skip to main content

Vegetable Gardening

I want to grow tomatoes in containers

mfran12345 (Zone 6b, northeast PA)

8 years ago

I can't grow tomatoes in my garden because it's too close to a walnut tree and the last two years the plants died. I'm going to try containers this year. How big of a container do I need per plant? What type of store bought plants and soil is best? Thanks

Featured Answer

TomatoZesty 9B Central CA:Coastline

8 years ago

The larger the container the better. Half Whiskey Barrels or a container almost that size is what I recommend.

I use Kellogg's Organic Potting soil and it works great.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

mfran12345 (Zone 6b, northeast PA)
Original Author
8 years ago
I was thinking a 5 gallon bucket but a whiskey barrel is much bigger than that. Maybe I should use big Rubbermaid storage totes.
Related Discussions
sowing peas now where I want to grow tomatoes later ?
Q
Comments (3)
These are Early Alaska garden peas. The fence runs south and north, so the row does also. I'm concerned about damaging the roots of the peas when I plant the tomatoes because I'll have get them pretty close to be able to use the fence for staking the tomatoes. Peas sown right next to the fence, how far can I get away from the fence when planting the tomatoes and not have them too far away to stake to the fence?
...See More
Growing Roma Tomatoes in 5 Gallon Containers
Q
Comments (6)
Grew a Roma very successfully this year (30+ tomatoes) in a 5 gallon bucket with 3-2-1 mix (with Osmocote, lime and a tablespoon of garden sulfur) on the deck with 4-5 hours of sun. Still producing several smaller tomatoes this late in the season. No BER at all. Here are a couple of hints to maximize production: 1. Plant DEEP and fill container almost to the top (there will be some settlement during the season). If roots become exposed due to watering be sure to add more mix. 2. DO NOT pinch out the first 3 suckers! These will become fruit producing just like the main stem. 3. Pinch out all suckers on the main stem after the first 3 have started to grow and pinch out ALL suckers on the 3 new growing stems. 4. BE SURE to cage the plant securely, it will become tall and heavy with tomatoes so secure your poles or cage to the 5 gallon bucket. Mine is 4' tall. 5. Water daily and fertilize (I used MaxiBloom Hydroponic 5-15-14) at 1/3 strength once a week (remember it has Osmocote that will last a few months) and mid-season water with a quart of water with a table spoon of Epsom Salts. 6. Trim leaves BELOW tomatoes that have been harvested so as to produce more plant energy toward the tomato production. Hope this helps with growing tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets. May not work for everyone but did for me. Also used this to grow a very productive, 6" tall Marmande tomato this year! Cheers...
...See More
Growing Tomatoes In Containers - 4 Systems Compared
Q
Comments (6)
Hi Brismith70: To do a statistically valid experiment comparing these systems, you would need to do alot more than what I'm doing currently. Specifically, you would want to plant in several different hardiness zones to eliminate climate as a factor and you would want to plant at least 50 plants in each type of container in each location to eliminate random noise such the influence of pests or having some tomato plants inherently less healthy than others etc. That kind of test would be scientifically valid and impossible to dispute, but it's beyond my capability as a backyard gardener. That said, the comparison I'm doing (1 plant in each of 4 containers) is useful; it will allow me to provide advice to fellow gardeners on the pros and cons of each system. For example, I can already tell you that I think an issue with the topsy turvy is that it's so heavy that you will be limited in where it can be placed. I don't need to hang it 500 times to know this. Likewise, if all the containers produce about the same amount of fruit, or one produces almost none, I can make reasonable conclusions about the likelihood to produce fruit for other gardeners, even if this opinion is not one that would not measure up to the rigors of what a agricultural scientist would require as proof. However, I did make every effort to eliminate differences that would bias the results such as planting the same type of tomato plant in each container and putting all of them in the same general location so that they get the same amount of sunlight etc. Hope that helps.
...See More
can i grow corn in a balcony container 5 ft away from tomatoes?
Q
Comments (5)
There should be no problem growing your corn in proximity to the tomatoes. It's surely not how I would choose to use that valuble real estate, though. We've been bringing home the most delicious sweet corn from the farmers ' market for a couple of weeks. But that's me! I'd use that precious space for a couple different kinds of basil and some other herbs. So what kind of corn are you interested in growing and how many plants will your container accomodate? I know you'll have fun.
...See More
TomatoZesty 9B Central CA:Coastline
8 years ago
I think they would grow okay in 5 gallon buckets but wouldn't be normal-sized.

