Grow pots, grow bags, sizes for indeterminates

[TomatoDon]

What is the optimal size container or grow bag for good production of a large determinate beefsteak variety of tomato?

Thanks!
DS

[zipcode]

You plan commercial operation but without automated watering? That does not seem like a good idea. Most of the time you'll spend with them will be watering.
With automated watering 10gal should be plenty, moving around huge containers in the spring is less fun then one would think (even without big plants which would make this basically impossible). I don't think you're gaining much by avoiding transplanting. Being able to properly heat a small place to make quality transplants is important, having huge containers taking up the place is not efficient. Have good support methods in place, automate as much as possible, optimize production (single stem).

[TomatoDon]

I simplified by editing my original post so we can stay focused on the central issue.

What is the optimal size container or grow bag for a large determinate tomato plant?

[zipcode]

5-10 gallon in my experience. I now grow indeterminates only, but for 7 gal they were healthy all season, abut 7-8 kg per plant which is decent but just with manual watering since I can't automate anything on the balcony (which isn't mine).

[Barb_FL]

Besides Earthboxes, I grow in Root Pouches. My favorite size for tomatoes is 7 gallons. It looks way closer to the 10 gallon than the 5 gallon. Watering is not automatic.

[oakley]

I agree with Zip and Barb. 7-10 gallon. First year with 3 earthboxes. Love them
being self watering. But use some containers, 10 gallon, and some smaller root pouches
for dwarf toms.

[Koala Doug]

You can grow them in containers as small as 5 gallons (I've done it successfully with indeterminate plants)... but I've also used 10 gallon and 15 gallon fabric containers.

The larger ones are more forgiving as it takes longer for the root zone to dry out. The smaller you go, the more on-point you need to be with your watering/fertilizing.

By that same token, the smaller ones are easier to move (if you even have a need to move them). A 15 gallon container with moist growing mix and a plant is pretty heavy and nearing the cusp of being immobile.

[AKmark]

3 gallons and up can grow any variety. I grow two plants in 5 gallon filled to about 4 and some change. I grow somewhere between a 1000-2000 plants depending on my crop selections.

Here's the catch, the smaller the container the better one has to be with watering and precision fertilizer mixes.

[TomatoDon]

I'm surprised at how small some of the containers are that many of you are using to successfully grow indeterminates. I thought I'd see more about 20 and 25 and even 30 gallon containers, but no one has even mentioned them. There is a person in town that has a little side-yard garden and he is using 5 gallon buckets and they seemed to do fine.

That's might impressive if you are growing over 1,000 plants in containers! Can you share some pictures of your operation?

One reason I thought the big ones might be more popular here is because with the extra soil it should help keep the temps moderated on the roots...plus, as someone said, it helps maintain moisture and watering isn't as critical.

Do many of you set your containers in pans or saucers to help with watering?

Thanks for all the info!

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by TomatoDon

I'm surprised at how small some of the containers are that many of you are using to successfully grow indeterminates. I thought I'd see more about 20 and 25 and even 30 gallon containers, but no one has even mentioned them. There is a person in town that has a little side-yard garden and he is using 5 gallon buckets and they seemed to do fine.

That's might impressive if you are growing over 1,000 plants in containers! Can you share some pictures of your operation?

One reason I thought the big ones might be more popular here is because with the extra soil it should help keep the temps moderated on the roots...plus, as someone said, it helps maintain moisture and watering isn't as critical.

Do many of you set your containers in pans or saucers to help with watering?

Thanks for all the info!

Hi Don, go to the container section, and look up my latest thread. Scroll back and you can see the long season as it progressed. Good luck, there is a slight learning curve, but the time spent will be worth it.

[TomatoDon]

Thanks AKMark! I checked it out and you have a very impressive operation!

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by TomatoDon

Do many of you set your containers in pans or saucers to help with watering?

Thanks for all the info!

I'm one of those container growers with only 5-10 gallon buckets. Those are fine, but then I do not take any long out-of town trips - a few days at maximum

Yes, I do have saucers under most of my pots, just to collect the water if it is about to run through.. My Mom is my 'helping hand' and she is very particular that there won't be any mess on her fine patio
On my own balcony, I sometimes just place some newspaper under a container if I have run out of saucers. It is not pretty but helps to keep the soil from spreading all around.

[hazeldazel]

I have 5 different indeterminate tomatoes growing in 7 gallon grow bags. They’re doing great! I did hook up a cheapo drip system with a timer because between my job and the commute, the tomatoes are gonna die if it’s left to me to do it. There’s a single 2 gph dripper in each pot and the system goes for 15 minutes twice a day.

[TomatoDon]

Hazel, so you are giving them a gallon per container per day? No supplemental hand watering?

The outside saucers are the standard, but can be expensive due to the larger size it has to be and for how much of it can't even be used due to the room the container takes up. I'd think a small saucer placed inside would be just as good, less expensive, and more efficient.

Have any of you tried this?

[hazeldazel]

On the weekend I’ll give them some master blend, calcium and Epsom salts of course mixed in water but that’s it. I usually don’t get home until around 8 pm so no time to play with tomatoes. we did have some temps in the low to 90’s for several weeks so I turned the timer to 20 minutes. But now that it’s down to ~80 it’s back down to 15 minutes. The timer goes on around 5:30am and then at 5:30pm. It’s just a cheapo rainbird battery operated timer on the hose spigot so not a lot of fine tuning possible.