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.

Gussie · February 2, 2015

What a great idea! I'd probably get an Earthbox, which pretty much takes the guesswork out of fertilizing and watering, and you'll be able to plant two heirlooms in the box. You could construct a platform/table of sorts on which to place the Earthbox, but the plants get giant in an Earthbox so maybe you wouldn't even need to raise the box up.

Good luck!

Father'sDaughter · February 3, 2015

It is a wonderful idea! Have you considered dwarf tomatoes? They won't grow wildly out of control if no one is available to prune them, and a basic tomato cage will be more than enough to support them. If you put them in an Earthbox or self watering container, dwarfs might be as close to maintenance free as you can get.

pondgardener · February 3, 2015

My mother lives in an assisted living facility and I constructed a self watering container, using a 30 gallon plastic barrel, similar to what is shown in the video link below. It holds about 6 gallons of water and probably needs to be filled about every 3 or 4 days depending on the weather and how big the plant gets. I make up my own potting mix but I would think a commercial mix would work also. I am going to try making some from 55 gallon containers as well, so if you need additional input, let me know. Good luck.

George from Colorado

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er81pPbNoTg

mrdoitall · February 3, 2015

You could just buy a small window box that mounts right at the bottom of the window. plant 2 or 3 small Dwarf "Micro Tom" tomato plants in it, she could water and care for it each day. She could pick the tomatoes from the window also.
Something like this. Link >http://www.walmart.com/c/kp/window-box-planters

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.

February 3, 2015	#4
pondgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Colorado Posts: 361	My mother lives in an assisted living facility and I constructed a self watering container, using a 30 gallon plastic barrel, similar to what is shown in the video link below. It holds about 6 gallons of water and probably needs to be filled about every 3 or 4 days depending on the weather and how big the plant gets. I make up my own potting mix but I would think a commercial mix would work also. I am going to try making some from 55 gallon containers as well, so if you need additional input, let me know. Good luck. George from Colorado https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er81pPbNoTg __________________ “Live as if you'll die tomorrow, but farm as if you'll live forever.” Old Proverb

February 2, 2015	#2
Gussie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NoVA Zone 7 Posts: 64	What a great idea! I'd probably get an Earthbox, which pretty much takes the guesswork out of fertilizing and watering, and you'll be able to plant two heirlooms in the box. You could construct a platform/table of sorts on which to place the Earthbox, but the plants get giant in an Earthbox so maybe you wouldn't even need to raise the box up. Good luck!

February 3, 2015	#3
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	It is a wonderful idea! Have you considered dwarf tomatoes? They won't grow wildly out of control if no one is available to prune them, and a basic tomato cage will be more than enough to support them. If you put them in an Earthbox or self watering container, dwarfs might be as close to maintenance free as you can get.

February 3, 2015	#5
mrdoitall Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 185	You could just buy a small window box that mounts right at the bottom of the window. plant 2 or 3 small Dwarf "Micro Tom" tomato plants in it, she could water and care for it each day. She could pick the tomatoes from the window also. Something like this. Link >http://www.walmart.com/c/kp/window-box-planters