Doubling Up in Containers

mobiledynamics · April 17, 2018

If we look at the POV that dirt is just the medium/means for roots/water/nutrition, dare I double up in 15G pots. Just thinking/looking at AKMarks setup - in which he doubles up in 5G containers. Granted, to some degree, he is in a controlled enviroment.

For me, it's 15G fabric pots , outdoors. I was not planning to grow as many this year, but due to Marsha's incredible generosity, I'm trialing some.

So here is the list that I'm considering doubling up in 15G containers.
Whaddya say, yay or nay.

- Mat Su
- Pruden Purple
- PBTD
-GGWT

-Reif
-Wes
-SG

Granted, I've alway planted single plants in a pot and they all fill the entire space and cage - unless I get hit with blight.

So is double up doable / advisable. Or give them space to breath and light ?

TexasTomat0 · April 17, 2018

It is definitely do-able (Marsha grows 2 per earth box, IIRC). You would have to keep them to 1 or 2 stems max and keep everything well trimmed.

zipcode · April 19, 2018

In terms of volume it's doable especially with automatic watering.

Now the second problem is spacing. If you leave them unpruned they'll just grow into one another which is not great. You need a way to train them a certain distance apart. The earthbox is kind of long-ish which is an advantage for this.

mobiledynamics · April 19, 2018

I see what you're saying Zipcode re: the EB.

I just looked it up. The EB's surface foorprint by 29W x13D
Don't know volume

My 15G's are 18" round.

I suppose as a different POV/Approach, is that 2 plants will have *2 roots systems*. Prune the stems so it's manageable but because the root system is feeding ~less~, it might be more productive ?

zipcode · April 19, 2018

Well, the root system will be more or less proportional with top growth from my experience.
So prune more means less roots as well. Earthbox has 15 gal afaik.

2 plants pruned to one stem will do great in 15 gal.

Will that produce more or less than one unpruned plant? Well, I don't know, you can always test, but you get to try two different varieties.

hiker_ · April 19, 2018

I've grown two per 10G rectangular Earthbox-type container. I didn't like the result. Where I lived at that time had previously grown potatoes, and it's humid, so I had a lot of disease problems at the best of times, and for me, the tomatoes were just too crowded. But my container was a 10G, so smaller than an actual EB.

IronPete · July 19, 2018

I have 3 Scotias in one 5 gallon pail and 3 Early Girls in another. As they are smaller determinate plants and as I am able to water daily I think it should work out. It will be a little 'busy' in the pots when they get bigger but I thought 'What the heck?' My son works at a greenhouse/plant sale place and had brought home 3 flats of tomato starts. I didn't bother with most of them as the season is half over but with those one I thought it was worth the gamble of the buckets ($3.99/ea) and the soil ($14/bag). [All prices Canadian] As the fellow from Hawaii says 'take a chance'. ;-)
Pete

AKmark · July 19, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobiledynamics

If we look at the POV that dirt is just the medium/means for roots/water/nutrition, dare I double up in 15G pots. Just thinking/looking at AKMarks setup - in which he doubles up in 5G containers. Granted, to some degree, he is in a controlled enviroment.

For me, it's 15G fabric pots , outdoors. I was not planning to grow as many this year, but due to Marsha's incredible generosity, I'm trialing some.

So here is the list that I'm considering doubling up in 15G containers.
Whaddya say, yay or nay.

- Mat Su
- Pruden Purple
- PBTD
-GGWT

-Reif
-Wes
-SG

Granted, I've alway planted single plants in a pot and they all fill the entire space and cage - unless I get hit with blight.

So is double up doable / advisable. Or give them space to breath and light ?

I am doubling up in 3 gallon now, I can barely tell any difference between those and some I have in 10 gallon. You guys worry too much, there are thousands of commercial growers doing what we are doing up here, several right in my area too. Use drips, top water, gutter feeds, it does not matter as long as you can keep them watered.

