Comments on: Your Questions Answered: Thrifty Containers for Tomatoes http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/ Gardening for the People. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:16:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sara http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-19278 Sara Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:03:09 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-19278 I have two tips to share: - if you have any local Mediterranean delis or food shops nearby, ask if they have any empty olive buckets. They're the perfect size, come in great colours and have cool logos and greek writing on them - if you go for big plastic painter's buckets ($3-4 at home depot or free from the curb) but can't stand the sight of the ugly white plastic, pick up a piece of bamboo "privacy screen" at the hardware store (in the gardening section), wrap it around the bottom of the bucket up to the lip, cut it to length and then wrap a piece of binder twine or baling wire around the body of the bucket a few times in a spiral shape to hold it on. It's cheap, easy and gives the plastic bucket a nice organic, bamboo look for your deck! I have two tips to share:

- if you have any local Mediterranean delis or food shops nearby, ask if they have any empty olive buckets. They’re the perfect size, come in great colours and have cool logos and greek writing on them

- if you go for big plastic painter’s buckets ($3-4 at home depot or free from the curb) but can’t stand the sight of the ugly white plastic, pick up a piece of bamboo “privacy screen” at the hardware store (in the gardening section), wrap it around the bottom of the bucket up to the lip, cut it to length and then wrap a piece of binder twine or baling wire around the body of the bucket a few times in a spiral shape to hold it on. It’s cheap, easy and gives the plastic bucket a nice organic, bamboo look for your deck!

]]> By: Gayla http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18998 Gayla Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:19:31 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18998 Anna: It depends on the variety. Some determinates are really small and compact and others are often refered to as "mid-sized." The small ones are usually called miniatures or dwarfs and have names like 'Toy Boy' or 'Tiny Tom.' But mid-sized determinates do need a bit of space. 10" isn't bad but a foot or more is better. Emily: That pot is a good deal for the size. However, I still think it's a bit too small for an indeterminate. You're right that terracotta is better environmentally, but it will dry out faster which is why bigger is better. That's a great size for a mid-sized determinate though! Anna: It depends on the variety. Some determinates are really small and compact and others are often refered to as “mid-sized.” The small ones are usually called miniatures or dwarfs and have names like ‘Toy Boy’ or ‘Tiny Tom.’ But mid-sized determinates do need a bit of space. 10″ isn’t bad but a foot or more is better.

Emily: That pot is a good deal for the size. However, I still think it’s a bit too small for an indeterminate. You’re right that terracotta is better environmentally, but it will dry out faster which is why bigger is better. That’s a great size for a mid-sized determinate though!

]]> By: Anna Karin http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18997 Anna Karin Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:03:20 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18997 A little off the subject... but how big of a container do you need for determinate plants? I have mine in a 10" - and I am wondering if that is too small. Thanks! A little off the subject… but how big of a container do you need for determinate plants? I have mine in a 10″ – and I am wondering if that is too small. Thanks!

]]> By: Emily http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18996 Emily Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:45:07 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18996 BEST solution I've found- the $5.99 Ikea terra cotta pot. It's huge! The saucer is $4 if you need it. Plus, you're not buying plastic (I like to stick to natural, biodegradable materials) AND it looks pretty! This thing is great. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50118846 BEST solution I’ve found- the $5.99 Ikea terra cotta pot. It’s huge! The saucer is $4 if you need it. Plus, you’re not buying plastic (I like to stick to natural, biodegradable materials) AND it looks pretty! This thing is great. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50118846

]]> By: kgreenthumb http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18712 kgreenthumb Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:47:47 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18712 Another great tip for those buckets from restaurants and flower shops: You can turn them into self watering containers. All you need is two buckets, a funnel and a drill with a door knob hole bit. About two to three inches up the side of one bucket using the drill and a basic drill bit, drill 6-8 holes in a rectangular pattern and cut inbetween the hols so that you have a rectangle cut out in the side of the bucket. This will be where you add water. Drill a hole in the bottom of the other bucket with the door knob hole bit and place the funnel in it. Place the second bucket into the first and fill with dirt and your beautiful tomato plant. Water after transplanting. After the initial watering only ad water to the bottom bucket. Tada...self watering container. Another great tip for those buckets from restaurants and flower shops: You can turn them into self watering containers. All you need is two buckets, a funnel and a drill with a door knob hole bit. About two to three inches up the side of one bucket using the drill and a basic drill bit, drill 6-8 holes in a rectangular pattern and cut inbetween the hols so that you have a rectangle cut out in the side of the bucket. This will be where you add water. Drill a hole in the bottom of the other bucket with the door knob hole bit and place the funnel in it. Place the second bucket into the first and fill with dirt and your beautiful tomato plant. Water after transplanting. After the initial watering only ad water to the bottom bucket. Tada…self watering container.

