5 gallon movable fall crop

fnordly · August 18, 2016

Hello all, I live in 70525 area code and Yes! we have had a bit of a flood down here in southern Louisiana. All the more reason for my fall tomato plan…
I started Black Krim, Big Beef, and Delicious over a month ago. All are vigorous… specially the Krim. Before that, I cloned my best Cherokee Purple and Brandywine plants from Spring. These will be augmented with Black Cherry and Berkley Tie Dye.
I'm very new to this heirloom game. Last Spring I dug ten 12" cubed holes in a back yard plot that sits on top of clay soil (very good for holding water for rice/crawfish fields but much work to dig up). Hence, my move to 5 gallon containers for my first fall attempt.
I'm just as new to growing in containers. I have a clone mother of my Brandywine with two fruits and another mama clone CP about to make. So far I've been using a Garden Soil plus amendments for my soil containers and the clay in ground containers. I'm adding Lime and manure compost and peat, humus, etc.
Any advice about keeping containers over the years and how to replenish the 10 in ground clay pots?

thanks,
fnord!

Gerardo · August 18, 2016

If you can, make some holes along the bottom couple of inches to help with ventilation.

Tinker with the amount of biomass in the container so it doesn't promote things going anaerobic.

And don't forget the perlite.

Hope the clones are strong.

Gardeneer · August 18, 2016

Five gallon, is about on the border line for most tomato varieties. I have some growing in 4 gallon pots but they are smaller plants. The challenge in container growing is watering and feeding more frequently and regularly. Bigger container would be less challenging.
I have a suggestion : 10 gallon totes are often cheaper to buy than 5 gallon buckets. Or they are about the same price. !!

fnordly · August 22, 2016

Thanks for the suggestion, Gardeneer. Where does one find the 10 gallon totes?
fnord!

luigiwu · August 22, 2016

Check out RGGS (rain gutter grow system.) The ultimate subirrigated setup if you have a water source and can connect to a mini float. Stick some wheels on the rig and voila, you can move up to 10 (or how ever long your rig is.)
I have pics in the Photo gallery, Ricman and Gerardo are fans of it and should also have pics.

Gardeneer · August 23, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnordly

Thanks for the suggestion, Gardeneer. Where does one find the 10 gallon totes?
fnord!

You can fine them in Walmart, HD and other places.

fnordly · August 24, 2016

Ah, I see! The storage shed has many leaky coolers that may fit the bill as well. The idea with the 5 gallon containers is the ability to move the plants in/out of weather easily. I fear the sun in the Spring and the frost/wind in Fall. And pests all year.
f!

fnordly · September 20, 2016

Will be making one more trip to Lowes for soil/amendments and finish most all transplants today. I will figure out how to get pics up and show off the fact that most all seeds are now very healthy plants. Most were transplanted three or 4 weeks ago. I finally got to try a Brandywine last week as a clone from the spring plants (that never produced) is starting to produce like gangbusters (8 on the vine). Must say, I prefer Cherokee Purples but do enjoy the tang at the end with the Brandys.
fnord!
p.s. learned by replanting my bed that my original 12x12 inch holes aren't cutting it… I have heavy clay and it is obvious the the roots were stopped by the clay barrier. So, I turned the 10 plant bed into an 8 to give close to 3 ft between plants for a 16" diameter for the roots. Think my recycling of old ice coolers will be a winner. I'll still have many plants in 5 gal buckets; so we'll see how all three: in ground bed, 5 gal buckets and bigger ice chest containers produce.
f!

fnordly · October 27, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo

If you can, make some holes along the bottom couple of inches to help with ventilation.

Tinker with the amount of biomass in the container so it doesn't promote things going anaerobic.

And don't forget the perlite.

Hope the clones are strong.

