Inspired by a post, container for a Tom plant outside window

harleysilo · February 2, 2015

I was reading a thread, and read a post about taking tomatoes to a retirement facility. My wives 95 year old grandmother lives in a 1 level assisted living facility and her room has a window which she can open that looks out to nothing. Some residents have birdfeeders and other flowering plants outside of their windows, as well as screens and decorations.

What would be an appropriate sized container to grow 1 tomato plant? It would need to either be raised up off the ground, or tall enough to put the tomato plant 2-3 feet off the ground so it is visible from the window. A funnel and hose could be mounted to her window ledge to allow her to water the container. There would be little to no tending of the plant itself. I would need to provide the structure to contain /support the plant.

My first thought it a 50 gallon metal drum, of which i can get for cheap from a person nearby, previously used for non-toxic storage of which i need to confirm. I have extra cattle panel pieces i could ziptie together to make a cage for it. That would raise the plant up, provide plenty of soil, as long as i had holes in the bottome for drainage. I'd have to paint it up so it didn't look like crap too. All that is no big deal.

She'd just have to water it, and have a caretaker pick the toms when ripe, that should be no problem.

Any brainstorming ideas would be appreciated.

February 2, 2015	#1
harleysilo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Woodstock GA Posts: 418	Inspired by a post, container for a Tom plant outside window I was reading a thread, and read a post about taking tomatoes to a retirement facility. My wives 95 year old grandmother lives in a 1 level assisted living facility and her room has a window which she can open that looks out to nothing. Some residents have birdfeeders and other flowering plants outside of their windows, as well as screens and decorations. What would be an appropriate sized container to grow 1 tomato plant? It would need to either be raised up off the ground, or tall enough to put the tomato plant 2-3 feet off the ground so it is visible from the window. A funnel and hose could be mounted to her window ledge to allow her to water the container. There would be little to no tending of the plant itself. I would need to provide the structure to contain /support the plant. My first thought it a 50 gallon metal drum, of which i can get for cheap from a person nearby, previously used for non-toxic storage of which i need to confirm. I have extra cattle panel pieces i could ziptie together to make a cage for it. That would raise the plant up, provide plenty of soil, as long as i had holes in the bottome for drainage. I'd have to paint it up so it didn't look like crap too. All that is no big deal. She'd just have to water it, and have a caretaker pick the toms when ripe, that should be no problem. Any brainstorming ideas would be appreciated.