15 gallon smart pot(fabric bags)

8 years ago

Because I rent I have to container garden. I have found that in central florida plastic containers do not do well. Oddly enough I have used walmart shopping bags(fabric ones for 50 cents) to grow tomatoes. I have tried single, double, and triple stems and have had to top them off at 10 feet(grown up a pole). My question is can I grow 2 tomatoes in a 15 gallon smart pot if I do not let them bush out i.e. run up a pole. Smart pots are pretty wide so I think it may work but am not sure. Thanks

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Comments (9)

Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
8 years ago
can I grow 2 tomatoes in a 15 gallon smart pot

---------------

Yes you can. probably 15 gallon of soil is enough for 2 plants but the challenge is managing the top in a small air space. So I would rather grow each in separate bags like Walmart big blue shopping bag. JMO

Sey
Scott Williams 9B
Original Author
8 years ago
I would put a pole on each side of the smart pot and run the plants up the pole. I would probably cut the stems off the bottom foot of the plant which means none of the tomatoes would touch
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I got some first-hand evidence of how the Smart Pots seem to work. I had transplanted a Quercus michauxii seedling around April 1 into a Smart Pot. It was bitten off by a critter this weekend, so I decided (since I have more michauxii seedlings than I need anyway) to just sacrifice it, and dump and check out the root system. There was one long, slightly "thick" root going down at an angle off the air-pruned tip of the taproot that had reached the bottom and worked its way into the fibers. The root had not emerged from the outside of the pot, but instead seems to have gotten "stuck" there. No side roots had branched off of this particular root yet, but I imagine that the Smart Pot works both by airpruning AND 'trapping' of the root tip.
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We got a round fabric bed style "thing" and I'm sorry, I don't remember the name, it was, however, made in OK. It is about 5' in diameter which is a half foot too wide for my reach. We filled it with the mix the nursery recommended, probably 10 different bags of different composts and soil ammendments. That was expensive, but the soil has been fertile. Early on the soil didn't hold water well. I thInk peat was one of the soil components and it took awhile to get it wet. Hense peas didn't want to sprout and some early seeds didn't germanate well. Otherwise things seem to grow in it well. My green bean jungle is there now. It was hard to get the sides to stand up, since we didn't fill it all the way up. They wanted to fall down on plants at the edges. I don't like round. DH even got some edging stones to go around it, but the grass wants to grow up between the stones and the bed. All my beds have weed cloth in the bottom, so I suppose the roots can't get through to soil below. I think the weed cloth would rot before this felt like fabric. I am not sure if you are supposed to leave it out year round or empty it for winter. DH wants to move ours (sigh). I planted potatoes in bags, 2 commercial ones and several dog food bags which held up to the short season and then we tore them open to harvest. There are sweet potatoes in them now. I planted A LOT of things in 5 gallon buckets. I am not thrilled with the results. Determinate tomatoes might work, but the indeterminates I planted in buckets never really thrived. I planted pole beans in buckets and they have been VERY unhappy. I am going to try smaller plants in them in the future. I have a lot of things in other containers, like flowers and herbs. I've had a coulpe of pots where drainage holes have clogged and killed the plants. But the biggest pain is watering. Had it been a hotter drier summer the container plants would not have done well. Our normal water usage has doubled, so next year I want rain barrels and a more conservative watering system. This has been my experience for one year. I am thinking about looking for kiddie pools on clearance to hold containers for watering. The nice thing about that is you can weed wack around the pool pretty easy. I think nutrients get washed out of containers quicker than beds or regular gardens, too.
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ok... want to grow 1 more..but only have a 15 gallon pot.-advice?
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Since you're Zone 11 the trick to a smaller container is that with smaller soil volumes and container diameter you have to keep the soil from getting too hot, so I'd try to shelter the base/container from getting too much direct sun.
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Bob, the media looks terrific! The plants are going to be so happy in these new pots. Let me tell you! The Growstone GS2 made of recycled glass is what I use too. The size is great, especially to pair with your croutons. So to answer your question about watering. Here is my advice. When you pot up a new set of plants into these, lift them up while they are dry. Get an idea of the weight when they are completely dry. Then watering them you can see each day by picking up the pot how much water is being consumed based on weight. This will give you a baseline for creating a schedule, but watch since plants have different watering requirements. Those pushing out leaves and flowers consume a greater amount of water than those that are semi-dormant. I keep mine in plastic trays to prevent runoff water from dripping onto the heating mats below. I keep my trays elevated about 1.5" above my heating mats. I keep them from touching, as it does lead roots astray. Also, I adjust the tallness of the pot to suit the plant. Don't feel the need to fill them to the rim and keep them tall. Your Arabicums will require a more wider pot and less depth. I don't have any problems handling the fabric pots and disturbing the roots. If anything, the pot flexes to prevent damaging the roots when you are shuffling things around. Keep up the outstanding work! Tracy
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daniel_nyc
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
If the 2 plants are cherry tomatoes… no problem.

If the plants are mid / late season varieties… BIG problem.

Even with cherry tomatoes you need a kind of support /
trellis.

No, a simple pole is NOT enough.

There well be a lot of foliage from 2 plants – even if they
are cherries.

My cherries grew last year almost 15 ft. high.

(I can post picture if necessary.)

Also, I never had a problem with - HEALTHY - plants touching each other.

I think seedlings are more sensible touching each other.
digdirt2
8 years ago
You don't mention type of plant or the variety. Makes a BIG difference in whether you can pull it off successfully or not. Ideally if indeterminate varieties and especially some of the really big cherry types like Sun Gold then 1 per pot that size is best. On the other hand 2 determinate varieties if supported properly could do fine.

I do many different ones in 12 to 15 gallons bags and as the other have mentioned the support structure is vital. Pole supports are far from ideal. Cage structures work much better, especially if they can be tied off to some sort of permanent structure or in-gound support.

Dave
Scott Williams 9B
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for the comments. I am growing juliet and campari plants now from walmart bags up 10 foot poles. Well 9 foot since about a foot is buried. So far knock on wood they have done well even loaded with tomatoes and have not fallen over even with floridas monsoon rain. I have 3 second generation camparis grown from seeds about 6 inches tall and ready to plant so I would start with those. I have seedlings that just hit air of sungold and black japanese trifele that are 3 weeks from being transplanted if the weather holds.
daniel_nyc
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Scott, can you post a few pictures ?

Our comments will be more relevant to you.

Also, if you put two plants in a pot, you will have to do some pruning.

And again, think of a serious support.

Pole... NO !
Scott Williams 9B
Original Author
8 years ago
Here is an example. It is a little droopy today but will pick up later in the day. This is a juliet
daniel_nyc
8 years ago
How deep is the container, and how deep is the soil in the container ?

Everyday your plants are... droopy ?
Scott Williams 9B
Original Author
8 years ago
Not everyday but today they were. That plant is in one of those blue fabric walmart bags so my smart pots will hold more soil.

15 gallon smart pot(fabric bags)

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Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7

Scott Williams 9B
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digdirt2

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15 gallon smart pot(fabric bags)

Comments (9)

Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7

Scott Williams 9BOriginal Author

Related Discussions

daniel_nyc

digdirt2

Scott Williams 9BOriginal Author

daniel_nyc

Scott Williams 9BOriginal Author

daniel_nyc

Scott Williams 9BOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Scott Williams 9B
Original Author

Scott Williams 9B
Original Author

Scott Williams 9B
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Scott Williams 9B
Original Author