Tomato pairs in container

BSue54 · March 21, 2011

I finally got 6 of my BobbiTainers filled and watered in... and will be transplanting some of my baby 'maters tonight after work. I have 4 varieties and am wondering how to pair them up in the 'tainers... 3 varieties I have several of, but have one singling Black Krim. Should it be paired in the tainer with another tomato variety, or peppers? I'm not planning on saving seed - but wondered if it matters, otherwise?

Thanx

dice · March 21, 2011

Root space matters. For indeterminates that are not described
as "compact indeterminate", and that are not pruned to a single
stem, I figure one plant per 18-gallon self-watering container
is about right. (Ray's Earthtainers are almost twice that size, so
2 plants per container works for him.)

I have seen pictures of someone growing 2 plants per 18-gallon
self-watering container, but I have not tried it myself.

ireilly · March 21, 2011

Just to add that Ray plants more pepper plants per tainer than tomato plants.

If I recall correctly, he planted 6 (2x3) per tainer but said he should have done 4, so maybe 2-3 peppers would be good for you.

And of course root space is key, but airflow matters too as regards diseases.

BSue54 · March 21, 2011

No - what I'm wondering is if it's OK to put one Rutgers and one Black Krim in the same 'tainer??? Or should I put 2 Rutgers, 2 Early Girl, 2 Brandywine, and put the Black Krim in with a banana pepper, for instance. Maybe I'm being too anal about this - at least my DH says that I've gotten that way... "How did tomatoes EVER grow before this stuff????" is his favorite expression LOL

Thanx,
Bobbie in Cut-N-Shoot

Dewayne mater · March 21, 2011

You can pair whatever varieties you like in earthtainers/bobbitainers. In fact, this year I've planted one RL and on PL in each hoping that this will help prevent disease transferring from one plant to the other. I would imagine you could possibly get some cross pollination by doing that, but, in my very small sample (one season) I did not experience any obvious examples of that.

jeffinjonestown · March 21, 2011

I have grown two rutgers in an 18 gallon container(not SW), and did okay with it. Last year I grew single brandywines in the same size containers and the root systems did take up the entire containers (I lost half the dirt just in pulling them out at the end), so I doubt that doubling them up would work very well.

rnewste · March 21, 2011

Bobbie,

I would not do the "Noah's Ark" thing in 18 gallon containers. You will have a healthier single tomato plant alone, rather than trying to jam 2 plants together.

With compact Peppers however, two per BobbiTainer would be perfect.

BSue54 · March 21, 2011

These are 30 gallon totes. Is it OK to "mix breeds" in the same tainer?

rnewste · March 21, 2011

Sorry Bobbie - - I read the previous posts thinking you had used the 18 gallon size.

Yes, your 30 gallon ones will comfortably hold 2 plants per 'Tainer. Personally, as growth patterns can be different, I like to pair them up for size, more than anything else. If you put a dwarf type plant in with a Brandywine, it will have to compete for sunlight, etc.

Raybo

dice · March 21, 2011

I was thinking they were 18-gallon containers. I have one larger
container (recycled; I don't know exactly how much it holds)
that I usually grow two indeterminates in. They do ok.

If the plants are too different in size, the larger one ends up
shading the smaller one. So I would go "2 Brandywine",
"2 Rutgers", "2 Early Girl", etc. Black Krim gets to about 6 feet
here, possibly larger in your hotter weather.

jeffinjonestown · March 21, 2011

I guess with that size you could also pair a shorter det version on the sunny side of a tall indet type. You would sacrifice lower branches of the indet variety, though. I have a pretty good mental image of a det rutgers 5 ft high in front of an 8 ft brandy. Probably more to the nature of your question, they wouldn't poison each other or anything, and the fruits that develop would be true and fine.

creister · March 21, 2011

I have personally tried 2 plants per 18 gallon container two different seasons, and it just doesn't work very well at all. This year, and last fall, it was one per 18. The fall crop production with one was much better per plant than when I had two per container.

bughunter99 · March 26, 2011

My self watering containers are 37 gallons. I plant them with three plants. One of the trio's I recall was Vorlon, Copia and Chocolate stripes. They produced great.

