Inexpensive Containers

[TomatoDon]

Hi all,

Today I found some clearage items at the Wal Mart gardening section. The white containers shown are styrofoam and intended to put over tomato plants in cold weather. Cold weather is almost through here and these were on sale of a dollar each. I bought 11 containers for 11 dollars and have them stacked near my Rubbermaid 24 gallon containers for comparison.

I'm sure the durability won't be great, but for a dollar each I thought these would be ideal to try for container grown tomatoes. The white color reflects sun and the thick styrofoam should insulate against the summer heat. And I wanted to let everyone know that Wal Mart, at least the ones here, have these on clearance now.

Also, this is a view of my 9 beds in town that I mention here sometimes. I just put out ground cloth and will cover that with hay to make it look better. I still have to pin it all down the right way, and for now just have it laid out with some bricks holding all the ground cloth in place.

The pile of soil is the free gin trash I also have referred to here. They just give it away, but this was a full dump truck load and I had to pay a little for delivery. This is mixed with with other amendments in the beds and containers. I always it mulch heavy to keep the grass seed from becoming a problem.

So...this is what it looks like here in late March before the beds are planted.

Don

[amideutch]

Don, I grow 1/3 of my tomatoes in 26 Qt styrofoam ice-chests. They hold up quite well and I'm using the same ones for the 3rd season. The rootzone temperature doesn't flutuate much do to the insulating properties of the styrofoam and mine cost $2.00 a piece and they contain NO CFC's. Ami

[phreddy]

Tutti va bene, Don

[celestina]

Ami--

Do you put holes in the bottom for drainage?

[amideutch]

Celestina, no I put a hole on each end about 1" up from the bottom with a apple corer that have the little teeth on the end. Makes a little reservoir in the bottom. Ami

[cottonpicker]

great ideas..... a resourceful group of gardeners!

[RosaDawn]

For small tomatoes,I found that the plastic 3 lb coffee cans are just right to grow them in.Poke holes in bottom along edge.And they are fairly attractive too,half of mine are cherry red and the others blue.

[TomatoDon]

I found another store that still has some left. I'm going to get a few more and then start planting out. Our 10 day forecast looks good, and if we get that April freeze I can bring them inside.

It's amazing that even Wal Mart is selling such large containers, perfect for tomatoes, for only $1 each. Stock up while you can!

Don

[robin303]

Got to admit you guys are really thrifty. Good luck this season.

[robin303]

The cheap stuff here at Homers is $1.99 and its horrible.

[TomatoDon]

I've gotten all of mine free. In a manner of speaking. We have what we call gin trash and the local gin has a mountain of it. Dig and haul all you want for free. I did that a few times with a pick-up truck, then ordered five dump trailer loads. Naturally, their was a hauling fee, but I got, literally, TONS of "dirt" for "free."

There are still great advantages to living in Mayberry.

Don

Oh...I was at a Memphis nursery today and asked if I could have some pots and trays they weren't using and they gave me around 70 nice 3X4" pots and 5 trays made to hold them. All free! (These are the kind you see in the "Chef Jeff" tomato displays.) One more treasure hunt like that and I may not have to buy pots and trays next year!

(It's amazing what a nusery will give you if you just ask. Discarded pots, containers, trays, big discounts on split sacks of soil, etc. Ask!)

[tache]

I have twenty five and thirty five gallon black nursery planters that I have planted on the south side of the house. I got them all free some came with trees over the years and some thru shameless cadging. There is a neighbors mint field in front of them to shade them when the sun getss that hot. which it may never do this year.

[kelleyville]

Ok this thread made me buy styrofoam coolers at Dollar Tree! These are not as big as the ones ya'll seem to have and I would guestimate maybe only 2-3 gallon size...so what can I grow in them? I assume they are more than adequate size for pepper plants, maybe small determinate tomatoes? I only got five of them, no more room in my car but the lids seem to work for holding the water that would run out of drainage holes!

Thanks for the idea!
Kelley

[Elliot]

I buy these huge barrel like green containers from Home Depot. They have bottoms that collect the water and holes in the bottom for drainage. Each one will take a 64 ft bag of myracle grow moisture control soil. I also had a bag of composted cow manure. This adds weight to the bucket and keeps it from falling over when the plants get large.

Elliot from New York