What is the truth about container size?

stromato · July 10, 2013

What is the smallest swc or sip container using soil-less mix that an indeterminate tomato can be grown in and perform well in terms of taste and at least fair in yield as generally expected for a particular plant?

Some sellers of heirloom tomatoes insist that 20gal is best and never less than 15gal. Many here describe using 5gal plastic containers. Yet others have heard that commercial growers grow vines dozens of feet long in as little as 1 or 2 gallons of mix.

Hopefully someone has grown enough containers of tomatoes for enough seasons (far more than I would ever be able to) to demonstrate the answer to this in a somewhat controlled fashion.

Thank you for sharing any results or sources.

July 10, 2013	#1
stromato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Rockies Posts: 21	What is the truth about container size? What is the smallest swc or sip container using soil-less mix that an indeterminate tomato can be grown in and perform well in terms of taste and at least fair in yield as generally expected for a particular plant? Some sellers of heirloom tomatoes insist that 20gal is best and never less than 15gal. Many here describe using 5gal plastic containers. Yet others have heard that commercial growers grow vines dozens of feet long in as little as 1 or 2 gallons of mix. Hopefully someone has grown enough containers of tomatoes for enough seasons (far more than I would ever be able to) to demonstrate the answer to this in a somewhat controlled fashion. Thank you for sharing any results or sources.