What type of tomatoes have you grown in the Global Buckets

Barb_FL · September 10, 2014

Last spring, I tried growing tomatoes in the Global Buckets (HD bucket in a bucket), and the plant grew well for awhile but didn't thrive or produce once it reached a decent size. I then used the buckets for eggplants and it did well and they are still going strong. This summer, I grew one cucumber plant in the bucket and stopped counting after 30+ cukes.

I only have 1 free Earthbox (of 11), and lots of tomato seedlings that need to be permanently moved so was thinking of giving the global buckets another try vs just planting them in root pouches.

Has anyone had any luck growing tomatoes in the buckets? What variety?

Thanks,
Barb

nancyruhl · September 10, 2014

I grow the dwarfs in global buckets. They do very well and produce lots of tomatoes. I have mine hooked up to an automatic watering system. Out there right now are Dwarf Wild Fred, Tasmanian Chocolate, Summertime Gold, Coastal Pride Orange, Cherokee Tiger Large, Dwarf Red Heart, and Dwarf Scarlet Heart (for the Dwarf Project). On the roof garden (gutter garden) are also Dwarf Arctic Rose, Rosella Crimson, and Yukon Quest, as well as some of the above. Thanks again, Dwarf Project for all your contributions for us container growers.

luigiwu · September 10, 2014

Nancy, where do you get seeds for your dwarf tommys? Do you have any favorites? Do you find that the season yields for them are less than regular-size tommys?

beeman · September 10, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Has anyone had any luck growing tomatoes in the buckets? What variety? Thanks,Barb

I used Alaska Grow buckets in the greenhouse for the first time this year. Interesting. The difference was quite startling, bigger and better.
I grew Paul Robeson, Pink Brandywine, Costaluso Generves (SP), MagicQ, Cherokee Purple. I was initially disappointed, bland, but then as the heat came on they did improve somewhat.
Next year I intend to try dwarfs, the heirlooms were much too big for the size of containers and greenhouse I have.

Barb_FL · September 11, 2014

Thanks for your replies; sounds like dwarfs are the way to go. I've tried dwarfs (not the ones you listed Nancy) before in a root pouch and even an earthbox and for some reason plants with the rugose leaves don't do well or produce. The plants always start well and have fat stems the entire time, but the leaves are so tight, not spread out like yours pictured.

Nancy - your plants look really healthy - do you have any pictures of your gutter garden?

Are there any dwarfs without rugose leaves? Are all dwarfs determinate?

For dwarfs, I've grown NewBigDwarf, and some hybrids from Park Seed (totem, Megabite, Maskotka) . I don't know if BushBeefstake is considered a dwarf but it had those leaves.

Beeman - When you mean bigger and better, is that comparing Alaska Grow Buckets to the bucket in bucket? It's still promising that you grew those large plants in 5 gallons though.

beeman · September 12, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Beeman - When you mean bigger and better, is that comparing Alaska Grow Buckets to the bucket in bucket? It's still promising that you grew those large plants in 5 gallons though.

I haven't tried bucket in bucket. I was comparing them to outside in the garden as against the greenhouse and Alaska Grow buckets. Inside is far superior.
I have re-set them again for the fall, and have a Pink Brandywine with huge set of toms coming on strong. Problem is they grow so large I have to tip them at 4 trusses, otherwise they would bust the roof.

nancyruhl · September 15, 2014

Luigiwu, I have been trying the dwarfs from the Dwarf Project as they have been released and have saved seeds. I also have seeds from dwarf varieties not coming out of the dwarf project since I wanted colors or types that were still in the works at the Dwarf Project. I have long grown New Big Dwarf. Last year I added Coastal Pride Orange which is a great variety and this year I tried Dwarf Red Heart ( in the picture) from Double Helix Farm and Cherokee Tiger from Mariseeds.

Production is hard to define as compared to non dwarfs. I had one regular indeterminate that gave me only 1 tomato this year and 1 that gave me none. I can only say that I got lots of tomatoes from these dwarfs and that they are well worth growing. Mind you I am in the Detroit area and do not have the long growing season the folks in the southern areas have.

Thanks for asking about the roof garden. As everything was all set up from last season, I got it off to an earlier start this year. I felt the production was very good. This is a picture from last season of the roof garden. That's my oh-so-charming grandson in the picture. In the foreground is my attempt to grow cucumbers using the information on this website-http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/hg-44.pdf. That didn't work so well and was not back this year.

kayrobbins · September 15, 2014

I grow dwarfs and heirloom tomatoes in what I call grow buckets which are basically the same thing. The large heirlooms do even better for me in the buckets than when I put them in my raised beds.

September 10, 2014	#1
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	What type of tomatoes have you grown in the Global Buckets Last spring, I tried growing tomatoes in the Global Buckets (HD bucket in a bucket), and the plant grew well for awhile but didn't thrive or produce once it reached a decent size. I then used the buckets for eggplants and it did well and they are still going strong. This summer, I grew one cucumber plant in the bucket and stopped counting after 30+ cukes. I only have 1 free Earthbox (of 11), and lots of tomato seedlings that need to be permanently moved so was thinking of giving the global buckets another try vs just planting them in root pouches. Has anyone had any luck growing tomatoes in the buckets? What variety? Thanks, Barb

September 10, 2014	#3
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Nancy, where do you get seeds for your dwarf tommys? Do you have any favorites? Do you find that the season yields for them are less than regular-size tommys?

September 11, 2014	#5
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Thanks for your replies; sounds like dwarfs are the way to go. I've tried dwarfs (not the ones you listed Nancy) before in a root pouch and even an earthbox and for some reason plants with the rugose leaves don't do well or produce. The plants always start well and have fat stems the entire time, but the leaves are so tight, not spread out like yours pictured. Nancy - your plants look really healthy - do you have any pictures of your gutter garden? Are there any dwarfs without rugose leaves? Are all dwarfs determinate? For dwarfs, I've grown NewBigDwarf, and some hybrids from Park Seed (totem, Megabite, Maskotka) . I don't know if BushBeefstake is considered a dwarf but it had those leaves. Beeman - When you mean bigger and better, is that comparing Alaska Grow Buckets to the bucket in bucket? It's still promising that you grew those large plants in 5 gallons though.

September 15, 2014	#8
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I grow dwarfs and heirloom tomatoes in what I call grow buckets which are basically the same thing. The large heirlooms do even better for me in the buckets than when I put them in my raised beds.