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sandysgardens

Tomato's for containers

sandysgardens
17 years ago

I've been hoping to successfully grow some tomato plants this coming season in containers/nursery pots. I would love it if you could give me your opinions on what types you feel grow best in containers.

Thanks

Sandy

Comments (20)

  • chervil2
    17 years ago

    I like to grow Whippersnapper in a container and have had success for many seasons. Silvery Fir Tree has beautiful foliage and looked great in my planter along with nasturtiums last year. The Sprite grape tomato grew okay in a planter. Sadly, many of the tomatoes had a cracking problem after heavy rains.

    Chervil2

  • timlin2ca
    17 years ago

    I'm in a very cold zone (if they grow in ice I love 'em) and we had great success last year with Early Girl in the Greenhouse. I don't grow them for beautiful containers so if it's design you want I can't help but we had wonderful tomatoes all summer long in containers. I'm trying a couple different types this summer ... a golden one and a grape type. We'll see how they produce.

  • gtomato
    17 years ago

    Bush Champion from Totally Tomato.

    HUGE toms for a container plant. And alot of them. Determinate.

  • seeker11
    17 years ago

    Hi Sandy,

    I grow all of my tomatoes in containers, and you really can grow any tomato you want in one (provided the container is large enough and it gets adequate food, water, and sunlight).

    However, support can become a big issue, especially if your containers will be on concrete, wood, bricks, etc. (where you can't just drive a couple of stakes into the ground).

    Another factor is whether you'll be starting from seed, or buying plants either locally or on-line. If you're buying plants, your choices will be very limited if buying locally, or much less (but still somewhat) limited if doing mail order.

    Personally, I avoid cherry tomatoes, since I don't much like them anyway, and they tend to be huge, sprawling plants.

    Silvery Fir Tree has always done exceptionally well for me, even in relatively small containers. However, some people don't like its taste. It's definitely not a sweet tomato.

    New Big Dwarf is fabulous in containers. It has a very sturdy central stem and stays 3-4' tall and not very wide. Supporting them is easy, and the fruit is truly delicious.

    Others that have done very well for me are Kimberly, Early Wonder, Siletz, Citron Compact, Lime Green Salad, Azoychka, and Box Car Willie. In general, I haven't done well with very large-fruited varieties, but I think that was due more to lack of sunlight than the fact that they were in containers.

    Can you tell us more about your growing conditions, and what kind of tomato you like?

    Paula

  • sandysgardens
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks everyone so far for the replys to my post.

    I have grown tomatoes for years in the veggie garden and do fine. I like to can salsa and eat fresh slices. I also like a few of the cherry type (yellow pear, yellow cherry, grape or sweet small types) to eat in salads, but mostly like medium to large.

    Due to wanting to grow more varieties of toms, I figure I would try some in container since I don't have expansion room in the veggie garden. Back yard has a pond and flower beds / flower strips. I could place pots on my patio (12 X 36') in groups/clusters, on deck (12 X 38') and front steps. I could also place pots through out flower gardens too. My gardens are watered on a timer so they get plenty of water.

    I like to start my toms indoors, but have been limited on variety since not much tomato seed variety at stores (haven't ordered seeds from catalogs and really don't know why that is. However I have recieved some different varieties in trade this year so hoping some will do good in containers. Also a fellow gardener from the MN exchange gave me her catalog from 'Totally Tomato' and I have been drooling over it for a few weeks now. She has grown some state Fair blue ribbon winners from the seed she gets from Totally Tomato. Gtomato - I will make sure that bush champion is on my order list.

    Most of my back yard and patio have sun from morning till around 2pm (have some shaded areas also), the deck side is south -south west and is pretty sunny all afernoon and I also have two huge Maples that case good filtered shade onto deck. The front steps are southwest to west. and I have lined with pots full of annual flowers that do well.

    Containers are not fancy, just containers. What size pots are recommended? I read somewhere about a special fertizler that needs to be mixed with the soil when planting containers.

