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Preparing to grow tomatoes in containers?

This was my first year pursuing a garden, and so far everything has been great!

I am currently growing Husky Cherry Red tomatoes, Hungarian hot yellow wax peppers, thai hot peppers, and a slew of herbs.

So, next year I want to up size everything quite a bit, since I now know that I have the ability to keep plants alive. I'm especially interested in tomatoes.

I just recently purchased six 20 gallon nursery pots, one of which is a smart pot (one of those aerated things). According to the specifications, the measurements are "19.675 inches top diameter by 16.875 inches deep. Holds approximately 5376 cubic inches (88.1 liters) of media." And the smart pots specifications- "20.00 inches diameter by 14.50 inches deep. Holds 19.7 dry gallons of media."

I'm interested in growing these varieties of tomatoes-

Aunt Rubies German Green,

Black Krim,,

Costoluto Genovese,

Red Brandywine,

Garden Peach,

Thai Pink,

Dr. Carolyn,

Jaune Flamme,

Super Sioux,

Yellow Perfection,

Green Zebra,

Yellow Pear

I have already contacted the supplier about pre-ordering, and since shipping requirements call for 6 plants per order, I was wondering if these could be grown two to a pot. Or do I need to go out and pick up some more nursery pots?

Thanks in advance,

Emily

Update:

Lynn-

Where on earth did you gather that I'm growing 40+ plants???

I've only got six containers. And I'm only going to buying 12 plants at the MOST.

I live in an apartment, and I'm pretty sure my generous neighbors downstairs who allow me to use the "front yard" for my current plants would be livid if I put 40 plants out.

12 is the most I'm gonna do. And I'll be sharing with my husband, and 4 households of neighbors. Which is about 11 people.

Update 2:

I should probably clear it up that I'm doing a mix-n-match, not 6 of each plant. I ain't that crazy, haha!

Update 3:

add**

in zone 8b

3 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    First, save yourself some money on the potting soil, unless you have no problem wasting that kind of money to fill that many containers for no particular reason. Tomatoes have taproots but they go down any which way they can get there. I've grown good size grape tomatoes (which are indeterminates) in soil no deeper than 4 inches deep. And, oddly enough (it was an accident, but I can't kill plants I was planning on growing anyway, even if it over crowds them. Too many years of not being able to grow anything to adjust my mind to I can grow anything now. lol) I ended up growing three tomatoes (one was a patio) in that same container and it was only 18 inches long. (The patio suffered.) So, if you want to save money, start saving your recyclables to put in the over-sized containers you bought. We drink a good amount of canned soda, so we put the cans upside down in the bottom. (Upside down so water doesn't fester in them and cause unhealthy organisms in the soil.) When we run out of soda cans, we also used soda bottles, and other containers that would have otherwise gone in the recycle-trash. They fill up the unneeded spaces. (And, yes, I have a couple of your size nursery containers, so I have an idea how deep and wide they are.)

    Second, yeah two per container for typical size tomatoes. You might (probably) can put in three determinates in one container. Technically, you can put three indeterminates in one container and they'll do fine, but that's the problem. You have yet to figure out how much trouble you're in for this plan. Ever see a movie set in the thickest parts of the jungle, where a machete is needed step-by-step? That's what you're setting yourself up for if you put three in. They'll grow. They'll grow so full you can't reach in to get the tomatoes when they're ready. (More frustrating is squirrels can get to them. lol)

    Third, are you NUTS? 40+ tomato plants in one season? lol My dad grew 16, in the ground, and that was enough tomatoes to eat tomatoes every single frigging night from July 4th until first frost, PLUS have enough to can a couple of bushels somewhere along the way. There were two adults, and 3-4 love-to-eat kids in my family. It wasn't like we were against eating them every night, and I'm still growing them, so it's not like I'm still against it, but what are you going to do with that many tomatoes? AND, exactly where are you putting all those containers? You do know you need lots of walking space in between each container right? It's not like tomatoes are mannerly produce that understand they're supposed to live within the invisible lines along the sides of the containers. It's not like they know they aren't supposed to still grow 8-10 feet high even in containers (and you've already started at 2 feet high, so it's really 10-12 feet high.) If you can't spread all those containers out in such a way that you can stick 6 same-size containers around each one, you're going to need that machete just to walk through your yard.

    So, you started gardening this year, and want to up how much you want to do next year. Cool. Do you know what you're getting yourself into? Unless you plan on becoming a tomato farmer, I think you've over done. If you were planning on being a tomato farmer, you wouldn't be using containers.

    Source(s): Me - seasoned container gardener, who started it, because I love tomatoes.
  • 9 years ago

    Lynn is correct. That's an awful lot of potting soil to buy, and it ain't cheap. Plus peat-based potting soil is very difficult to re-wet when it dries. Water tends to flow down the outside edges without soaking in. I always add coir or those soil-moist pellets that hold water, but it's hot and dry where I live. Tomatoes do best with evenly moist soil. Drying out followed by watering causes the fruit to split radially at the stem. In general, potting soil has little nutrient, so you will need to use tomato fertilizer.

    I absolutely agree that you are planting too many tomatoes. Can you mix-n-match the order, or do you have to buy 6 of the same type? If you have to buy 6 of the same, then buy only 2 varieties. Plan on buying some large tomato cages. Otherwise the plants will sprawl and the stems will break when they get heavy with fruit. Your pots, including the small one, are large enough for one plant each. You can put two to a pot, but it will be very crowded.

  • M W
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    In containers that large, you should be able to put 4 plants in one pot. I grow tomatoes in 3 gallon buckets, one plant to a bucket. In the fall when they are done, there is a substantial root ball, but still some loose soil around it. I discard it all onto my compost pile because it can't be used again in pots.

    Good potting soil is very expensive and you will need a lot of it to fill all those containers. You might want to consider mixing your own: bags of top soil, peat, vermiculite and perlite.

    Tomatoes in pots need heavy feeding. I use AlgoFlash that I can order online. If this is your first attempt at growing in containers, you should consider only a few varieties that have a good history of producing a lot of tomatoes.

    Also, try to choose varieties that have a varying harvest time. Some tomatoes are hybridized for commercial growers and they set tomatoes all at once and they ripen all at once. Commercial growers then just go in the field and pull up the entire plant, tomatoes and all.

    Good luck, tomatoes are worth the effort. Where are you, that you are just now starting to grow tomatoes??

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