Hello Everyone!
What do I need to know to successfully grow tomatoes pots? I'm in metro Chicago area. I have very small area and thus can't put plants in the ground. In the past, the plants have done fine to a point, and then seem to struggle and fail to produce tomatoes after being in the pots a few months. I start with medium to large pot, but wonder if the pots need to be even bigger(?). Possible that they're too confined? I'm very late to the game for this year, but would love to know for next year. Thank you and please let me know if you require additional information or clarification to reply. Big thanks.
Warm regards,
Scott
-
Detroitkid
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:46 pm
-
GardeningCook
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 787
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:35 pm
- Location: Upper Piedmont area of Virginia, Zone 7a
I grow all sorts of tomato varieties in pots on my deck - heirlooms, patio, paste, beefsteak, cherries, etc. The absolute smallest pot one can get away with is a 5-gallon size, but a pot that small requires a lot of diligence re: watering & feeding. I've had better luck with larger pots - like clay &/or plastic 18"-20" diameter. With good drainage of course. Even then one still has to keep tabs on watering & feeding. And of course there are folks who swear by the specialized "Earthtainers".
Maybe experiment next year with a few different types of containers to see what works best for you.
Maybe experiment next year with a few different types of containers to see what works best for you.
-
rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Unless you are using Earthbox or other self-watering container, any size of container will still require some vigilance re watering and fertilizing. Depending on weather, container size, and soil mix, you may have to water up to twice a day. At that rate you are also flushing nutrients out of the soil quickly.
It can be done, many people do it, but it does require considerable maintenance.
It can be done, many people do it, but it does require considerable maintenance.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders. I actually start mine off with a starter fertilizer and monthly side dressings. Tomatoes should be planted deeply and I do use either a self watering container, an 18 gallon tub or 20 inch container. Tomatoes when they are small do not need to be watered daily and you need to be careful because of the soil volume relative to the size of the plant so as not to overwater.
As the tomato grows and especially when it starts to flower, watering will need to increase. It is usually hot and summer by then so there is transpiration loss as well. Tomatoes may need to be watered two or three times a day if they are not in a self watering container.
Producing tomatoes in a self watering container will drink up to 4 gallons of water a day. I usually have a 5 gallon reservoir. Self watering containers help if you have problems with BER.
The other advantage to a self watering container is that the fertilizer is not leached out of the pot as easily as it does not run out of the drain holes, but back into the reservoir. Even so, a tomato in a self watering container or in a 20 inch pot ends up using about the same amount of fertilizer 2 cups synthetic and 3 cups organic over its' life.
Taking off the lower leaves and mulching helps to control splashback and hold off the fungal diseases for a while.
Technically where I live tomatoes can be perennial, but it is disease which usually kills them.
To get the most of out of my tomatoes, I need to select them for disease resistance to nematodes, the four strains of fusariam, verticillium, and tobacco mosaic virus. The will have fungal issues in humid weather so I do need to do preemptive fungicide sprays whenever the conditions are ripe for fungal disease.
I also have to know when the plants have reached the end of the line and pull them before they get attacked by everything so that at least I can plant a new tomato in the same place. If I wait too long I run the risk of the disease or pest sticking around and I would be forced then to plant a rotational crop instead.
My favorite cherries so far have been sunsugar and sungold.
As the tomato grows and especially when it starts to flower, watering will need to increase. It is usually hot and summer by then so there is transpiration loss as well. Tomatoes may need to be watered two or three times a day if they are not in a self watering container.
Producing tomatoes in a self watering container will drink up to 4 gallons of water a day. I usually have a 5 gallon reservoir. Self watering containers help if you have problems with BER.
The other advantage to a self watering container is that the fertilizer is not leached out of the pot as easily as it does not run out of the drain holes, but back into the reservoir. Even so, a tomato in a self watering container or in a 20 inch pot ends up using about the same amount of fertilizer 2 cups synthetic and 3 cups organic over its' life.
Taking off the lower leaves and mulching helps to control splashback and hold off the fungal diseases for a while.
Technically where I live tomatoes can be perennial, but it is disease which usually kills them.
To get the most of out of my tomatoes, I need to select them for disease resistance to nematodes, the four strains of fusariam, verticillium, and tobacco mosaic virus. The will have fungal issues in humid weather so I do need to do preemptive fungicide sprays whenever the conditions are ripe for fungal disease.
I also have to know when the plants have reached the end of the line and pull them before they get attacked by everything so that at least I can plant a new tomato in the same place. If I wait too long I run the risk of the disease or pest sticking around and I would be forced then to plant a rotational crop instead.
My favorite cherries so far have been sunsugar and sungold.