Tomato Varieties That Work and Don't Work in Containers

Psalms441 · October 23, 2016

Hello,
Besides heirloom tomato varieties that advertise that they grow and produce well in containers I am interested in people's experiences with other tomato varieties in containers.
I, myself, have had luck with Kosovo, Moscovich, Green Zebra, and Yellow Lemon in 15 gallon containers. I have had bad luck with Purple Cherokee, Persimmon, and Purple Dog Creek. Purple Cherokee ,and Persimmon the blossoms just fell off and Purple Dog Creek go root bound and stopped growing. Any feedback from others of what is worth it and what to pass on. Thanks.
Janet

AKmark · October 24, 2016

I have grown at least 400 varieties in containers, and all I have tried can be grown in a container. Keep them watered and fed, continuous feed fertilizers work best. It really does not matter if they are root bound, again, just keep them fed.
Mark

Psalms441 · October 24, 2016

Hi Mark,
What kind of soil do you use? You have a lot of success with your plants.
Janet

ContainerTed · October 24, 2016

I don't know of any variety that I can't grow in a container. I've grown more than 2000 different varieties - everything from Tiny Tim to Giant Tree and Yellow Pear. You simply have to chose to do the work to meet the needs of the plant.

Ricky Shaw · October 24, 2016

Everything is adjustable in containers, reduced to one stem and the largest indeterminate's can be grown in 5gal pots. Of course you need a method that will keep the media moist and nutrient enriched.

AKmark · October 24, 2016

Janet, I use pro mix HP, some add more perlite, I just plant and water with fert.

Cole_Robbie · October 24, 2016

There are many delicious dwarf varieties to try, and they grow very well in containers. I get good results in a 5-gallon bucket. It's a lot easier than trying to prune and manage a big indeterminate plant, which I agree can be grown successfully in containers; there's just more work involved.

tash11 · October 24, 2016

I think a lot depends on the size of the container and how much you are willing to do with it.

I have a helsing ★★★★★★★★ blue in a small pot right now, maybe a gallon? Probably smaller. Actually my tween potted it up this spring and that is where it has stayed. The main stem broke around that time and it has three growing off it now and flowering with one green fruit. We barely watered it and only had a couple fruit though, not sure if that's the water issue or the pot, but I would bet the water. It's inside now and my daughter plans on keeping it all winter in this pot.

Psalms441 · October 24, 2016

How interesting, I will have to try different methods of growing tomatoes in containers.

Ricky Shaw · October 24, 2016

Cosmonaut Volkov this season in a 15gal fabric pot, I stop bothering to keep a total after 25lbs of toms. Easily topped 35 llbs, and there were others.

AKmark · October 25, 2016

Ricky, that's how it's done, great job.

Psalms441 · October 25, 2016

Love it!!!

zipcode · October 25, 2016

Indeed, anything can be grown but not everything does quite as well, but it may largely depend on other factors like fertilizer balancing. For example I have a serious problem with magnesium deficiency in containers, not sure why it's so big, does soil contain huge amount of it?
So plants which are very prone to it, just don't do very well (definitely not reaching the full potential). And from many threads here, I think this is the most common problem beginner container gardeners notice.
Indian Stripe and Berkley Tie Die Pink are two plants that are really resistant to Mg deficiency (especially BTDP), leaves are still green down to the bottom ones now that winter is close. They are both productive and good tasting, so they get my recommendation for a beginner.

tash11 · October 25, 2016

I feel like if I can't move the container then it's not really a container plant, it's a plant in a small raised bed with a bottom.

I have some large self watering pots ($10 at wal mart, pretty much the only reason I go there as I haven't seen them for that price elsewhere) that I can just barely move. I have blueberries in mine right now, but I plan on getting one for my MIL this winter for her cherry I start up every year. IDK how big the pot is... actually, here it is: https://www.suncast.com/17-2-in-self...planter-1.html

Anyway I can just barely move them. If it's distance I need to take breaks....

