Pot size for mint and tomato

[PunkRotten]

Hi,


My mint plant isn't doing too well. It got all dried and it is falling apart. But it did get a little bit bigger than what it was originally when I got it. But the plant isn't dead and I don't want it to spread eventually. So I am thinking it would be better in a pot. What size pot would be ideal? I like mint a lot so I would want it to be happy so I can harvest leaves somewhat often.

I am also thinking about growing a tomato plant in a pot. The variety I want to grow is a Roma tomato. What size pot would be ok for this tomato? Even if the plant is a little stunted that is fine. I just want to get some tomatoes off it and not all concerned about it getting to its full size potential, but also want it to be healthy too.

Thanks

[Kisal]

You'll need, at a minimum, a 5-gallon pot for a tomato plant. A larger container will work fine, but you don't want a smaller one. Tomatoes have large root systems in comparison to the tops. I use nursery pots ... the black or dark green ones ... that measure about 20" in diameter. I didn't notice your location, but I have read that people in areas that experience high temperatures sometimes think the dark containers get too hot, but I'm not sure I agree that that would make that much of a difference. If you are in such an area, you might just look for a light-colored flower pot. I have a cream colored one I use for tomato plants. It measures 14" across and the same in depth.

Use a good potting mix for the tomato plants. Garden soil won't drain fast enough to prevent root problems. Don't fill the bottom of the container with trash ... rocks, cans, or anything else. The plant needs the entire space to develop a large, healthy root system, and the added stuff won't make bad soil drain any better.

You can use garden topsoil, if you wish, but I sure don't recommend clay or subsoil. With garden soil, you will have to add a lot of amendments ... humus, perlite, sand, maybe some worm castings or composted manure. I found that by the time I bought all that stuff, I ended up pay more than a bag of good potting mix cost me, plus I had all the extra work of mixing the components together and needed space to store the bags of amendments. I decided it was a false economic measure. The choice is yours, of course.

Mint is one of those plants that are considered "weedy". Put it in a pot with just about any decent soil and it will grow as long as you give it enough water. You can use any size container you like. If you use a large one, allow the stems of the plant to spread on the surface of the soil. It will send down roots wherever a node touches the ground. Then it will send up more stems at the same node. The container will be full of mint in short order.

Gotta run!

[PunkRotten]

I think I read somewhere that mint likes shallow long containers. They have shallow roots, and having a long or wide container gives it more space to spread. I also hear every year you gotta unpot the mint and divide it. Is that true?


Could I use a 5 gallon trash can (with lots of holes poked) as a pot for a tomato plant?

[Kisal]

Yes, plants that spread by sprouting roots wherever a node touches the ground most often will have wide, shallow root systems. I think I would use a container at least 12" deep, though. It doesn't have to be any particular length or width, and any shape would work, too. Drill some drainage holes in the bottom of one of those hard plastic wading pools they make for kids, and you can have a nice big round mint patch.

The 5 gallon trash can with several holes in the bottom would be fine for a tomato plant. I recommend using a 1/2 inch bit in your drill. It's also a good idea to drill a few around the sides right where they meet the bottom. That way, you don't have to be concerned about making sure the container is set on blocks to avoid the bottom holes accidentally getting blocked.

[PunkRotten]

Alright, thanks a lot.

[greenstubbs]

Hey punk- As a fellow left coaster that does both of what you want to do, here my advice as I live close to Davis and the weather here gets hot like so. cal.
For the mint- I have had mine in a pot for over 7 yrs. now and the biggest challenge for me is keeping hydroed. The bigger the pot the better, and if you have a tray under it to hold water that cuts down on how often you have to water it. I find that the shader the area the better as the hot sun dries them out to fast and you get that trashy looking plant look. The plant will fill up the pot and the busher it gets the more you have to stay on top of H2O. It will be happy with all day shade!!
Romas- I find again that a bigger pot works better, in this case bigger is better, mine is a 18 gal. pot. With all day sun that maters like, I basically have been flooding mine everyday till H2O runs out the bottom. Depending on how hot the days are, I have stretched it to every other day. This will flush the soil so about every 2-3 weeks I give it a shot of fertilizer with low nitro content to help keep it healthy. Don't over fertilize, as always said less is better than more. It's a trail and error thing that changes every year as the weather patterns are never the same. As I say, "it's the grand experiment". Good Luck

[PunkRotten]

Thanks for those tips. I wanted to do 3 tomato varieties this coming spring but room is getting tight with all that I have planned. Out of the 3 variety of tomatoes planned the Romas are least wanted, but I really like them and want to grow them cause I used them a lot.


I got the mint a few months back and it hasn't taken off yet. It got a little bigger, and I have pruned it a little and used the leaves. But one day I skipped a watering and the leaves got all burned up.

I think though that the mint would be better in a pot. I'd rather pot it before it does take off and then I'll be sorry. I have stuff I am planning to plant where the mint is so it all works out.

[ButterflyGarden]

Cut the mint back as far as you can so that all that's left is healthy plant. I know it seams drastic but I got it from the Bountiful Container and it's worked every time for me. The mint plant is very resilient and will bounce back after.

[PunkRotten]

Yeah it is still kinda small allowing me to get it in a pot still. I am going to cut off all the damaged leaves and stems so new ones can grow.

[greenstubbs]

It will make somewhat of a come back as the weather pops for fall, the go somewhat if not full dormaint for winter. Then will start growing in late Jan-early Feb.
When that starts to happen I'll give the mint some mirical-gro and will really start to take off in Mar. Oh and from Nov- Mar I will move it to where it gets full sun. My high winter temps vary from low 50s-low 60s. Once it starts to hit the 70's it gets moved to the shade.
Maters- In my 18 gal pots, I never planted more than 3 plants, they seem to be happier with 2 though.

[PunkRotten]

So you do 2 tomato plants in an 18 gal pot? What zone are you?

[greenstubbs]

So you do 2 tomato plants in an 18 gal pot? What zone are you?

I'm up in Vacaville. Off I-80 between Sac and S.F. Weather not much diff than So Cal.