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On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

All you "Bucketeers" take a look at my post on "you are getting famous Marv for the cucumber board" below to see my recipe for growing in a bucket or any other container for that matter. How many growers are going to try growing in a bucket? It is a lot different than growing in soil as there is not much "soil life" in a bucket. Almost all fertilizers will have to be chemical. There is little hope of growing organically in a container. I predict that Bnot will do well because of his hydroponic experience. How many of you have experience growing in containers? Anyone willing to put forth their plan?

3/26/2020 9:03:10 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Marv, you need to post what you emailed me about watering. Soil growers, you get a break...my hydro store is shut down for the near future from walk-in shopping. I called them today...they still will fill my order, but it is pick-up only. I just have to know already what I need, instead of walking around and getting inspiration. I have a general idea of what I want...how am i going to find an 8 inch plastic plate with about 1/2 inch holes spaced about 1/8 inch apart drilled in it. There are a few hydro bucketeers that are going to make it hard beyond myself. I think hydro will win in 2020.

3/26/2020 9:20:56 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Here is a great thread on soil mixes. https://app.box.com/Tomatoes-in-Containers
I will put something up about watering later. One thing at a time.

3/26/2020 9:29:41 PM

Grittyville, WA

I plan to adjust the porosity so that I can water one gallon of water per day without the roots getting too soggy. I'm thinking that in hot summer weather it will need that much. I will probably use half processed dairy product half potting mix. I hope you document the hydro grow. I know I'm not clever enough to go that route but I am clever enough to try to get lots of healthy roots in dirt.

3/26/2020 10:46:19 PM

Grittyville, WA

"Dirt". . . But not dirt. I probably don't use any real dirt at all.

3/26/2020 10:49:04 PM

Western Washington

I'm calling mine a Pandemic Bucket, consisting of whatever I have on hand, that way I'll have a built-in excuse if my mater turns out to be small, yay!

3/26/2020 11:01:57 PM

Norfolk, UK

Growing in a container is still potentially on the cards - there was a little apprehension about me doing in an airpot vs bucket on the main board.

Volume of soil the same - i thought the airpot might make better use of the limited growing medium, but neither do i wish to irk those who want to highlight "bucket" in the title, even if "pot" is mentioned in the small print for what is a sideline friendly comp! We'll see. :)

But - to respond to your challenge Marv I'm not sure i share the sentiment "there is little hope of growing organically in a container". I don't do chemical fertilizers, so it's going to be organic baby!

I might caveat that i really don't like growing in containers, but if I have to, they'll be the best container grown plants i can muster up. :)

3/27/2020 3:50:45 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

I hope you try the airpot SaladDoug. From what I read of Tomato Tim's response it sounds like a legal container. I am trying a fabric pot with a carrot this winter for the first time. It acts different than a closed container. Instead of water pooling at the bottom, the sides go dry and the middle stays wet. I think an airpot might have similar characteristic.

If I was to grow in a closed container I would think about layering the soil mixed according to depth. Different mixtures retain different levels of water. All the same mixture, the bottom could be really soggy(lack of air) while the top could be bone dry. Just something to consider.

3/27/2020 6:34:57 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Doug may be right about growing organic in a bucket. If the soil gets too warm, goodbye organisms.

3/27/2020 11:11:53 AM

Central NY

We grew 74 containers last year...you guys are goin down

3/27/2020 11:28:32 AM

Central NY

Lol...the bucketeers....funny

3/27/2020 11:31:02 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Watering
The most important technique you need to develop, if you want to successfully grow tomatoes in containers, is when and how to water. The goal of watering in container gardening is to saturate the soil. You must apply enough water to at least dampen the entire soil mass in the container. Also you need to know exactly when to water and this is not as simple as you might think. There is a huge tendency to overwater.
Exactly when do the plants need water? This is dependent on the growing mix you are using, the weather you are having and the kind of container you chose. You definitely do not want your plants to wilt. There are many ways to decide if it is time to water. Here is one that works. You simply check the water level in your container using a dowel rod. Sharpen a 5/16 inch dowel rod in a pencil sharpener. Push the tip of the rod down to the bottom of your container. If it comes out cool or damp, there is no need to water. If it is dry, then water. Try to use the same hole each time you insert the rod so as not to disturb the roots. With a little practice you will know exactly when to water.
Some people like to use moisture meters. You stick the meter rod down into the soil and take a reading. This is better than nothing but understand that water meters measure how much electricity will flow through the soil and are a more accurate measure of conductivity than moisture levels. Still, a moisture meter is better than nothing. You could also use your finger. Stick your finger in a drainage hole to see if it feels moist; this is why side drainage holes were recommended. But don’t depend on this totally to tell you when to water as there can be a lot of difference between the top, middle and the bottom of the container. You could also pick up the container to see what it weighs. This would give you an indication of whether the container is wet or dry.

