Hi all!!
Does anyone have experience in growing tomatoes in pots?
Due to my growing limitations I have to grow in pots. Not my preferred way to grow, but it's the best I can do with what I have. My question is, how can I do this successfully?
I look at my friends tomatoes (who I gave my tomato seedlings to), who grew in the ground and they are all 2-3 times the size of mine. My pots are all around the 5 gallon size, I realize this is the minimum for tomato plants, but they are in good soil with compost and I am feeding regularly (fish emultion, compost tea, tomato fertilizer 18-18-20), but I know they should be looking better.
Does anyone have success with growing toms in pots? How should I be feeding them to get them to grow the best they can? This is my third year growing in pots, and I am learning as I go, but I feel I am doing something wrong here.
Thanks so much.
(photo of some of my tomatoes from a previous year)
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TomatoGirl
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Growing Tomatoes in Pots
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pepperhead212
- Super Green Thumb
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Nice tomatoes! Do you have a photo you can post of your tomato plants you are speaking of?
I have had great success growing tomatoes in pots. For several years I did it in upside-down 5 gal buckets. This was started after a non-stop raining summer I had, that rotted all of my tomatoes - in the pots, the water drains out FAST, and dries fast, so I learned fast that I had to start drip irrigation in them. The tomatoes in those pots actually grew and produced better than the ones in the ground!
The pots that I grow them in now are sub-irrigated planters, SIP for short, Earthbox brand name. These do even better, with huge numbers of tomatoes, and the plants grew so tall last season that I could barely reach them - and I am 6'6"! I have the opposite "problem" - the ones in the ground are half the size of the ones in the SIPs.
You say you feed them "regularly" - how much is that? You can over feed things, esp. in containers, though maybe you aren't putting much in each time, which wouldn't be bad. I used to put 3 tb of a slow release fertilizer, about half the strength of yours, in the 5 gal buckets, then later on, maybe every two weeks, scratch a tb or two of some lower N type of organic fertilizer into the tops of the buckets, but that was it. I always added some extra perlite to the mix - whatever I got cheap! - for good drainage. and some dolomite, for Ca. Here is a photo of how well they did in those buckets:
The SIPs grow much better for me, but that is a different method, which can't really be applied to a regular 5 gal bucket. Here's a photo of how large they have gotten by 6-15:
I have had great success growing tomatoes in pots. For several years I did it in upside-down 5 gal buckets. This was started after a non-stop raining summer I had, that rotted all of my tomatoes - in the pots, the water drains out FAST, and dries fast, so I learned fast that I had to start drip irrigation in them. The tomatoes in those pots actually grew and produced better than the ones in the ground!
The pots that I grow them in now are sub-irrigated planters, SIP for short, Earthbox brand name. These do even better, with huge numbers of tomatoes, and the plants grew so tall last season that I could barely reach them - and I am 6'6"! I have the opposite "problem" - the ones in the ground are half the size of the ones in the SIPs.
You say you feed them "regularly" - how much is that? You can over feed things, esp. in containers, though maybe you aren't putting much in each time, which wouldn't be bad. I used to put 3 tb of a slow release fertilizer, about half the strength of yours, in the 5 gal buckets, then later on, maybe every two weeks, scratch a tb or two of some lower N type of organic fertilizer into the tops of the buckets, but that was it. I always added some extra perlite to the mix - whatever I got cheap! - for good drainage. and some dolomite, for Ca. Here is a photo of how well they did in those buckets:
The SIPs grow much better for me, but that is a different method, which can't really be applied to a regular 5 gal bucket. Here's a photo of how large they have gotten by 6-15:
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TomatoGirl
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They are planted in a triple mix soil (loam, compost and peat moss) I mixed in pearlite and added crushed egg shells to the bottom of the hole when planting.
I made the mistake of trying aspirin water on them and accidentally overdosed them. So they'd been looking pretty yellow. I had only been fertilising with fish emulsion and compost tea until the end of last week, which is when I fertilized them with the miracle grow. Since then they are vastly improving. Growing faster and getting their colour back. I'm planning on fertilising once a week. The ratio was 2 tbsp per 4 gallons of water and I used 1.5 tbsp in 4 gallons, so a little less.
Ill upload a couple photos.
I made the mistake of trying aspirin water on them and accidentally overdosed them. So they'd been looking pretty yellow. I had only been fertilising with fish emulsion and compost tea until the end of last week, which is when I fertilized them with the miracle grow. Since then they are vastly improving. Growing faster and getting their colour back. I'm planning on fertilising once a week. The ratio was 2 tbsp per 4 gallons of water and I used 1.5 tbsp in 4 gallons, so a little less.
Ill upload a couple photos.
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TomatoGirl
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- Location: Ontario, Canada
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TomatoGirl
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- Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 4:34 pm
- Location: Ontario, Canada
I'll throw in my 2c here. I grow most things in containers, and need to get back to a few more things in ground. Another story. Back to tomatoes. Last year I tried again after several years hiatus. (had a tree taken out which meant 1) fewer squirrels 2) more sun. I put in a couple Cherokee Purple, just because, and knowing they grow tall. I came across Better Bush, a stockier Better Boy that works in containers. Long story short, put in a bit late,got a few, got hot, then got a few later in season.
This season. Have 2 Cherokee, 3 better bush, and a couple of volunteers in other containers. These pots are about 16' diameter, and a tad bigger than the 5 gal bucket. I planted with my usual mix of top soil, bagged compost, black kow and sifted compost + worms from my pile. Added Plant tone and lime. None are in full all day blast of sun. Growing, needed staked, tied again when growing more. Little green tomatoes! A few showed BER. Worked in more lime with bagged compost (cotton burr). They do need more mulch as they tend to dry out too fast, especially with the 90's we're experiencing. If I'm watering with the Johns Recipe for all the starts and small pots, include the tomato plants.