    Also - anyone use a earth boxes?

    Thanks much for all your input.

    Sandy

  • hedwarr
    17 years ago

    i grow all of my tomatoes in containers. I have no problem with growing large indeterminate types. the larger the pot the better. I use 15 gal. containers mostly. I use miracle gro potting soil but as of late i have been experimenting with my own compost. The only downfall is the fact that staking and supporting the larger plants can be tedious work. regular watering , sunlight, and well drained soil is a key factor. Good luck!

  • seeker11
    17 years ago

    Sandy,

    For a small, sweet cherry tomato, you might try Sweet Baby Girl. The plant is supposed to stay smallish and easily manageable. I haven't grown it yet, but am going to try it this year. It could be grown in a 5 gallon container.

    Tumbling Tom produces a tremendous number of red cherry tomatoes and can be grown in a 12" hanging basket. The dwarfs, like Red Robin, Tiny Tim, and Yellow Canary can even be grown in an 8" flower pot.

    Almost all tomatoes can be grown in a 5-gallong container, but I highly recommend larger ones. I used to use 5-gallon containers and had endless problems with: 1) them tipping over when the plant got larger; 2) getting enough water to them on a consistent basis---much wilting and lots of BER; 3) keeping them fed properly---they soon use up all the fertilizer they were planted with, then rely entirely on regular feeding. Now I use nothing smaller than 15 gallons.

    I don't know anything about a special fertilizer. I start off with a good potting mix that usually contains a slow-release fertilizer (like Osmocote). I do supplemental feedings with Espoma Tomato-Tone or Miracle-Gro for Tomatoes. You may have to add some dolomite (sp?) lime.

    New Big Dwarf really is a great tomato, especially for containers. You can get seeds at:
    http://www.victoryseeds.com/catalog/vegetable/tomato/tomato_pink.html
    Another great place to buy seeds is:
    http://www.tomatogrowers.com/

    Paula

  • jwr6404
    17 years ago

    Sandy
    I grow all my tomatos in containers.I do,however, use larger containers the smallest being 17 gallons and the largest is about 30. Check out Laurel's heirloom tomatos website. She'll have a pot emblem on each tomato that will do well in pots and maybe you can get some ideas. Sure hope I can have a garden but it's probable that I may follow Carolyn's lead and get hip surgery this spring. Don't want to burden the Mrs with my tomatos as she doesn't like them. I am going to try to plant at least one tomato so I have to select a very productive one,any ideas?

    jwr

  • naplesgardener
    17 years ago

    I grow half my tomatoes in containers and staking is an issue. Look for the Ultomato cage. Ace Hardware carries it, about $7-8. It consists of three plastic covered metal poles 4 feet tall with connectors so they form a triangle. Really gives a stable framework for taller tomatoes like cherries but the pot size will have to be about 18" diameter to fit it.
    I grow in all sizes of containers. I just picked a 1 lb tomato that grew in a 2 gallon pot. I just didn't have a bigger pot at the time. It only grew 2 tomatoes but better than nothing.

  • carolkcmo_5
    17 years ago

    I looked up Ultomato and it is cheaper than almost anything else, I have large rubber maid containers ready and will try them. I think they are 5 ft tall. The hoops are a joke. Thanks.

  • als_garden
    17 years ago

    I live in south dakota and i use the 55 gallon plastic tubs cut in half for all my tomato plants they dont move in the stiffest winds here in s.d. use alot of leaves in the bottom and drill some holes for excess watering. i use miracle gro potting soil top 4 inches and gardening soil the rest down to the leaves. this has worked for me for years. and you can stake it however you want the cages stay intact very well or even some lathe driven in and tied with old pantyhose works well........happy gardening..Al oh by the way i start all mine indoors undre lights and set them out about May 15

  • winnjoe
    17 years ago

    I grew in containers in Winnipeg, and would only advise very regular watering as the heat would dry out a container in a day and the soil would compact: then water would run down the side and out before getting into the soil. I grew indeterminates against a fence, with a large tomato cage. didn't look pretty, but the tomatoes did

  • seeker11
    17 years ago

    Since this thread has been resurrected, I'll correct my mistake: I wrote "Tumbling Tom" above, but meant "Tumbler". Sorry.

