What can I grow in 2 gallon pots?

Rfdillon · February 14, 2015

Folks, I scored a bunch (~80)of ~2.5 gallon black plastic pots today, from a local supermarket, that they were throwing away after Valentine's Day flower sales.
My question is, what can I grow in them? I imagine them to be too small for a full sized tomato plant, but can I grow peppers in a container of this size? What else would be suitable for this size of container?

Father'sDaughter · February 14, 2015

You can probably grow herbs in them, and there are some hot peppers plants that are very compact. For example, last year I grew a Red Scotch Bonnet in a three gallon pot, and it probably would have been just as happy in a smaller pot.

Cole_Robbie · February 15, 2015

There are a lot of micro tomato varieties that will make fruit in a pot that small. Terrenzo, Red Robin, Tiny Tim, Bitonto, Tumbling Tom all come to mind. I'm sure there are a lot more.

amideutch · February 15, 2015

You can grow any of the Dwarf varieties in 2 gal pots. Your plants will require daily watering and frequent addition of nutrients especially in your location.

Ami

Rfdillon · February 15, 2015

Thanks, folks, for your suggestions, but it is too late, here in SE Texas, for me to acquire any more new seeds for this growing season. I got a late start already, planting my seeds in tge third week of January, and I don't have tge luxury of having enough time to plant new tomato seed. I have a bunch of tomato and pepper seedlings; what else might I be able to plant in them this spring?

Stvrob · February 15, 2015

Plant salad stuff, say 3 different kinds of leaf lettuce.

Sun City Linda · February 15, 2015

How about one bush bean seed in each? I have grown them in pretty small pots before.

tlintx · February 15, 2015

I've done eggplant, cucumbers, and pumpkins (all small fruit varieties) in small pots like that. Nothing did as amazing as pictures I've seen "in ground" but I was happy with the yield (except the pumpkins got hit by squash vine borers).

I would measure one and see how many would fit in a "square foot" and then use the square foot gardening rules for whatever crop I was looking to start, with the caveat that the thing about small pots is the smaller the pot, the more work it is to keep going, so either low expectations or low maintenance plants are a must.

I would also suggest right now starting some lettuce, mesclun mix, maybe spinach (I never have good luck with it), parsley, basil, maybe some beets or carrots. Once it gets hot, amaranth (use leaves as addition to salads), komatsuna, tronchuda cabbage, and mustard greens. Just depends on what you want to eat.

AKmark · February 15, 2015

You can grow large plants in them with hydroponics, my friend up the road grows about 500 tomato plants in small containers, in rockwool, they get so tall that he prunes the bottom to a stem and drops the plant down then reattaches the clips.
The tomatoes are pretty good too. The key is watering, they use automated drips, so they are very accurate.

MikeInCypress · February 15, 2015

Go to Wabash Feed Store or Buchanan's - Look for Lime Green Salad, Kimberley. or even Stupice or any variety with Dwarf in the name. Also you can start most dwarves from seed now. Plant out 1st week in April and get a good crop. Another is Lucky Leprechaun.

MikeInCypress

Rfdillon · February 16, 2015

Well, folks, I went to Buchanan's and Wabash feed store, and neither one had any dwarf tomato seeds. Their seed selection was rather poor, and I even spoke to their seed vendor, who was making an order at Buchanan's.
I did obtain some seeds for micro greens, but no dwarf tomatoes.

Stvrob · February 16, 2015

I bet someone here on Thomasville could set you up with some dwarf tomato seed.

Rfdillon · February 16, 2015

That would certainly be nice, if someone would!

gardener022 · March 8, 2015

Try Craig Lehoullier, the North Carolina tomato man he has tons of dwarf tomato seed. If memory serves me correct he was a member on here once.

**Mischka** · March 8, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by gardener022

Try Craig Lehoullier, the North Carolina tomato man he has tons of dwarf tomato seed. If memory serves me correct he was a member on here once.

Ummm... he is currently and has been a global moderator here, since day one.

February 14, 2015	#1
Rfdillon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 121	What can I grow in 2.5 gallon pots? Folks, I scored a bunch (~80)of ~2.5 gallon black plastic pots today, from a local supermarket, that they were throwing away after Valentine's Day flower sales. My question is, what can I grow in them? I imagine them to be too small for a full sized tomato plant, but can I grow peppers in a container of this size? What else would be suitable for this size of container? Last edited by Rfdillon; February 15, 2015 at 11:35 AM.

February 14, 2015	#2
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	What can I grow in 2 gallon pots? You can probably grow herbs in them, and there are some hot peppers plants that are very compact. For example, last year I grew a Red Scotch Bonnet in a three gallon pot, and it probably would have been just as happy in a smaller pot.

February 15, 2015	#4
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	You can grow any of the Dwarf varieties in 2 gal pots. Your plants will require daily watering and frequent addition of nutrients especially in your location. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

February 15, 2015	#8
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	I've done eggplant, cucumbers, and pumpkins (all small fruit varieties) in small pots like that. Nothing did as amazing as pictures I've seen "in ground" but I was happy with the yield (except the pumpkins got hit by squash vine borers). I would measure one and see how many would fit in a "square foot" and then use the square foot gardening rules for whatever crop I was looking to start, with the caveat that the thing about small pots is the smaller the pot, the more work it is to keep going, so either low expectations or low maintenance plants are a must. I would also suggest right now starting some lettuce, mesclun mix, maybe spinach (I never have good luck with it), parsley, basil, maybe some beets or carrots. Once it gets hot, amaranth (use leaves as addition to salads), komatsuna, tronchuda cabbage, and mustard greens. Just depends on what you want to eat. Last edited by tlintx; February 15, 2015 at 03:54 PM. Reason: added link

February 15, 2015	#10
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	Go to Wabash Feed Store or Buchanan's - Look for Lime Green Salad, Kimberley. or even Stupice or any variety with Dwarf in the name. Also you can start most dwarves from seed now. Plant out 1st week in April and get a good crop. Another is Lucky Leprechaun. MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

February 15, 2015	#3
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	There are a lot of micro tomato varieties that will make fruit in a pot that small. Terrenzo, Red Robin, Tiny Tim, Bitonto, Tumbling Tom all come to mind. I'm sure there are a lot more.

February 15, 2015	#6
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	Plant salad stuff, say 3 different kinds of leaf lettuce.

February 15, 2015	#7
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	How about one bush bean seed in each? I have grown them in pretty small pots before.

February 15, 2015	#9
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	You can grow large plants in them with hydroponics, my friend up the road grows about 500 tomato plants in small containers, in rockwool, they get so tall that he prunes the bottom to a stem and drops the plant down then reattaches the clips. The tomatoes are pretty good too. The key is watering, they use automated drips, so they are very accurate.

February 16, 2015	#11
Rfdillon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 121	Well, folks, I went to Buchanan's and Wabash feed store, and neither one had any dwarf tomato seeds. Their seed selection was rather poor, and I even spoke to their seed vendor, who was making an order at Buchanan's. I did obtain some seeds for micro greens, but no dwarf tomatoes.

March 8, 2015	#14
gardener022 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: New Mexico Posts: 5	Try Craig Lehoullier, the North Carolina tomato man he has tons of dwarf tomato seed. If memory serves me correct he was a member on here once.