Tomzhawaii · July 20, 2018

From what I understand , on average 1 plant for a 5 gallon bucket, however 2 can't be harmful or degrade the production. So with that said. A 5 gal. Bucket holds 2/3 cubic ft. A 15 gal. Grow bag holds 2.0 cubic ft. If you do the math, 1 - 15 gal grow bag can hold 6 plants (in theory) but hell 4 would do fine.
Aloha

venturabananas · July 28, 2018

I've grown 3 in 20 gallon pots and they do fine, but I did have to single stem them to keep things under control, particularly fungal foliage problems.

Gerardo · July 29, 2018

I double up in 4-5 gal using gutters, plants do great.

I grow 3-5 plants in 20 gal rootpots and the plants do great.

I second Mark's comment on worriment.

April 17, 2018	#1
mobiledynamics Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: 7B Posts: 281	Doubling Up in Containers If we look at the POV that dirt is just the medium/means for roots/water/nutrition, dare I double up in 15G pots. Just thinking/looking at AKMarks setup - in which he doubles up in 5G containers. Granted, to some degree, he is in a controlled enviroment. For me, it's 15G fabric pots , outdoors. I was not planning to grow as many this year, but due to Marsha's incredible generosity, I'm trialing some. So here is the list that I'm considering doubling up in 15G containers. Whaddya say, yay or nay. - Mat Su - Pruden Purple - PBTD -GGWT -Reif -Wes -SG Granted, I've alway planted single plants in a pot and they all fill the entire space and cage - unless I get hit with blight. So is double up doable / advisable. Or give them space to breath and light ?

April 17, 2018	#2
TexasTomat0 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Central Texas - Zone 8A Posts: 196	It is definitely do-able (Marsha grows 2 per earth box, IIRC). You would have to keep them to 1 or 2 stems max and keep everything well trimmed. Last edited by TexasTomat0; April 17, 2018 at 04:01 PM.

July 19, 2018	#7
IronPete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada Posts: 302	I have 3 Scotias in one 5 gallon pail and 3 Early Girls in another. As they are smaller determinate plants and as I am able to water daily I think it should work out. It will be a little 'busy' in the pots when they get bigger but I thought 'What the heck?' My son works at a greenhouse/plant sale place and had brought home 3 flats of tomato starts. I didn't bother with most of them as the season is half over but with those one I thought it was worth the gamble of the buckets ($3.99/ea) and the soil ($14/bag). [All prices Canadian] As the fellow from Hawaii says 'take a chance'. ;-) Pete __________________ Thanks; Iron Pete "We can agree to disagree."

April 19, 2018	#3
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	In terms of volume it's doable especially with automatic watering. Now the second problem is spacing. If you leave them unpruned they'll just grow into one another which is not great. You need a way to train them a certain distance apart. The earthbox is kind of long-ish which is an advantage for this.

April 19, 2018	#6
hiker_ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: RI Posts: 42	I've grown two per 10G rectangular Earthbox-type container. I didn't like the result. Where I lived at that time had previously grown potatoes, and it's humid, so I had a lot of disease problems at the best of times, and for me, the tomatoes were just too crowded. But my container was a 10G, so smaller than an actual EB.

July 20, 2018	#9
Tomzhawaii Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Honolulu ,Hawaii Posts: 262	From what I understand , on average 1 plant for a 5 gallon bucket, however 2 can't be harmful or degrade the production. So with that said. A 5 gal. Bucket holds 2/3 cubic ft. A 15 gal. Grow bag holds 2.0 cubic ft. If you do the math, 1 - 15 gal grow bag can hold 6 plants (in theory) but hell 4 would do fine. Aloha

July 28, 2018	#10
venturabananas Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 142	I've grown 3 in 20 gallon pots and they do fine, but I did have to single stem them to keep things under control, particularly fungal foliage problems.

July 29, 2018	#11
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,598	I double up in 4-5 gal using gutters, plants do great. I grow 3-5 plants in 20 gal rootpots and the plants do great. I second Mark's comment on worriment.