3/27/2020 12:34:02 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Now that you know the plant needs water, we’ll move on to the watering technique. This will most likely be different than anything you have ever done as far as watering. Use a one or two gallon watering can depending on your strength. As you will note below, the water will already have diluted fertilizer present. The growing medium should be so porous that the water disappears immediately into the mix as quickly as it is applied. If it takes longer than 30 seconds to disappear, your growing medium is too dense. The water should move quickly down through the soil. Wait a few minutes and then add more water until you see 10 to 15 % of the water you have added leaching out through the holes in the bottom of the pot. This prevents salt accumulation in your container by flushing salts from the soil. It is not necessary to flush the soil vigorously each and every time you water but the soil should be porous enough that you can do so whenever you like.
Tomato plants must not be allowed to dry out, and outside containers dry out much more quickly in the summer than soil in the garden. During hot weather, you might have to water every day, and, in really hot weather, July and August, maybe more than once a day. To prevent containers from drying out when it is really hot, you may have to move them into the shade or to a spot where they will be shaded partially during the heat of the day. In cool weather you may only have to water every few days.

3/27/2020 12:35:50 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

When you do water, be careful not to wet the plant's foliage, as this increases the chances of mold and spreading diseases from the soil to the leaves. Instead, just water the soil directly with a watering can which will also give you an idea of just how much water you are using. It is better to water in the morning to prevent fungus from growing. When it is really hot it is better to water during the heat of the day.
Never allow your tomatoes to completely dry out. If they wilt from lack of water, water them thoroughly. Water your plants more as the fruit develops and less as it ripens. Tomatoes watered too much right before they are harvested taste watery and may split.
A drip watering system or a water-retaining system with a reservoir such as Earthbox is also an option. This is more complicated than it seems and is beyond our discussion here. However, it is definitely worth looking into and especially for someone who might be absent from their plants for a prolonged period of time and without a friend to care for them.

3/27/2020 12:36:24 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Hope the above helps with watering. Just one way to consider as to how to do it.

3/27/2020 12:37:18 PM

Central NY

Wow...there’s gonna be some HUGE tomatoes grown in containers this year...great advice marv...and I agree..this is whats most important...I

3/27/2020 12:42:06 PM

Wixom MI.

SaladDoug yes you can grow in an air pot in this contest. I have talked to tim about these things and the idea is to be as creative as you can in a 5 gallon container. This was to see if anyone could come up with something new that know one even thought of !!! That is how we learn new ideas,is to be creative. That is why we let bnot do the hydroponic system. I know hydroponic systems are very difficult to do outside and we thought it would be interesting if bnot could teach us if it could be done ???

3/27/2020 2:56:32 PM

Wixom MI.

I posted in my diary of one i grew in a 20 gallon pot in 2016. I didn't take care of it much and it still grew a 3.80 lb tomato. The problem i had when it was little was the bottom would stay wet while the top seemed dry making it easy to over water but this was a 20 gallon pot not 5 gallons.

3/27/2020 3:05:55 PM

Torino, ITALY

due to virus I will not have my new garden ready for this season, so I plan to grow something in airpots; my pots will be 20 liters = 5.28 gallons, hope it's not a problem, I promise not to overfill them :)

4/13/2020 3:54:16 PM

Aurora, Il

I'm plan to join in here! Thinking through my plan. Still so cold here! Great ideas above and great watering tips.

4/14/2020 10:24:19 AM

aurora, IL

I'll join too! I have never grown giant tomatoes before. I have mostly grown giant pumpkins and giant squashes. I will try to sprout seeds from the 5.58 Porkchop 2015 that I potted yesterday.

4/14/2020 2:05:52 PM

Valencia

I'm in too

4/14/2020 2:30:48 PM