I accidentally made some side cracks low down in a couple of 5 gallon buckets, adding stakes. One is a very strong Brandy clone that is the lone producer of edibles right now. The rest are in a fruiting frenzy, but still not mature. When I made up my soil mix, I tried to keep it light... though I used basically: Garden soil from Lowes, and my additives were: a little cow manure based compost, a little light (loose) composted plant based (humus/peat moss)... lime (have had blossom rot issues, but this seems to work for me both in the containers and bed). I put an inch of gravel at the bottom of my containers to hopefully keep the bottom holes open. I have added perlite to my containers in the past, but not this year... still I think it can only help.
My (very old) MacBook Pro broke and I'm now trying to cope with an equally old IMac-- but one day... pics. My plants are taller than me now.

Perhaps Fall is the season for Louisiana,
f n o r d !

August 18, 2016	#1
fnordly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16	5 gallon movable fall crop Hello all, I live in 70525 area code and Yes! we have had a bit of a flood down here in southern Louisiana. All the more reason for my fall tomato plan… I started Black Krim, Big Beef, and Delicious over a month ago. All are vigorous… specially the Krim. Before that, I cloned my best Cherokee Purple and Brandywine plants from Spring. These will be augmented with Black Cherry and Berkley Tie Dye. I'm very new to this heirloom game. Last Spring I dug ten 12" cubed holes in a back yard plot that sits on top of clay soil (very good for holding water for rice/crawfish fields but much work to dig up). Hence, my move to 5 gallon containers for my first fall attempt. I'm just as new to growing in containers. I have a clone mother of my Brandywine with two fruits and another mama clone CP about to make. So far I've been using a Garden Soil plus amendments for my soil containers and the clay in ground containers. I'm adding Lime and manure compost and peat, humus, etc. Any advice about keeping containers over the years and how to replenish the 10 in ground clay pots? thanks, fnord!

August 18, 2016	#2
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,598	If you can, make some holes along the bottom couple of inches to help with ventilation. Tinker with the amount of biomass in the container so it doesn't promote things going anaerobic. And don't forget the perlite. Hope the clones are strong. Last edited by Gerardo; August 19, 2016 at 06:02 PM.

August 18, 2016	#3
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	Five gallon, is about on the border line for most tomato varieties. I have some growing in 4 gallon pots but they are smaller plants. The challenge in container growing is watering and feeding more frequently and regularly. Bigger container would be less challenging. I have a suggestion : 10 gallon totes are often cheaper to buy than 5 gallon buckets. Or they are about the same price. !! __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

August 22, 2016	#5
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Check out RGGS (rain gutter grow system.) The ultimate subirrigated setup if you have a water source and can connect to a mini float. Stick some wheels on the rig and voila, you can move up to 10 (or how ever long your rig is.) I have pics in the Photo gallery, Ricman and Gerardo are fans of it and should also have pics. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

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August 24, 2016	#7
fnordly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16	Ah, I see! The storage shed has many leaky coolers that may fit the bill as well. The idea with the 5 gallon containers is the ability to move the plants in/out of weather easily. I fear the sun in the Spring and the frost/wind in Fall. And pests all year. f!

September 20, 2016	#8
fnordly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16	Will be making one more trip to Lowes for soil/amendments and finish most all transplants today. I will figure out how to get pics up and show off the fact that most all seeds are now very healthy plants. Most were transplanted three or 4 weeks ago. I finally got to try a Brandywine last week as a clone from the spring plants (that never produced) is starting to produce like gangbusters (8 on the vine). Must say, I prefer Cherokee Purples but do enjoy the tang at the end with the Brandys. fnord! p.s. learned by replanting my bed that my original 12x12 inch holes aren't cutting it… I have heavy clay and it is obvious the the roots were stopped by the clay barrier. So, I turned the 10 plant bed into an 8 to give close to 3 ft between plants for a 16" diameter for the roots. Think my recycling of old ice coolers will be a winner. I'll still have many plants in 5 gal buckets; so we'll see how all three: in ground bed, 5 gal buckets and bigger ice chest containers produce. f!