  • atascosa_tx
    17 years ago

    Any tomato can be grown in a container provided that the container is big enough and is the right color for your zone.
    Here in S. Texas the lighter the color the better, for the cooler zones darker color ones may be better. Last year I went crazy with (15) 18 gal. light blue rubbermaid containers with Jungle Growth potting mix, Osmocote fertilizer, and some crushed oyster shells. Topped them off with 3 inches of light colored mulch. Brandywine (won't plant again due to intolerance to heat and humidity) didn't do well..got 2 maters, Bhn 444's, Roma, Celebrity, HeatWave hybrid, Early Girl, all did very well and had so many maters I took some to work to give away.
    Despite adding the oyster shells some plants still suffered BER near mid summer. I bought one Earthbox and made 5 other earthbox type replicas this year and plan to add some Gypsum or dolomite to the mix to see how they fair out this year.
    If you have limited space, patio maters can be planted in 1 gallon containers, just keep on your toes with the watering regimen. Happy Gardening!

  • fliptx
    17 years ago

    I got an Ultomato cage for one of my in-ground tomatoes a couple weeks ago. I think it was $6 at Home Depot. So far so good. Of course, the plant is only 18" tall at this point. :)

  • sandysgardens
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks to all who have given ideas on growing tomatoes in containers.

    I have been busy collecting different size containers over the past several weeks after reading everyone's great input. They range from 2 gal - 5 gal buckets, 2 gal - 30 gal flower pots (got a bunch off of freecycle) and plastic tubs. I am also going to try earthboxes. Another GW gardener here in MN grows in them and she has great success with toms and peppers. I went to Menards and picked up the supplies to make 6. Will pick up more later, after we get these made.

    Ordered some of the tomatoes recommended and received some from a few GW members. Have started most of them under the grow lights in the basement.

    It will be fun this summer growing some new varieties of toms.

    Thanks
    Sandy

  • thistle5
    16 years ago

    I've got 13 different varieties ready to be planted, only 3 Earthboxes, so the rest will go in 5 gal. nursery containers or the ground. Last year, I mixed up the whole organic fertilizer mix for the EBs, but this year, I'm going to be lazy & just use Espoma tomato tone. Should I add additional dolomitic lime?

  • naturalstuff
    16 years ago

    Patio Hybrid is a must for containers.

  • ron937
    16 years ago

    I have recently acquired a Pro-Grow Electric Soil Sterilizer, capacity 1 square foot. Has anyone sterilized "used" potting soil such as miracle-gro potting mix, sta-green all purpose potting mix, or sunshine LC1 mix, for re-use? I grow tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers in containers and have previously discarded the used potting mix at end of growing season. The Serilizer heat temp is adjustable from 140 degrees to 200 degrees. Any comments or advice would be appreciated.

  • neustkg
    16 years ago

    I'm growing an Early Girl plant (I posted a question above), which seems to be doing fairly well (gets some morning sun, shaded in afternoon). I have 6 tomatoes growing on it so far. In comparison, I am growing 2 other plants in full sunshine in the ground. Those plants each have maybe 3 tomatoes each and are not as tall as the plant in the pot. I did mix 2 large bags of potting soil with maybe 3-4 pound bags of used Starbucks coffee grounds in the potting soil for the plant in the pot. It is probably twice as tall as the two plants in the gound. I do have something nibbling on the leaves near the soil, though and need to try to remedy that problem.

    I plan to get maybe 2 more pots over the winter (hopefully they will be cheaper) and plan to grow the tomatoes in the pots instead of in the ground.

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