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Royiah
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How many tomato plants per pot?

Ok so I was wondering how many plants I can fit in each of my pots.
I've got cherry, yellow plum and Better boy tomatos. How many can go into a 16inch round and 11inch deep container. I've got 9 of them.
Also wondering how many cucumber, yellow squash and cantaloupe I can fit in each one.
If I can only put one tomato per pot can I put my cucumbers,squash or cantaloupe with it? And if so how many?

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Kisal
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Except for the dwarf varieties such as 'Tiny Tim', a single tomato plant requires a container the size of a 5-gallon bucket, or larger. Tomato plants develop large root systems. It's the size of the mature plant that determines the size of the required container, not the size of the fruit. I have had container-grown cherry tomato plants reach 6 feet tall. I use containers that are 20" in diameter across the top and 15 to 20 inches deep.

Welcome to the forum! :)

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Royiah
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Ok thanks! Can I pot my basil in the same pot as my tomato? Or is the pot not big enuff?

rockhound
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For tomatoes I would say one plant in each container with no other kinds mixed in. They will get stunted and not yield in the end if crowded too much. For cukes I would grow the salad bush type in a container, they don't need to be tied up. Squash might grow for a while but I wouldn't expect a harvest in a small container. The tops get big and pull the roots too much. Sorry to bear bad news. Good news is you can grow a bunch of onion sets for scallions or radishes or leaf lettuce in a container that size. :D

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Kisal
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Unless your tomato plants are just tiny seedlings, and you intend to repot them a couple more times, a pot 16" around and 11" deep isn't even large enough for one tomato plant, all by itself. I think it would do for a single basil plant, but it might be small for even that. JMO, though.

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Royiah
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:shock: Little confused here. Ive grown tomatos in pots smaller than these and have been very successful with them. And how is a pot about the size of a 5gallon bucket just different shape and a little bigger I might say not big enuff? :?
Sorry I just don't see how thats not even big enuff even for a basil plant or 1 tomato. Same for the cucumber I used pots alot smaller than those before and got a ton of them.
Never done squash before so not sure about that but Its just a little mind boggling to think they just arnt big enuff.
Heres a pic. (Just in case I measured wrong.)
[img]https://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh56/kagome91527/Picture7-6-2011.jpg[/img]

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Kisal
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Containers are usually measured by diameter across the top. Since you said yours were "16" around", that would be the circumference, which would mean the container would be about 5 inches in diameter.

If, on the other hand, you meant to say that your containers are 16 inches in diameter, I.e. across the top, then they will be fine. I wouldn't plant more than one tomato plant in each container, though, nor would I plant any other plant in with the tomato. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and will compete strongly for the nutrients and moisture in the soil. Other plants would lose out, IMO.

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Royiah
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Yeah thats what I ment. Just went about saying it wrong. Sorry about that. :oops:
Thanks for the info. I've done tomatos before but not as many as this year. So I was trying to save space. But if thats the case I'll just have to get more pots seeing as I've got a ton more plants this year than last.

erlyberd
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Don't forget the roots can grow through the pot bottoms and change everything if there is soil beneath them anyway. Suddenly that 5 gallon pot just got bigger.

Not sure why people think cherry tomatoes need less space.

If your intent on growing in pots get some nice dwarfs and go to town. Like Kisal said, Tiny Tim is a wonderful dwarf for container growing. I have wonderful luck growing them in about 2.5 gal containers set on top of soil anywhere there is space available. Perhaps if my containers where set on wood or concrete they would not fair so well? Not sure.

Just wondering what pot size you use Kis for your TT's?

Always use the best soil/compost/manure you can spare for your potted plants as well.

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Royiah
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LOL I'll remember that. But I don't think I'll have much problems with them becuase I'm putting some and maybe most of the pots on my dads trailer or on an old table we have outside. (The tailer doesnt have a top or boarded sides.)I decided on that mostly becuase my dogs love to eat plants. Cant tell you how many grapes theyve eaten off my dads plants. (He makes wine every year.)
They love em. Not to good for us though if they eat our plants. :roll:
Well I used old catlitter containers mainly and some rectangle plant boxs they didnt get big in the boxes but I did get alot of tomatos.
I've never really been able to use bigger pots seeing as I lived in NY with my mom in the city. I was lucky enuff to have a balcany in our apartment. My mom was the original planter the fisrt time around really. But what with her small attention span she soon left them to die. Then I got interested and took basic care of them. Never used fertiliser either.
I'm planning on using this year. :|
Then I decided a few years ago to leave the city and live with my dad down here in louisiana with him. He wont let me make a bed so I'm using old containers my mom got ages ago and kittylitter containers. :wink:
Last year was the first year planting down here by myself. Wasnt very successful due to lack of light for plants and starting late in the season.
So this is the first time I'm doing anything other then tomatos, peppers and cucumbers. And the amount is way bigger of each plant.
I think I'll do alot better this year after reading all my moms old gardening books and looking alot of stuff online. Thats how I found this site.
I think the thing with the cherry tomatos is just becuase people think becuase the tomatos smaller the plant doesnt need as much as the bigger ones. Silly really.



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