The smart pots have been amazing for me. You have to manage the fertilizing and watering, but you usually end up with far less issues with diseases. I tried to be proactive with spraying for disease and insects. Now that the season is coming to an end, I've kind of let things go. And I'm still trying to find a happy balance in terms of staking and supporting the plants which can get interesting with high winds. But basically, I'm a believer!

As I read through the posts...I really focused on the folks that seem to do a combo growing (both in-ground and containers). Their insights seemed less prejudiced and a bit more specific in nature to me. Specifically, the emphasis on potting mix quality... can not be over-stated in my mind. The inter-play between a good draining medium and the frequency/amounts of irrigation is critical. Those of us that have grown awhile have all experienced those crummy maters that taste like a water bag. One thing I know...growing in containers seems more challenging and a bit more work. But, I like it....:))

Ed, it's true. I always have a couple in ground, but the majority in the grow bags. It's always a challenge to grow tomatoes anyways. The benefits of container growing is not getting overly watered if there is heavy rain, but like you said, there are different challenges to deal with. I always start each growing season with a fresh batch of pro mix. But that's my personal choice.

Besides overwatering to ruin taste, tomatoes that are under fertilized in containers don't taste so good. When you get it right though, the taste is undeniably great.

I think you can grow good tasting tomatoes in containers, but it's harder. pH, proper mineral ratios are suddenly much more important than in ground, where usually (not always) these things are already at proper values.
I do notice that they tend to be sweeter however, because of the stress due to hot soil etc.

My container plants are far out producing my in ground plants, which are pretty much done for. I agree about the fertilizing especially magnesium. That is the one mineral that is not usually in any of the fertilizers I have, even with the micronutrients, so adding epsom salts at the beginning and then adding more throughout the season has been necessary for me. I noticed some leaves that were looking very pale and dissolved epsom salts and gave them a drink, and it seemed to correct itself. And I find the taste of my container plants to be better than the other plants as well.

I did this technique this year outside, it worked so well.
Take a plant in a two -three gallon grow bag to your garden, make a raised mound or row of top soil, tear the bottom out of the bag, leave the plant in the container, set the plant into the top of the mound, and put about two inches of dirt around the bottom.
Just keep the container from going dry, watch it mid summer though, force the roots to drive down into the soil, again... do not let the container dry out, but do not keep it soaked.
In the fall cut back on watering, the plants growth will have slowed, BER should not be an issue, let the roots seek water, then taste your fruit.
This also helps when storms come through, the small surface of the container, is blocked by leaves and sheds water well, less fruit cracking for me.
The best part of this, I think, is soil warming technique, it works well in the north, I planted plants as late as June 30th, still got fruit, still picking fruit, nice size fruit too.
Anyway...

Hi Sharon, can you tell us more about your use of epsom salts? As in how much, how often? I've been using just miracle gro on my containers with 5-1-1 mix, and I wonder if epsom salts would make a difference for me.

Sharon, what do you use for watering system? Also do you add things to pro mix? I am not very happy with few containers I have - time consuming to water, the only plants that get BER and taste inferior to soil grown....

Oh Jeebus, I don't need to be hearing this! I'm converting everything but the pumpkins to fabric pots next year and construction has begun.

This is where somebody needs to say, " It's all about adaptation and paying attention, if a person is good at growing things in soil, they can be good at containers."

[QUOTE=Ricky Shaw;503670]Oh Jeebus, I don't need to be hearing this! I'm converting everything but the pumpkins to fabric pots next year and construction has begun.

This is where somebody needs to say, " It's all about adaptation and paying attention, if a person is good at growing things in soil, they can be good at containers."[/QUOTE]

Yes, if you do well in-ground, you'll do great in containers. And for some strange reason I also feel compelled to write [I]"Yes VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus." [/I]

You just need to pay attention to what the plants tell you.

Try the 25 gal fabric ones, they seem to be cheaper than the 20 gal. I've acquired gray, black and brown fabric pots and the differences are aesthetic only. For me, 2-3 plants per 25 gal fabric pot produces good results. I also have some in 5, 7, and 10 gal, depending on the size of the plant.

About half of them are in regular black plastic grow bags and they work just fine too. [U]In the end, it's not so much about the enclosure, but rather what's in the potting mix.[/U]

Reaching that happy medium between moisture retention and good drainage is essential. I use powders for the initial amendments, and from then on they get fed liquids.

Thank you for that Gerardo.

Growing in containers is totally different ballgame from my experience and hmmm, can't say I share ...if grow well in soil you'll do well in containers...I rely big time on worms and microbes to do the job with soil, not sure yet how to transfer this to pots at least to some degree... And I resent time spent on hand watering. Am hoping to learn more for next year and something along Larry Hall gutter system with buckets.

You can grow great anything in containers. For most plants 5 gal is minimum. Once you get the water and fertilizer down you should get very good results in quantity and quality. A soil with some mulch, azomite or bone meal and lots of perlite for good drainage and your set.

I grow mostly in containers, from 5-30 gallons depending on what I am growing. I grow tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, kale, okra and others. I have had super results. I use professional potting mix and my own compost. I fertilize with garden tone, fish fertilizer, epsom salt, and molasses on a consistent schedule. The containers have far less disease issues, I do spray periodically with a fungicide due to very hot/humid summers.