Optimizing container production

zipcode · November 30, 2010

After yet another terrible year for tomatoes in the garden due to late blight+septoria, I decided to try growing a few tomatoes on the balcony in containers. There's no rain there so hopefully no foliage problems (welcome, aphids), it's warmer and, well, closer.
I read about what to use in the pots, and probably will have to try things till I get it right, but I'd like to know what sort of tomatoes to use to maximize production I can get from a given container.
I have space for about three 5 gallon containers. After much research I decided to try new big dwarf, but not sure how productive it is. It doesn't have to be the best tomatoes, but somewhere in the upper class, and most of all productive. Would a normal det/indet be better? Or maybe some other dwarf?
Please recommend some varieties.

**mdvpc** · November 30, 2010

Welcome to the Forum!

Take a look at my thread in undercover gardening entitled: 2010 Greenhouse varieties.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=15853

NBD is a great variety. For a gold, gold nugget is good, so is Utynok. Lime green salad is good for a green. Al-Kuffa is real good. Glacier and Kimberly are very good.

Other than wet, what are your growing conditions as in temperatures?

Take a look at the thread and get back to us.

amideutch · December 1, 2010

zip, PM me your address and I will send you some varieties that should satisfy your needs.

By the way, welcome to TVille. Ami

zipcode · December 1, 2010

Thanks guys!

The growing temperature will be fine. Problem here are that springs are cold, so things start slow in the garden, but on the balcony there's 2-3 C more. Also there should be no first frosts there in the autumn, so season could be extended by at least 1 month. During summer 18-33 C temperatures.
I'm quite impressed by utyonok pics I've seen so far. So about what quantity of tomatoes do you guys expect from a 5 gal container? I've seen threads about 5+ kg (10+ lbs) but that seems rather optimistic.

ami, I was planning to ask someone in germany to ask a certain Manfred Hahm for some seeds, including some varieties to try in the garden (a lot of work for nothing but I can't help it). But I might just take your offer instead

.

amideutch · December 1, 2010

zip, ordered and grown several varieties from Manfred Hahm. Check out some of my threads in the Photo Gallery Forum from this year and last year and you can see how I grow my tomatoes in containers. We have quite a mix of European members from France, England, Belarus, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Bahrain, Belgium and of course Germany. Ami

**mdvpc** · December 1, 2010

Zip

If you pm me your mailing address, I will send Utynok to you. Andrey, who is from Belarus, is a member and has sent us folks here a lot of varieties, including Utynok. You should search for posts from him, some of them contain his excel seed list.

November 30, 2010	#1
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Optimizing container production After yet another terrible year for tomatoes in the garden due to late blight+septoria, I decided to try growing a few tomatoes on the balcony in containers. There's no rain there so hopefully no foliage problems (welcome, aphids), it's warmer and, well, closer. I read about what to use in the pots, and probably will have to try things till I get it right, but I'd like to know what sort of tomatoes to use to maximize production I can get from a given container. I have space for about three 5 gallon containers. After much research I decided to try new big dwarf, but not sure how productive it is. It doesn't have to be the best tomatoes, but somewhere in the upper class, and most of all productive. Would a normal det/indet be better? Or maybe some other dwarf? Please recommend some varieties.

November 30, 2010	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Welcome to the Forum! Take a look at my thread in undercover gardening entitled: 2010 Greenhouse varieties. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=15853 NBD is a great variety. For a gold, gold nugget is good, so is Utynok. Lime green salad is good for a green. Al-Kuffa is real good. Glacier and Kimberly are very good. Other than wet, what are your growing conditions as in temperatures? Take a look at the thread and get back to us. __________________ Michael

December 1, 2010	#3
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	zip, PM me your address and I will send you some varieties that should satisfy your needs. By the way, welcome to TVille. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

December 1, 2010	#5
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	zip, ordered and grown several varieties from Manfred Hahm. Check out some of my threads in the Photo Gallery Forum from this year and last year and you can see how I grow my tomatoes in containers. We have quite a mix of European members from France, England, Belarus, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Bahrain, Belgium and of course Germany. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

December 1, 2010	#6
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Zip If you pm me your mailing address, I will send Utynok to you. Andrey, who is from Belarus, is a member and has sent us folks here a lot of varieties, including Utynok. You should search for posts from him, some of them contain his excel seed list. __________________ Michael