tomatoes in containers

[niknik]

had no luck getting tomato plants from seeds... so bought some seedlings........., now doing nicely

However. I have now got zillions of tomato plants that have sprung up, self seeded from last years lot, I assume, though most nowhere near where they were last year!

anyway, I carefully dug them out, and potted them up, and most have survived and thrived.

The question is

As these have to stay in pots/containers what is the minimum size of pot container for them to thrive, and produce some fruit? Obviously ( I asssume) the bigger the better, but what is the minimum you exprts would consider a decent size ?

Might have to sacrifice some if there arent enough big containers!

[Davie Crockett]

As these have to stay in pots/containers what is the minimum size of pot container for them to thrive, and produce some fruit? Obviously ( I asssume) the bigger the better, but what is the minimum you exprts would consider a decent size ?

I would use a minimum of a 7" pot and place them on a tray of sand or gravel about 2" deep. If you want to do it properly, cut the bottom out of the pot. I've found that this isn't necessary if the drain holes are over 1/2 inch diameter. This is called ring culturing. Water via the sand and feed in the pot once they have flowered.

More info here:http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Pro ... px?pid=437

Good luck!

[niknik]

thanks......off to measure my pots and see what I have available!, ...and pot them on!

[niknik]

well I found a couple of 10", one 9", so put the best specimens in those!. the rest will have to do with 7" pots,
although I might not even have enough of those!.

Now "found" another 5 or 6 self seeded, again nowhere nearwhere the plants were last year. I think they may be cherry toms, as these were super prolific last year ! and the cats etc, did play football with a few!

Potted on about 15 so far, but some were looking a bit dodgy so leftthem in smaller pots, in waterfilled tray , to se if they perk up, befoe I pot them on, as I´m running out of compost, so dont want to waste it!

[Millymollymandy]

My tomato pots are about 18" wide and about 2 foot high. They fill the entire pot with roots in no time at all! Anything smaller and I've found the plants considerably smaller so I go for the biggest pots possible.

I've got self seeded ones all over the place too, but I'm just leaving them in place to see what happens.

[honorablekate]

I live in central London and i would love to grow mini plum tomatoes in pots but there is nowhere i can buy sand or gravel especially as i am in a wheelchair, have you any other suggestions

[Millymollymandy]

Just buy regular potting compost, there is no need for sand or gravel. I water the compost from the top as that's what dries out first. I've been doing this for more than 20 years and it always works for me. Good luck!

[niknik]

MMM.........

Wow 18" pots

Actually can probably get a couple of those, so might pot on some into those!

I am actually leaving 2 of the self seeded, as not much else I can put in that space!. Its under the (low) mandarin tree, and last year the toms were climbing thro ít ! very pretty .......

I didnt realise about pinching out shoots etc till too late!

the plant was actually SO prolific, no visitor could believe there was actually only 1, and were looking for 2 or 3 more .

Other self seeders have to be moved, as in the way where other stuff has to go!

Mind you if only even half of the plants produce a small amount. I´ll have my own tomato mountain!

[niknik]

Mini plums.... I have seen them in the shops, last year, butdidnt buy any as way too expensive and enough growing at home!

Do they taste any different?

[Millymollymandy]

Nik Nik I used to only grow toms in pots so have built up quite a collection over the years (big pain when moving house ) but even now I have a veg patch with some in I still grow some in pots up against a south facing wall - and these are about 1/3rd bigger than the ones in the veg patch at the moment.

I figure it's better because of blight being a problem here - sometimes they have been wiped out in veg patch and still OK for longer up against the house.

When I've done loads in pots and run out of the bigger ones and start going down in pot size I can really see the difference in plant size - which is why I try to go for the biggest imagineable!

We now use home made compost and leaf mould because it was of course way too expensive to use bought potting compost - I worked out it would have been cheaper to buy tomatoes.

I have self seeded ones in amongst my sweet corn, one in the path and several by the compost bins.

[Millymollymandy]

Mini plums.... I have seen them in the shops, last year, butdidnt buy any as way too expensive and enough growing at home!

Do they taste any different?

I had a selection of cherry toms last year and some were plum shaped. Well they tasted like cherry toms and were very nice. Trying to remember what they were called, might have been Apero, but then we have a lot of French varieties here, it being France.

[Henwoman]

I seem to remember that plum tomatoes are usually recommended for sauces, but I have both plums and round ones and use both for everything.