out of a landfill?

I suppose I'll have to drill some holes in the bottoms, though, for drainage. I wanted to make them into self-watering containers, but I don't know how.

I made this self watering 5 gallon bucket with 2, 5 gal. buckets. Drill holes in one bucket, and in a small planter thatÂs about 3 ½" tall by 4" square.

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Put the small planter into the bottom of the 5 gal. bucket that doesnÂt have any holes in it. This will be the wick.

Put the 5 gal. bucket with the holes inside the other 5 gal, on top of the small planter, lined up with center hole.

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Insert tube.

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Pack wet but not soggy potting MIX into the wick and to the top 5 gal. bucket, add water to fill reservoir, plant your plant and water top to get the wicking motion started. I didn't drill any drainage hole on the side yet b/c I'm growing indoors now. I'll drill the drainage hole when I put my plant outside for the summer.

{{gwi:1337463}}

On this picture the plant (Yellow Currant) reached the ceiling. I had to trim off the tops (which I'm saving to repot) so I'll be able to get her out the door to keep outside. Hopefully next week, but they say it's going to remain cold for the next 7-10 days.

Hi Alisa,

For cherry tomatoes, I'd recommend Sweet Baby Girl, a hybrid. The plants are very compact, but produce an incredible amount of fruit. For slightly larger fruit, Kimberly is a great choice. For slicers, New Big Dwarf is perfect for containers, and produces very good fruit. Then there are some ISI hybrids like Beefy Boy. I don't grow paste tomatoes, so can't give any recommendations for those.

You didn't mention where you're getting the plants. I don't think any of the ones I've mentioned will be available at local stores, however all can be bought over the Web (if not they're sold out).

You really can grow any tomato in a container, but the big plants are a lot harder to support, and to keep fed and watered properly. Remember that container plants rapidly use up the nutrients in their pots (and that a lot of the nutrients wash out with the frequent waterings), so you'll have to feed them regularly. I really like Miraclle Grow for Tomatoes. I also put in a lot of Espoma Tomato-Tone at planting time.

Good luck!

Paula

I've always container grown my tomatoes. I don't have the room to direct plant and in Florida nematodes are a big problem without crop rotation.

Down here I'd never consider using anything smaller then a 19" container.

I end up watering twice daily to keep the soil evenly moist as I use a lighter mix that includes Lamberts.

I started mine in January and am already plucking fruit. My Roma are over 5' tall and my indeterminants are bending back over the cages at more the 7' already.

I water in with Maxicrop liquid seaweed once a week and foliar feed with, Miracle Grow, bi-weekly.

I've started to get some lower leaf yellowing but at this point in the season I'm just trying to get my bumper crop ripened and thinking about the seeds I'll be trying this fall.

The photo was taken about three weeks ago before any of the fruits started ripening.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I have been growing tomatoes in 5 gallon plastic terra cotta colored planters for about ten years here in mid-coastal Florida. They cost about $4.00 each in Wal-Mart and are 14-inches across the top. I have successfully grown most of the popular heirloom varieties as well as most of the popular hybrids. Success for me means 5 or more pounds of tomatoes per 5 gallon pot. My mix of choice is Jungle Growth, but Lamberts and Shultz are fine as well. My amendments are lime, gypsum and Espoma 4-6-6. I water once a day in the morning. In recent years, I have been phasing out the 5 gallon pots for DIY 18 Gallon self-waterers. Nonetheless I do still keep a few of the 5-gallon pots going each season. In January of this year I started seeds for the varieties Early Girl and Ugly ( Renamed "Beauty" this year by TGS ) and set the two pots out on January 29th. I picked a total of 42 fruit from the Early Girl for a total weight of 100 ounces, or 6.25 pounds, and the Ugly produced 32 fruit for a total weight of 155 ounces, or 9.68 pounds. Harvest essentially ended on April 29th.

GARAJ

Success for me means 5 or more pounds of tomatoes per 5 gallon pot.

I'm glad you are content with that level of production from your containers, Garaj. I certainly wouldn't be. Assuming no unusual problems for you this year, I think you'll discover a 4-5 fold increase in your production with the change to larger containers.

Good luck with your plants.