One of the Cherokees is getting too big for container, signs being it dries out too fast. Moving to larger container could be a challenge. Another idea I'll defer to my son who is helping me with heavy yard stuff. HaHa!
Perhaps not what you asked, but just sharing what I'm doing.
This season. Have 2 Cherokee, 3 better bush, and a couple of volunteers in other containers. These pots are about 16' diameter, and a tad bigger than the 5 gal bucket. I planted with my usual mix of top soil, bagged compost, black kow and sifted compost + worms from my pile. Added Plant tone and lime. None are in full all day blast of sun. Growing, needed staked, tied again when growing more. Little green tomatoes! A few showed BER. Worked in more lime with bagged compost (cotton burr). They do need more mulch as they tend to dry out too fast, especially with the 90's we're experiencing. If I'm watering with the Johns Recipe for all the starts and small pots, include the tomato plants.
One of the Cherokees is getting too big for container, signs being it dries out too fast. Moving to larger container could be a challenge. Another idea I'll defer to my son who is helping me with heavy yard stuff. HaHa!
Perhaps not what you asked, but just sharing what I'm doing.
I grow tomatoes in 18 gallon pots or selfwatering containers made from 18 gallon rubber maid bins. The five gallon buckets were only good for mini tomatoes and determinates and even then they dried out very quickly and had a lot more mid day wilting.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders and I use MG potting soil and add another 1/2 cup of starter fertilizer. I have used tomato food and citrus food, both worked fine. Tomato tone or Garden tone may work as well but you have to double the amount. I side dress with about 2 tablespoons additional fertilizer when the flower appear, when the first fruits form and monthly thereafter.
After the tomatoes are done, I dump the old soil in the garden; bleach the pot; and start all over.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders and I use MG potting soil and add another 1/2 cup of starter fertilizer. I have used tomato food and citrus food, both worked fine. Tomato tone or Garden tone may work as well but you have to double the amount. I side dress with about 2 tablespoons additional fertilizer when the flower appear, when the first fruits form and monthly thereafter.
After the tomatoes are done, I dump the old soil in the garden; bleach the pot; and start all over.
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Allyn
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Ditto what imafan said.
I use homemade SiPs. I only have dwarf/patio-size tomatoes in 5-gallon containers. The regular size plants (Better Boy, Heat Wave II, Corleone) are two-to-a-planter in 27-gallon tubs. I just can't get a tomato (other then the dwarf/patio ones) to produce well in 5-gallon SiPs.
I use homemade SiPs. I only have dwarf/patio-size tomatoes in 5-gallon containers. The regular size plants (Better Boy, Heat Wave II, Corleone) are two-to-a-planter in 27-gallon tubs. I just can't get a tomato (other then the dwarf/patio ones) to produce well in 5-gallon SiPs.
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pepperhead212
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I learned early on the key to producing large tomato plants (and large numbers of tomatoes on them) was to never let them dry out! I forgot to mention this in my first post, as it is second nature now, but the only way to do this, with a large number of pots, is to set up a drip irrigation system on a timer. In the heat of summer, even skipping a day will cause wilting in a 5 gal pot, and this will often result in BER. I usually made a cardboard circle to go on top of those pots, with a small hole for the water to drip into. I had one 1/2 gal/hr emitter on each pot, running 35 min/day early, and increasing to 50-60 min., depending on heat and plant size. I had many plants grow all the way to the ground in those UD pots - 5 1/2 feet.
On that calcium nitrate thing, tomatogirl. That is a thing started with the Earthboxes, adding 1 tsp/week to the watering reservoir, to add Ca and N to the regular fertilizer. Maybe try adding a small amount to the occasional fertilizer you add?
On that calcium nitrate thing, tomatogirl. That is a thing started with the Earthboxes, adding 1 tsp/week to the watering reservoir, to add Ca and N to the regular fertilizer. Maybe try adding a small amount to the occasional fertilizer you add?
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TomatoGirl
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- Location: Ontario, Canada
Thank you all so much for the advice. I think maybe next year I will halve the amount of plants and get bigger pots. I don't have the best set up for growing. I live in the city and only have so much available space in the yard. Filling and hiking the pots of soil is a massive job in itself, much bigger and I couldn't carry them.
This is only my third year growing in pots and from seed. The plants obviously don't get as big as if they were in ground, but I get a decent crop. I followed bad advice last year and didn't water every day, scared I'd overwater them and had tons of blossom end rot. I'm not sure any of my San marzanos got eaten.
So far I have been watering every day in the morning and will continue to do so. We have had a few super hot days here, but most days I can still see moisture underneath the pots from where I watered in the morning, so I don't think I need to water more than once a day.
How often should I fertilise? I am still planning on supplementing with fish Agra and compost tea, so should I fertilise every 2 weeks or every week? I don't want to overdo it and burn the roots either.
This is only my third year growing in pots and from seed. The plants obviously don't get as big as if they were in ground, but I get a decent crop. I followed bad advice last year and didn't water every day, scared I'd overwater them and had tons of blossom end rot. I'm not sure any of my San marzanos got eaten.
So far I have been watering every day in the morning and will continue to do so. We have had a few super hot days here, but most days I can still see moisture underneath the pots from where I watered in the morning, so I don't think I need to water more than once a day.
How often should I fertilise? I am still planning on supplementing with fish Agra and compost tea, so should I fertilise every 2 weeks or every week? I don't want to overdo it and burn the roots either.