container size

Glen Bryan · June 25, 2015

I'm starting some small varieties to go in my greenhouse for my late fall crop (Elfin, Totem and Cherry Cascade Hybrid). What size pot do you recommend for plants that reach 12-18" max.

digsdirt · June 25, 2015

You can do them in only a couple of gallons but they will require more work and care and it can be difficult to stabilize the soil moisture levels so you end up with some BER.

I prefer to 5 gallons for them for best results. i have never grown Cherry Cascade but Elfin and Totem have both done very well for me in 5 gallon buckets.

Dave

IronPete · June 25, 2015

With good soilless mix and a self watering pot I have grown Red Robin and Tiny Tim in 6" pots. They didn't turn out any differently than the ones I planted in the ground at the same time. I used tomato spikes as fertilizer. Not the best but the pots were from Dollarama so it fit my budget.

Glen Bryan · June 25, 2015

Thank you, But what is BER

IronPete · June 25, 2015

Blossom End Rot - plant not getting enough calcium.

IronPete · June 25, 2015

I'm not an expert on these things. I highly recommend Craig's book. nctomatoman on this forum I think. Great book. What bacon is to meat eaters, Craig's book is to tomatophiles. Pure eye candy!!

Sojourner · June 25, 2015

I'd go with the 5 gallon bucket solution for plants that small and compact. They're free to cheap - you can get pickle buckets, icing buckets, etc etc etc from bakeries, delis, restaurants for free sometimes still - or pony up $3 or so to get them from one of the Big Box stores (Home Despot or Lows)

For larger plants, maybe 15 or 20 gallons for a full size mater. Its just easier to grow them and get normal yields in larger containers. I used to cut plastic trash cans in half (height) but lately the cheaper trash cans are too flimsy, IMO. Still might be an option if you can get them on sale, or if you can get cheap empty barrels (like from food processors, that had honey, flour or orange juice or something in them). I used the tops planted a few inches into the ground as sort of mini-raised beds. Fill with soil as for a raised bed. They can be messy when they start to break down, but I've usually got a REAL raised bed in place by then, so I just pull them out and rake the fill around.

I picked up some 26" pots from Lows the other day on sale for $9. They're not real sturdy but should last several years at least, as long as I don't leave them out full of medium to freeze over the summer.

I empty the medium out onto a tarp to dry out, then transfer that to large trash cans (that haven't been used for anything else) and stack and store the empty containers. They last a lot longer that way, whatever you are using for containers.

June 25, 2015	#1
Glen Bryan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 19	container size I'm starting some small varieties to go in my greenhouse for my late fall crop (Elfin, Totem and Cherry Cascade Hybrid). What size pot do you recommend for plants that reach 12-18" max.

June 25, 2015	#2
digsdirt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: No.Central Arkansas - 6b/7a Posts: 179	You can do them in only a couple of gallons but they will require more work and care and it can be difficult to stabilize the soil moisture levels so you end up with some BER. I prefer to 5 gallons for them for best results. i have never grown Cherry Cascade but Elfin and Totem have both done very well for me in 5 gallon buckets. Dave __________________ Dave

June 25, 2015	#3
IronPete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada Posts: 302	With good soilless mix and a self watering pot I have grown Red Robin and Tiny Tim in 6" pots. They didn't turn out any differently than the ones I planted in the ground at the same time. I used tomato spikes as fertilizer. Not the best but the pots were from Dollarama so it fit my budget. __________________ Thanks; Iron Pete "We can agree to disagree."

June 25, 2015	#5
IronPete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada Posts: 302	Blossom End Rot - plant not getting enough calcium. __________________ Thanks; Iron Pete "We can agree to disagree."

June 25, 2015	#6
IronPete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada Posts: 302	I'm not an expert on these things. I highly recommend Craig's book. nctomatoman on this forum I think. Great book. What bacon is to meat eaters, Craig's book is to tomatophiles. Pure eye candy!! __________________ Thanks; Iron Pete "We can agree to disagree."

June 25, 2015	#7
Sojourner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Earth Posts: 27	I'd go with the 5 gallon bucket solution for plants that small and compact. They're free to cheap - you can get pickle buckets, icing buckets, etc etc etc from bakeries, delis, restaurants for free sometimes still - or pony up $3 or so to get them from one of the Big Box stores (Home Despot or Lows) For larger plants, maybe 15 or 20 gallons for a full size mater. Its just easier to grow them and get normal yields in larger containers. I used to cut plastic trash cans in half (height) but lately the cheaper trash cans are too flimsy, IMO. Still might be an option if you can get them on sale, or if you can get cheap empty barrels (like from food processors, that had honey, flour or orange juice or something in them). I used the tops planted a few inches into the ground as sort of mini-raised beds. Fill with soil as for a raised bed. They can be messy when they start to break down, but I've usually got a REAL raised bed in place by then, so I just pull them out and rake the fill around. I picked up some 26" pots from Lows the other day on sale for $9. They're not real sturdy but should last several years at least, as long as I don't leave them out full of medium to freeze over the summer. I empty the medium out onto a tarp to dry out, then transfer that to large trash cans (that haven't been used for anything else) and stack and store the empty containers. They last a lot longer that way, whatever you are using for containers. Last edited by Sojourner; June 25, 2015 at 02:28 PM.