March 21, 2011	#1
BSue54 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cut-N-Shoot, TX Posts: 73	Tomato pairs in container I finally got 6 of my BobbiTainers filled and watered in... and will be transplanting some of my baby 'maters tonight after work. I have 4 varieties and am wondering how to pair them up in the 'tainers... 3 varieties I have several of, but have one singling Black Krim. Should it be paired in the tainer with another tomato variety, or peppers? I'm not planning on saving seed - but wondered if it matters, otherwise? Thanx __________________ Bobbie in Cut-N-Shoot, TX Zone 8b

March 21, 2011	#2
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Root space matters. For indeterminates that are not described as "compact indeterminate", and that are not pruned to a single stem, I figure one plant per 18-gallon self-watering container is about right. (Ray's Earthtainers are almost twice that size, so 2 plants per container works for him.) I have seen pictures of someone growing 2 plants per 18-gallon self-watering container, but I have not tried it myself. __________________ -- alias

March 21, 2011	#4
BSue54 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cut-N-Shoot, TX Posts: 73	No - what I'm wondering is if it's OK to put one Rutgers and one Black Krim in the same 'tainer??? Or should I put 2 Rutgers, 2 Early Girl, 2 Brandywine, and put the Black Krim in with a banana pepper, for instance. Maybe I'm being too anal about this - at least my DH says that I've gotten that way... "How did tomatoes EVER grow before this stuff????" is his favorite expression LOL Thanx, Bobbie in Cut-N-Shoot __________________ Bobbie in Cut-N-Shoot, TX Zone 8b

March 21, 2011	#8
BSue54 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cut-N-Shoot, TX Posts: 73	These are 30 gallon totes. Is it OK to "mix breeds" in the same tainer? __________________ Bobbie in Cut-N-Shoot, TX Zone 8b

March 21, 2011	#10
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I was thinking they were 18-gallon containers. I have one larger container (recycled; I don't know exactly how much it holds) that I usually grow two indeterminates in. They do ok. If the plants are too different in size, the larger one ends up shading the smaller one. So I would go "2 Brandywine", "2 Rutgers", "2 Early Girl", etc. Black Krim gets to about 6 feet here, possibly larger in your hotter weather. __________________ -- alias

March 21, 2011	#3
ireilly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 344	Just to add that Ray plants more pepper plants per tainer than tomato plants. If I recall correctly, he planted 6 (2x3) per tainer but said he should have done 4, so maybe 2-3 peppers would be good for you. And of course root space is key, but airflow matters too as regards diseases.

March 21, 2011	#5
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	You can pair whatever varieties you like in earthtainers/bobbitainers. In fact, this year I've planted one RL and on PL in each hoping that this will help prevent disease transferring from one plant to the other. I would imagine you could possibly get some cross pollination by doing that, but, in my very small sample (one season) I did not experience any obvious examples of that.

March 21, 2011	#6
jeffinjonestown Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Jonestown, PA Posts: 91	I have grown two rutgers in an 18 gallon container(not SW), and did okay with it. Last year I grew single brandywines in the same size containers and the root systems did take up the entire containers (I lost half the dirt just in pulling them out at the end), so I doubt that doubling them up would work very well.

March 21, 2011	#7
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Bobbie, I would not do the "Noah's Ark" thing in 18 gallon containers. You will have a healthier single tomato plant alone, rather than trying to jam 2 plants together. With compact Peppers however, two per BobbiTainer would be perfect.

March 21, 2011	#12
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	I have personally tried 2 plants per 18 gallon container two different seasons, and it just doesn't work very well at all. This year, and last fall, it was one per 18. The fall crop production with one was much better per plant than when I had two per container.

March 26, 2011	#13
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	My self watering containers are 37 gallons. I plant them with three plants. One of the trio's I recall was Vorlon, Copia and Chocolate stripes. They produced great.