Root-bound tomatoes-container growing

Ed of Somis · September 13, 2013

Last year I grew a tomato plant in a 10 inch diameter pipe that was 3 feet high. At the end of the season...I dumped out the mix. I was amazed at the mass of roots right down to the bottom. This year, my 15 gal nursery pots are doing great! However, I notice as time goes on...the initial water I put on top just sits there for awhile before soaking in. I am thinking the pot is severely root-bound. Next year I am going to 20 gal trash cans. What have you found???

Rockporter · September 14, 2013

How big and what kind of tomato plant were you growing in the 15 gal pot?

I grow determinate in a 5 gallon bucket without any problems with roots I have grown both indeterminate and determinate in an earthbox and have not had any problems with roots. I plant one indeterminate per earthbox and two determinate per earthbox. You must have some really nice growing conditions where you are. I wonder though if I planted in a larger pot if the plant would be larger.

Ed of Somis · September 14, 2013

R...I do live in SoCal....so you have heard about our weather. It is ideal. Another has indicated the vigorous roots being bound...has actually minimized the size of my plants. I believe that. My indeterminates are only 3 1/2 to 4 feet...but quite healthy and productive. I am excited about my "Husky" 20 gal trash containers next year....

Cole_Robbie · September 18, 2013

It helps to water from the bottom. When I make my own containers, I drill the holes an inch or two from the bottom, on the sides. That gives the container a moisture reservoir. For other plants in nursery pots and and hanging baskets, I will let them sit in a plastic bin with a few inches of water until they are soaked.

Rockporter · September 18, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

R...I do live in SoCal....so you have heard about our weather. It is ideal. Another has indicated the vigorous roots being bound...has actually minimized the size of my plants. I believe that. My indeterminates are only 3 1/2 to 4 feet...but quite healthy and productive. I am excited about my "Husky" 20 gal trash containers next year....

Oh yeah, I am from east county San Diego and grew up most of my life there. I wasn't familiar with your area of California and with such diversity in weather patterns out there I had to ask.

As for the roots, I want to know what you are feeding these plants to get such a big root ball?

Ed of Somis · September 19, 2013

To be honest...I have piece-milled my fertilizer habits a bit. I usually feed every-other day...in 1/2 doses. I have used Foliage-Pro, Miracle-Gro (liquid), and Tomato Tone. The Foliage-Pro is a "complete" fert....which is good. Now that I think of it...I used the plant fertilizer spikes a couple times, as well. My dis-jointed approach seems to have worked...haha.

amideutch · September 19, 2013

Quote:

However, I notice as time goes on...the initial water I put on top just sits there for awhile before soaking in

That is normal especially if the aggregate dries out in between waterings. Also as time passes the aggregate will settle and compact itself to a certain extent.

Ami

September 13, 2013	#1
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	Root-bound tomatoes-container growing Last year I grew a tomato plant in a 10 inch diameter pipe that was 3 feet high. At the end of the season...I dumped out the mix. I was amazed at the mass of roots right down to the bottom. This year, my 15 gal nursery pots are doing great! However, I notice as time goes on...the initial water I put on top just sits there for awhile before soaking in. I am thinking the pot is severely root-bound. Next year I am going to 20 gal trash cans. What have you found???

September 14, 2013	#2
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	How big and what kind of tomato plant were you growing in the 15 gal pot? I grow determinate in a 5 gallon bucket without any problems with roots I have grown both indeterminate and determinate in an earthbox and have not had any problems with roots. I plant one indeterminate per earthbox and two determinate per earthbox. You must have some really nice growing conditions where you are. I wonder though if I planted in a larger pot if the plant would be larger. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

September 18, 2013	#4
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	It helps to water from the bottom. When I make my own containers, I drill the holes an inch or two from the bottom, on the sides. That gives the container a moisture reservoir. For other plants in nursery pots and and hanging baskets, I will let them sit in a plastic bin with a few inches of water until they are soaked.

September 19, 2013	#6
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	To be honest...I have piece-milled my fertilizer habits a bit. I usually feed every-other day...in 1/2 doses. I have used Foliage-Pro, Miracle-Gro (liquid), and Tomato Tone. The Foliage-Pro is a "complete" fert....which is good. Now that I think of it...I used the plant fertilizer spikes a couple times, as well. My dis-jointed approach seems to have worked...haha.