Sweet and Neat Tomato container Size

clkeiper · March 20, 2013

I am growing some Sweet and Neat tomatoes this year and was wondering what anyones thoughts were as to the size of pot I need for one. The plant only grows 12-14" tall. Do you think a 1 gallon pot is big enough?

BennB · March 25, 2013

Last year I grew several varieties and types in one gallon pots and they did just fine. The main issue is that with that small a container, you need to keep up with watering and fertilizing, although they were less productive over the long term compared to plants in larger pots.

I grew several early determinate tomato varieties in one gallon pots that I kept in my small hightunnel/greenhouse all season. I also grew some cherry tomatos in one gallon hanging pots that I made into "topsy turveys" by cutting a hole in the bottom. I even experimented and grew some beefstake indeterminate varieties in one gallon pots that I kept trimming back after the first fruit cluster set to see if I could get some more early fruit (which is a challenge in the Pacific Morthwest).

The main deal with small pots does not seem to be that the plants won't grow, but there is a trade off om how much attention you need to give to give them. You may need to water them several times a day and you need to be more agressive with the fertilizer.

In my case, I had dripper irrigation set up that was timed to water twice a day. I also needed to keep up and fertilize them pretty aggressively, every other day or so until fruit had set and then at least twice a week thereafter.

clkeiper · March 25, 2013

Thanks Ben, I am growing to sell them, but didn't want to put into too small of a container. I can do the fertilizing and watering with no problem, it's after they leave my greenhouse that they seem to not do so well, because people forget to water or don't realize how much they they need nor do they "feed" them very well.

BennB · March 25, 2013

Personally, when I buy a start I like to buy them in 4" pots since I like to transplant them into other containers and I like to use mostly my own soil. I won't buy a plant in a larger pot since they are more expensive and I seem to do better with smaller plants, but it seems like a 1 gallon might be a good middle ground. Those that want to can transplant into a bigger pot. Those that want to grow it out in the pot it came in will probably have good luck!

clkeiper · March 26, 2013

My intentions are to sell them with fruit already on them. I guess I didn't really clarify that. sorry. I have a "festival" in mid May to attend and I am one of the few vendors with plants there. Anything with fruit sell quickly. Other than that it is sold from my house and still goes fast with blossoms and fruit already on it.

March 20, 2013	#1
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Sweet and Neat Tomato container Size I am growing some Sweet and Neat tomatoes this year and was wondering what anyones thoughts were as to the size of pot I need for one. The plant only grows 12-14" tall. Do you think a 1 gallon pot is big enough? __________________ carolyn k

March 25, 2013	#2
BennB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Seattle, Wa Posts: 77	Last year I grew several varieties and types in one gallon pots and they did just fine. The main issue is that with that small a container, you need to keep up with watering and fertilizing, although they were less productive over the long term compared to plants in larger pots. I grew several early determinate tomato varieties in one gallon pots that I kept in my small hightunnel/greenhouse all season. I also grew some cherry tomatos in one gallon hanging pots that I made into "topsy turveys" by cutting a hole in the bottom. I even experimented and grew some beefstake indeterminate varieties in one gallon pots that I kept trimming back after the first fruit cluster set to see if I could get some more early fruit (which is a challenge in the Pacific Morthwest). The main deal with small pots does not seem to be that the plants won't grow, but there is a trade off om how much attention you need to give to give them. You may need to water them several times a day and you need to be more agressive with the fertilizer. In my case, I had dripper irrigation set up that was timed to water twice a day. I also needed to keep up and fertilize them pretty aggressively, every other day or so until fruit had set and then at least twice a week thereafter. Last edited by BennB; March 25, 2013 at 07:57 PM.

March 25, 2013	#3
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Thanks Ben, I am growing to sell them, but didn't want to put into too small of a container. I can do the fertilizing and watering with no problem, it's after they leave my greenhouse that they seem to not do so well, because people forget to water or don't realize how much they they need nor do they "feed" them very well. __________________ carolyn k

March 26, 2013	#5
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	My intentions are to sell them with fruit already on them. I guess I didn't really clarify that. sorry. I have a "festival" in mid May to attend and I am one of the few vendors with plants there. Anything with fruit sell quickly. Other than that it is sold from my house and still goes fast with blossoms and fruit already on it. __________________ carolyn k