]]> By: Garrettsattic http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18601 Garrettsattic Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:08:07 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18601 I have had success with planting directly into the bags of potting soil. By standing the bag on end and poking drainage holes in the bag periodically I have the soil and an instant free container. I have done this with tomatoes, flowers and herbs with a pretty good success rate. Just a thought. I have had success with planting directly into the bags of potting soil. By standing the bag on end and poking drainage holes in the bag periodically I have the soil and an instant free container. I have done this with tomatoes, flowers and herbs with a pretty good success rate. Just a thought.

]]> By: Jaime http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18600 Jaime Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:54:58 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18600 Ok, so this is what happens when you jump right in to a project without any research... I planted 4 (yes, 4!) tomato plants in a 5-gallon planter. All determinates, as recommended by those helpful souls in the Wal-Mart garden center. So, as anyone with apparently _any_ experience gardening knows, the plants are a little smushed. And yet, they're doing lovely so far... As in, I planted them about a month ago, they've doubled in size, I have a lot of green tomatoes on each plant, and two of my cherry tomatoes are red already (I live in Florida). I water them twice a day to make sure the soil doesn't dry out. So my question is -- should I leave them as-is, or should I try (very carefully) transplanting them each into a separate container? Any ideas? I think you can't get any more newbie at this than I am... Thanks! Ok, so this is what happens when you jump right in to a project without any research…

I planted 4 (yes, 4!) tomato plants in a 5-gallon planter. All determinates, as recommended by those helpful souls in the Wal-Mart garden center. So, as anyone with apparently _any_ experience gardening knows, the plants are a little smushed. And yet, they’re doing lovely so far… As in, I planted them about a month ago, they’ve doubled in size, I have a lot of green tomatoes on each plant, and two of my cherry tomatoes are red already (I live in Florida). I water them twice a day to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out.

So my question is — should I leave them as-is, or should I try (very carefully) transplanting them each into a separate container?

Any ideas? I think you can’t get any more newbie at this than I am…

Thanks!

]]> By: molly http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18566 molly Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:16:09 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18566 My neighborhood health food grocer had a local organic farm stand set up outside today with seedlings for sale, and I bought 3 heirloom tomato seedlings (among other things), which are all indeterminates. Later on, while at Home Depot a few hours later buying potting soil, I noticed they sell huge orange buckets for mixing paint for under $5! Score! I'll drill some holes into that for the Mark Twain tomato plant that promises to be huge! My neighborhood health food grocer had a local organic farm stand set up outside today with seedlings for sale, and I bought 3 heirloom tomato seedlings (among other things), which are all indeterminates. Later on, while at Home Depot a few hours later buying potting soil, I noticed they sell huge orange buckets for mixing paint for under $5! Score! I’ll drill some holes into that for the Mark Twain tomato plant that promises to be huge!

]]> By: Emily http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18519 Emily Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:30:06 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18519 Got a great idea from friends on freecycle- leftovers from a local Pepsi bottling plant. 30-55 gallon containers for $5. See here http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/04/07/my-barrels-let-me-show-you-them/. Enjoy! Got a great idea from friends on freecycle- leftovers from a local Pepsi bottling plant. 30-55 gallon containers for $5. See here http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/04/07/my-barrels-let-me-show-you-them/. Enjoy!

]]> By: Kevin http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18472 Kevin Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:03:57 +0000 http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2008/04/03/your-questions-answered-containers-for-tomatoes/#comment-18472 molly, those kitty litter bins are perfect, I see people plant in them a lot. Another great place to look is in dumpsters outside of construction sites. I've got about 10 or 15 of those 5 gallon joint-compound buckets on my roof already. Sometimes they have concrete in the bottom, but so many of those get thrown out that you're bound to find a couple good ones. Gayla, those happy pairs you listed are really helpful. My garden is all containers, and I have some big stuff, sunflowers and such, so space is tight. I'd love to know more about smaller plants that work along side bigger ones. molly, those kitty litter bins are perfect, I see people plant in them a lot. Another great place to look is in dumpsters outside of construction sites. I’ve got about 10 or 15 of those 5 gallon joint-compound buckets on my roof already. Sometimes they have concrete in the bottom, but so many of those get thrown out that you’re bound to find a couple good ones.

Gayla, those happy pairs you listed are really helpful. My garden is all containers, and I have some big stuff, sunflowers and such, so space is tight. I’d love to know more about smaller plants that work along side bigger ones.

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