Adrian, I've grown three very large tomato plants in a 4 gallon bucket with less than 3 gallons of fill. I have also grown one very large plant in a 2/3 gallon bucket that had only about 1/2 gallon of fill. I did not use a Bato Bucket for either. There is no inconsistency with the advice. In your case you used a light medium with a great deal of airspace which could also expand to some degree since the perlite is non-cohesive, unlike most soil. You are actually developing a different type of root in this medium, which is fine, almost reminds you of cotton candy, and has a great surface area ratio for absorption. This does not translate to the scenarios. Just to be clear, I agree with what you mean, but wanted to clarify the root and medium differences. Additionally, another main reason for the larger container is to level out watering. So nobody is saying you can't in their opinion above, but rather that you will spend your day watering and fighting problems of uneven watering. It isn't so much the Bato bucket size, or the hydroponics ... but that you probably have an automated fertigation system that runs several times per day ... while you are eating lunch :-) It doesn't have to be hydroponic, but the moment you add other elements to the mix, rot becomes an issue ... even in a DWC/tote or bucket rot is an issue and if you use a bubbler, as the roots grow it will begin to bomb out in a bucket smaller than 4-5 gallons as the tomato root system expands. Normal commercial Bato buckets are less than four gallons and are for two plants. Cheers PC

I use many 5-gallon buckets to grow pretty much anything in - tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and squash - the squash plants get HUGE. I think mine do so well because I created DIY self-watering buckets (see: Global Buckets). Once the roots are done filling the potting mix, they migrate through the holes I've punched at the bottom of the upper bucket and tap straight into the water reservoir of the lower bucket - sort of a quasi hydroponic scenario. I have had outstanding results from pretty much anything planted in buckets - the failures I pretty much attribute to selecting incorrect varieties for my local growing conditions (i.e. growing tomatoes better suited for cooler locations). Because of our arid climate, pests and disease are rarely huge issues. I will say I did not have great luck growing tomatoes or squash in 5-gallon buckets before turning them into self-watering vessels - peppers and cucumbers did okay. I just couldn't keep up with the watering, which was easily a twice a day affair, and the plants suffered as a result. A healthy full-grown tomato plant in full production can drink 2 gallons of water per day. My container garden is in full year-round sun on the south side of my house and in very close proximity (within 10' of the house), so mid-day mid-summer temperatures can easily reach 110 degrees. Nighttime temperatures almost always fall below 65, so the plants see wide ranges of temperatures almost every day. Keeping them properly watered by hand is futile by mid-June. I love planting in plastic whiskey barrels because they are large enough for even the biggest tomato plants, they look nice and hold moisture longer. Set up a simple drip system on a timer and the water issue is non-existent. They work great for a varied herb garden, multiple pepper plants, tons of lettuce, two tomato plants, large squash plants, you name it. Plastic whiskey barrels are less than $20 at HD. I think I've amassed 19 now, though 4 are permanently designated for extra dwarf fruit trees that are thriving. I change up the other 15 each season for whatever I decide to plant. I think they hold about 20 gallons of growing medium, so that is plenty for most plants for one season. Just remember to feed them regularly, as nutrients are quickly utilized by the plant or washed out the drainage holes by watering. I stick to a schedule of fertilizing each week or two and the plants do well.

Very often 1 tip cutting will sprout new branches/stems from the crotch of leaves (or from above leaf bundle scars where leaves were previously attached) closer to the trunk than the leaf at the tip of the cutting. If this is the case, your planting is all the same plant. If these are 3 individual cuttings, they won't yet be fused and you can separate them easily at your next repot. If they are a single plant, you can still separate them, but you should promote root growth on all 3 of the stems prior to separating and repotting them. Let me know if you want to know what to do ahead of the separation. Al

WOW - your wax myrtles look great!! I’ve sprayed my 10 with a 3 in 1 made by Fertilome which was recommended by the garden center and now I’ll keep an eye on them and see what happens. I bought plants in 3 gallon containers that were about 30 inches tall at the time of planting and they have grown about a foot so far this year. i did do a little pruning earlier in the year to get them to flush out more. We have a seldom used neighborhood park adjacent to our lot and I wanted some kind of natural barrier between it and our backyard just in case it gets more use in the future. I had had some experience with wax myrtles as a privacy hedge at a home in South Carolina so thought they would be the ticket here. The difference there was that they were already established and I never had to be concerned with watering or pests. It‘s been so dry here in Jacksonville that I have had to hand water them a couple of times every week. The irrigation system we inherited is set up for grass, not newly planted shrubbery but that has given me the oppoortunity to closely inspect the plants with each watering, not only the wax myrtles but also the azaleas and camillias that I have planted since we bought this place. Thanks for getting back to me. I’s good to hear that your plants are doing so well and are providing the needed privacy. Take care.