Dave

Hey grb1

Remember the F2 Kumato plants i started back in Jan (for Zone 5), its 6 feet Tall with lots of flower clusters. The first picture to the link below is the one we started around the same time. Cheers to early tomatoes!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kumato/

Sumilea

Sumilea,

Glad to see your Kumato is doing so well. I'm hoping to get mine out on Monday. I just seen the forcast for the next week and it's suppose to be in the mid to upper 50's for highs and mid to upper 40's for the lows.

I built a crude shelter outside for her to protect her from any high winds and low temps. I never hardend her off so I'm hoping the shelter works. After about a week she'll have to be on her own. I'll have her secured to my back porch so she won't tip over.

For larger plants a drip type hydroponic system would work very well. And in the hydro setup since the plant is getting a constant flow of water and nutrients it would not have to sustain as large of a root system. There are ready to assemble kits such as the WaterFarm from General Hydroponics, or you can build you own system for about $20 instructions can be found at the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: aqua farm

Hi Grb 1,
You can put an inside drain in your bucket the same way I put one in my rain barrel.
Instead of a faucet just put in a nipple that will drain into a pot.

See my photo with instructions on how to install.

Karyl

Here is a link that might be useful: Drain for container inside the house.

Grb1, I am loving that giant you have. Thanks for sharing the pic and info on the containers.

I have a few questions if you don't mind. First, I see your fill tube is black. What is that? Next, the red mulch. Do you find it really is better than the black for tomatoes? Finally, what type of cage are you using?

Thanks for sharing.

lime coke,
Thanks for the compliment on my plant and the 5 gal self watering bucket. I seen a picture on some other post of a self watering bucket and really wanted to try it. I'm hoping that it will all turn out well.

The fill tube is old fill tubes slid inside each other from a container system that I grow tomatoes in. I had to use two tubes to reach the top of the 5 gal. bucket. You can use ABS 1.5" or 1.25" tubing from your local Home Depot, Lowes or who ever carries it in your area.

The red mulch is just something that I had on hand. To me it makes no difference what color it is. The plastic mulch is to keep the moisture in the potting mix from evaporating.

The cage system that I am using is called the Ultomato. You can snap the cross sections on to the 5' poles that come with it. I bought 6' poles at a local hardware store to extend it a little further.

k2marsh,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm using the old dip stick method right now for indoors. When I get her out side I will drill a hole right above the water line to keep the water reservoir from over filling. I don't plan on growing a plant that size in my house anymore. It was cabin fever (Jan. 17th) that started me to do this. I suppose it would work for some other type of plants though.

Thanks for the info. Thanks to everyone for sharing your pics and how-tos. Now if I can only be almost as successful as you all are. I was so happy today working on making my SWCs today with the sun shining brightly -- 76 today.

I have been looking at the watering systems that have been posted. They seem to be very involved.

My automatic watering system only has a 1/8th inch tube to water the container.

I haven't put it to use yet. I am wanting to use it inside next winter. It's easy to make, and didn't cost me anything so far. Perhaps someone will try it and let me know how it (REALLY) works.

See the photo of my automatic watering system.

Karyl

Here is a link that might be useful: Automatic container watering system

I just bought some Miracle-Gro for tomatoes. This is my second year growing tomatoes, so I'm still experimenting, but I really don't have room inground for tomato plants right now. So I'll put them in containers again, put them in full sun, and see how they do. Next year, I may do something a little different.

Me too..i grow tons in containers cause the backyard is taken up by the cement watring hole also called a pool, but these days with the kids grown up, is mostly a money pit. Anyway, I am not into spending ANY money on stuff and am into recycling stuff for garden. That said, I used the SAME old plastic pots from Big box or ones my neighbors gave me. I do replace the dirt each year with 1/2 rose soil and 1/2 compost. Sometimes I just use bags of Organic soil. I always top with peat or hay to keep them from baking in June. I use old socks cut into strips as my plant ties and reuse my tomato fences/cages each year. I toss the old dirt into low spots or around my established trees/flower bed.

Here is a link that might be useful: My backyard

Hi Yummykaz, I make my tomato ties from plastic grocery bags. Very easy to make and easy to use.

Try using them and see what you think.
About 10 to a bag 3 feet long.

I would sure hate to have to tie my tomatoes with cut up socks.

See the photo and instructions for making tomato ties.

Karyl

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo and Instructions for making tomato ties.

I grow 'Patio' variety in a 4 qt pot using locally obtained potting soil. I use organic soil amendments like 'tomatoes alive' or something similar. Blossom end rot is a concern. Calcium, magnesium and micro-nutrients are very important.