Good afternoon,
I am new to gardening and I have made my first raise veggie bed. I have planted lots of stuff. I have tomatoes to plant and I didnt want to put it in the bed. I am not sure about the sunlight. I have 2 plastic bins in my closet that are rather deep and wide. I was wondering if I can plant the tomatoes in that. it will be easier to sit them in the middle of the back yard to insure lots of sun. do I have to line the plastic bins with anything to make sure they are safe? I dunno, I hear so much about hot plastic , so I am not sure.
We grow determinate toms in 10 gallon containers and they will live through the summer in central AZ as long as they have afternoon shade and we water twice a day. 5 gallons do well in cooler weather/climates.You'll need to give 'em something for support and they should do just fine as long as you're not in, like Havasu or something. 
The greatest danger, it seems to me, will be to *you* if/when you want to lift the filled-with-soil-and-water containers.
I suggest placing them on wheeled supports before filling them so that, if you discover something later that makes you want to change their location, you can do it without risking an injury.
It's also possible (I lived in Atlanta for seven years, and Tampa and San Antonio before that) that the roots may become too hot, since the plastic doesn't breathe. Keep an eye/hand on the soil temperature in the container, and if it seems to be uncomfortably warm for the plants (e.g., plant leaves begin to wilt in the late morning after a nice watering the evening before or the early morning), protect the containers with shade cloth or a similar product.
Welcome to The Helpful Gardener, and happy gardening!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
I suggest placing them on wheeled supports before filling them so that, if you discover something later that makes you want to change their location, you can do it without risking an injury.
It's also possible (I lived in Atlanta for seven years, and Tampa and San Antonio before that) that the roots may become too hot, since the plastic doesn't breathe. Keep an eye/hand on the soil temperature in the container, and if it seems to be uncomfortably warm for the plants (e.g., plant leaves begin to wilt in the late morning after a nice watering the evening before or the early morning), protect the containers with shade cloth or a similar product.
Welcome to The Helpful Gardener, and happy gardening!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
I have grown some nice big tomatoes in 18 gallon rubbermaid bins that I used to make selfwatering containers. The tomatoes grow fine in them as long as they are fertilized and watered as needed.
I live in Hawaii, the heat does not bother the tomatoes in a bin unless you put the bin down on concrete. The reflected heat will wilt tomatoes faster.
Plastic bins will become brittle after 3 or 4 years because they are not UV resistant and will have to be replaced.
Plastic bins do not get near as hot as metal in the sun. But, styrofoam coolers are better. They last longer, are easy to make drain holes in and come with built in insulation from heat and cold.
It is a good idea to place the bins and then fill them. It is better to get help moving the bins if you have to. Wait until they are dry. Dollies are useful for moving bins, but it is hard to move a bin on a dolly over grass and uneven ground. I don't keep bins on the dolly because the wheels would rust and I need the dolly to move other plants. I would not be able to move a full grown tomato with its' trellis anyway. If your plants are on a patio and you move them often then dollies make more sense.
I live in Hawaii, the heat does not bother the tomatoes in a bin unless you put the bin down on concrete. The reflected heat will wilt tomatoes faster.
Plastic bins will become brittle after 3 or 4 years because they are not UV resistant and will have to be replaced.
Plastic bins do not get near as hot as metal in the sun. But, styrofoam coolers are better. They last longer, are easy to make drain holes in and come with built in insulation from heat and cold.
It is a good idea to place the bins and then fill them. It is better to get help moving the bins if you have to. Wait until they are dry. Dollies are useful for moving bins, but it is hard to move a bin on a dolly over grass and uneven ground. I don't keep bins on the dolly because the wheels would rust and I need the dolly to move other plants. I would not be able to move a full grown tomato with its' trellis anyway. If your plants are on a patio and you move them often then dollies make more sense.
devasha hozit going! It can be hard to live here when you have family so far away. It is not so easy when you can't drive across the ocean for a weekend.
My family all live here. We all live within 7 miles of each other. Wouldn't have it any other way. I've been reading about how people living in snow country and condos grow so many things indoors. Now, that is dedication!
There are a lot of things I can't grow well especially if it needs cold or can't handle heat and humidity. But, what I can grow, stays out all year and I can go out and enjoy it everyday.
My family all live here. We all live within 7 miles of each other. Wouldn't have it any other way. I've been reading about how people living in snow country and condos grow so many things indoors. Now, that is dedication!
There are a lot of things I can't grow well especially if it needs cold or can't handle heat and humidity. But, what I can grow, stays out all year and I can go out and enjoy it everyday.
Hi! I'm new to gardening and this forum
I just bought 2 Better Bush tomato plants each in 3 gallon pots. I have some really large round plastic tubs and I was wondering if it would be ok to plant both plants in 1 tub together?
Also, any suggestions for what kind of mix I should plant them in?
Thanks!!
I just bought 2 Better Bush tomato plants each in 3 gallon pots. I have some really large round plastic tubs and I was wondering if it would be ok to plant both plants in 1 tub together?
Also, any suggestions for what kind of mix I should plant them in?
Thanks!!
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dustyrivergardens
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:32 am
- Location: Holbrook Az. zone 5b
You can and they probably would do fine but lol tomatoes are heavy feeders and I think your plants health would be better separate and you would have a heavier harvest it they were separate. With that said my brother puts two tomatoes in every hole and does very well so to each his own...CJB wrote:Hi! I'm new to gardening and this forum
I just bought 2 Better Bush tomato plants each in 3 gallon pots. I have some really large round plastic tubs and I was wondering if it would be ok to plant both plants in 1 tub together?
Also, any suggestions for what kind of mix I should plant them in?
Thanks!!