Oh and on tomatoes that aren't good in pots. My tween also has a pineapple in a gallon or so container. It looks like a palm tree, very leggy with a few leaves at the top, it had one tiny fruit on it this summer. It might do better if it was in a decent sized pot. IDK

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GrowingCoastal · October 25, 2016

For moving heavy pots around the yard I use an old luggage carrier. It doesn't look strong enough but I have moved what I am sure is tons of dirt with it over the years using 5 gal buckets. One of the most useful things I have ever bought at a thrift shop. It takes little storage space and is lighter to use than a dolly.

October 23, 2016	#1
Psalms441 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Bay Area CA Zone 9 Posts: 41	Tomato Varieties That Work and Don't Work in Containers Hello, Besides heirloom tomato varieties that advertise that they grow and produce well in containers I am interested in people's experiences with other tomato varieties in containers. I, myself, have had luck with Kosovo, Moscovich, Green Zebra, and Yellow Lemon in 15 gallon containers. I have had bad luck with Purple Cherokee, Persimmon, and Purple Dog Creek. Purple Cherokee ,and Persimmon the blossoms just fell off and Purple Dog Creek go root bound and stopped growing. Any feedback from others of what is worth it and what to pass on. Thanks. Janet

October 24, 2016	#3
Psalms441 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Bay Area CA Zone 9 Posts: 41	Soil? Hi Mark, What kind of soil do you use? You have a lot of success with your plants. Janet

October 24, 2016	#4
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	I don't know of any variety that I can't grow in a container. I've grown more than 2000 different varieties - everything from Tiny Tim to Giant Tree and Yellow Pear. You simply have to chose to do the work to meet the needs of the plant. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch Last edited by ContainerTed; October 24, 2016 at 11:00 AM.

October 24, 2016	#2
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	I have grown at least 400 varieties in containers, and all I have tried can be grown in a container. Keep them watered and fed, continuous feed fertilizers work best. It really does not matter if they are root bound, again, just keep them fed. Mark

October 24, 2016	#5
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	Everything is adjustable in containers, reduced to one stem and the largest indeterminate's can be grown in 5gal pots. Of course you need a method that will keep the media moist and nutrient enriched.

October 24, 2016	#7
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	There are many delicious dwarf varieties to try, and they grow very well in containers. I get good results in a 5-gallon bucket. It's a lot easier than trying to prune and manage a big indeterminate plant, which I agree can be grown successfully in containers; there's just more work involved.

October 24, 2016	#8
tash11 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio Posts: 156	I think a lot depends on the size of the container and how much you are willing to do with it. I have a helsing ★★★★★★★★ blue in a small pot right now, maybe a gallon? Probably smaller. Actually my tween potted it up this spring and that is where it has stayed. The main stem broke around that time and it has three growing off it now and flowering with one green fruit. We barely watered it and only had a couple fruit though, not sure if that's the water issue or the pot, but I would bet the water. It's inside now and my daughter plans on keeping it all winter in this pot.

October 25, 2016	#11
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Ricky, that's how it's done, great job.

October 25, 2016	#13
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Indeed, anything can be grown but not everything does quite as well, but it may largely depend on other factors like fertilizer balancing. For example I have a serious problem with magnesium deficiency in containers, not sure why it's so big, does soil contain huge amount of it? So plants which are very prone to it, just don't do very well (definitely not reaching the full potential). And from many threads here, I think this is the most common problem beginner container gardeners notice. Indian Stripe and Berkley Tie Die Pink are two plants that are really resistant to Mg deficiency (especially BTDP), leaves are still green down to the bottom ones now that winter is close. They are both productive and good tasting, so they get my recommendation for a beginner.

October 25, 2016	#15
GrowingCoastal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Vancouver Island Canada BC Posts: 1,253	For moving heavy pots around the yard I use an old luggage carrier. It doesn't look strong enough but I have moved what I am sure is tons of dirt with it over the years using 5 gal buckets. One of the most useful things I have ever bought at a thrift shop. It takes little storage space and is lighter to use than a dolly.