Is this a good container?

[Anijunga]

I've found myself with a huge surplus of tomato plants (some that are already fruiting in their little 6" pots!) that I want to put into containers.

I have five 124 qt (31 gallon) clear plastic containers with about twenty-five 1/4" holes drilled in the bottom that I used for my winter sowing project this past year. The measurements are 32" in length, 19" wide and 15" tall.



Do you think this will be a good container for growing tomatoes? If so, should I put two or three indeterminate plants in each one?

Thanks!

[dcarch]

When the sun shines on the clear container walls, it heats up the dark soil quickly and cooks the roots.

You can spray paint the inside white or silver.

Good luck.

dcarch

[Zana]

Your other option might be to line the inside walls only with aluminium foil - shiny side out- to reflect the light. I have a number of containers that are white and large enough that I plant the plants fairly central and don't seem to have a problem with the roots "baking". But I do like dcarch's idea of painting the sides . Make sure the pain is non toxic if painting the inside. I'd be more inclined to paint the outside with plastic paint. Good luck.

[rnewste]

kathy,

I would definitely treat the outside walls. That clear plastic will quickly disintegrate if it is exposed to direct sunlight. I recall it was Mantis who tried the clear containers - - and he had problems with them. You could always wrap and tape thin cardboard, or some other "neutral" material to their outsides.

Ray

[Anijunga]

I'm a bit reluctant to paint the walls of the containers as I'd like to reuse them this winter for more winter sowing and for that they need to stay clear.

That clear plastic will quickly disintegrate if it is exposed to direct sunlight.

Do you mean that it will disintegrate if there's soil in it? I've had them out all winter and most of the spring with those tall cups filled with soil. The only thing I'd be doing differently is putting the soil directly into the container.

One idea I had was to wrap something around the outside, like a cheap plastic tablecloth or something, to shade the roots.

Thanks for all the replies!

[dcarch]

The sunlight will degrade plastic in time.

You may consider using foam board (very easy to cut on a table saw) around and on top of the container. With the top board the seedlings will be protected very well even in deep winter during the night. You may be able to get some salad greens in deep winter in Z 5b.

dcarch

[carolyn137]

I answered your question in the other place where you posted it and focused on your question about how many plants you could get in the container, not the container itself.

So I'm glad others here are speaking to the container issue itself.

[GIZZARDFARM]

Try lining the inside with newspaper as it will block light and rot into the soil and wont effect future use of your tubs..Gizz

[Dukerdawg]

I personally wouldn't use them. Can you get access to some 5 gallon buckets? Or put a quick 'grow bag' order in? Find a sale on some tupperware type containers? I don't think those are deep enough and why take the chance on ruining them for your other needs.

Duane

[Anijunga]

Originally Posted by GIZZARDFARM

Try lining the inside with newspaper as it will block light and rot into the soil and wont effect future use of your tubs..Gizz

That's an EXCELLENT idea! Thanks!

[bcday]

You need to do more than protect the roots of the plants on the inside of the container, you also need to protect the container itself -- not from the soil, but from the sun.

Those clear plastic bins were intended for indoor storage. Unlike the plastics used for greenhouses, they are not treated to withstand the UV rays of the summer sun, which is much stronger than the winter sun. Ray and dcarch are right, the sun will make the plastic brittle and before too long the container will shatter.

I used a clear plastic container like that and it lasted only two seasons before large pieces of it broke off, starting with the rim, whenever I bumped the container or tried to lift it or move it (even when it was empty). Unless you are planning to replace the container soon anyway, you need to figure out some way to shade the outside of it. Perhaps wrap black plastic around it, I've done that here and not had a problem with the black plastic overheating.

[Anijunga]

Originally Posted by bcday

Those clear plastic bins were intended for indoor storage. Unlike the plastics used for greenhouses, they are not treated to withstand the UV rays of the summer sun, which is much stronger than the winter sun.

.....

Unless you are planning to replace the container soon anyway, you need to figure out some way to shade the outside of it.

Good point. That is something that I hadn't considered at all, though it makes sense. I'll have to figure something out to shade the outside and will skip the newspaper idea for the inside.

I'm so glad you're all here!