Personally, I'd rather spend the $30 at home depot for a whiskey barrel which would fit one tomato plant that would produce amazingly rather than have four plants in 5 gallon buckets that produce the same amount together as the one in the whiskey barrel plant!

The half whiskey barrel looks so much nicer and you can use it for flowers over winter or for flowers when you want/need a break from vegetable growing.
lucillle
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
My tomatoes are not in containers this year, but I am using fabric pots for the first time (sweet potatoes and swiss chard). I got some nice 50 gallon sturdy fabric pots on Amazon from the 247Garden Company they are five for $39.
digdirt2
8 years ago
There are many discussions of this question over on the Growing Tomatoes forum here and the search tool will pull up many more from the Container Gardening forum and several other local forums. Container Gardening has good discussions on what to fill them with.

As a very general recommendation 5 gallons is the very bare minimum recommended and then only for the smaller varieties, the dwarf and compact determinate varieties. And even then there are problems keeping them fed and watered well enough to produce well.

So as Zesty said above, the bigger the better when it comes to containers. Personally I use a few 10 gallon ones (have 6 of them for determinate tomatoes), several 15 gallon (have 12 of them for normal indeterminate tomatoes), and for the really big plants like Sun Gold and others 25 gallon (50 gallon drums cut in half).

Dave
zzackey
8 years ago
Skip the bucket. Not big enough. I've seen several people post pictures of growing tomatoes successfully in Rubbermaid totes. Two tomatoes per tote. They only cost $10-$12. We bought some at an auction house/thrift store for only $2 each. There is a Growing Tomatoes site and a Container Growing site on here you can check out for more advice.

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

FARM YOUR YARD How to Grow Vegetables in Containers

By Annie Thornton

Get glorious vegetables and fruits on your patio with a pro’s guidance — including his personal recipe for potting mix

FARM YOUR YARD 10 Easy Edibles to Grow in Containers

By Marianne Lipanovich

These herbs, vegetables and fruits are just as happy in a pot as they are in the ground

URBAN GARDENS Containers Make Growing Edibles a Cinch

If life hands you a lack of land, grow lemons — with a few basics, you can proudly reap the fruits, veggies and herbs of your labor

LIFE Kitchen Traditions: Tomato Season Meets a Family Legacy

By Tiffany Carboni

Somewhere a Sicilian great-great-grandmother is smiling at a bowl of American-made sauce

CONTAINER GARDENS 8 Easy Container Plants to Grow From Seed

Get beautiful blooms and herbs in summer by starting these choice garden picks from seed in spring

FALL GARDENING 5 Fall Fruits You Can Grow in Containers

Brighten your porch or patio with a potted pomegranate, kumquat, blueberry bush or another great fall fruit

FARM YOUR YARD 6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food

By Abundant City

It takes time and practice, but growing edibles in the suburbs or city is possible with smart prep and patience

SPRING GARDENING Summer Crops: How to Grow Strawberries

By Marianne Lipanovich

Pluck your own sweet strawberries right from the garden vine for smoothies, salads or eating then and there

ARCHITECTURE Houzz Tour: Fresh Ideas in a Former Tomato Packing Shed

A formerly metal-clad structure is now a beautiful wood home designed to capture the light and preserve open space

Sponsored

More Discussions

Veggie Tales - April 2024

55

Al's Potting Mix-pine bark fines

6

Tiny leaf bite marks

7

Veggie Tales >>> May 2024

23

Guess what caused this leaf damage?

8