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sunbeam

By Sunbeam

West Midlands, United Kingdom Gb

How much space do tomatoes in containers need?
I’ve got a pot which is 14ins across and 12 ins deep. I’d like to get at least 2 tomatoes in it as I don’t have many sunny spots in my garden Please could someone let me know if this will be ok
Many thanks for the help




Answers

 

With extra fertiliser every couple of weeks you should get away with two in a pot that size. What type do you have?

7 Jun, 2019

 

Thank you so much
I’ve got a mixed bunch of 7 different ones.
I had to order in as most of my own got dug up by something! so I’ve got one plant each of the following

Shirley
Beef master
Gardeners Delight
Tumbling tom
Bite size
Money maker

And one Losetto that survived the digging up!

Could any of these go together in the same pot ?

7 Jun, 2019

 

Toms come in two basic types- indeterminate or vine & determinate or bush. Indeterminate ones grow large but you can (& should) control their size by pinching out growing tips & side shoots. The fruit don't grow & ripen all at the same time. Determinate are smaller, don't need pruning & fruit ripen pretty much all at the same time. Both types need low nitrogen tomato fertiliser when the first flower buds appear.
In one pot you could put, say the moneymaker on the wall side & give it something to support it & bite size at the front. As you've got limited sunny spots could you attach pots to the wall or use some kind of stands? Bite size & tumbling tom may reach the ground in a 12 inch pot & invite slugs, etc in

7 Jun, 2019

 

For my larger tomatoes I just cut the short side off the bags the compost comes in, poke holes in the other end for drainage & stand them up. Rolling down the cut edge to just above soil level makes it a bit neater.
Remember that toms should be planted deeply too, right up to the first true leaves

7 Jun, 2019

 

That’s really helpful so I could put bite size and tumbling tom in a hanging basket? Does beef master need a pot on its own ?

7 Jun, 2019

 

Yes, I've got tumbling tom in tubs with ildi tied to a fence. A beefsteak type could be grown in a 12 inch pot on it's own, but any smaller might not be enough.
Another thing I always recommend for toms which sounds a bit mad but has a scientific basis is spraying with a quarter of a soluble aspirin in a couple of litres of water with a drip of washing up liquid. It creates a reaction in the plant that helps it fight off mould that they're fairly susceptible to particularly in warm, damp weather. Do it once a week for three weeks.
I also use miracle gro as a regular feed before flowering starts, especially when I'm packing them in😄

7 Jun, 2019

 

They’re great suggestions - much appreciated thanks

7 Jun, 2019

 

More than one tomato plant in a container would not be good practice in my book. Once they get going they will need watering and occasional feeding twice a day when the weather warms up. Don't forget that they will produce a second lot of roots just above the surface so will need plenty of water. They will also compete with one another for light so they will become drawn and have limited sunlight. So, as far as I'm concerned one plant to a pot would be my choice.

8 Jun, 2019

 

I agree with Jimmy. Overcrowding will inhibit fruit production and blight could spread like wildfire. Lots of space between each plant creates a 'safety barrier'. Your tomatoes will be happier and give you more extra delicious tomatoes in the end. That's all that matters.

8 Jun, 2019

 

I don't disagree Jimmy & BG but if you've got eight plants & only room for four, with a bit of careful extra work it can be done. With a small, urban garden you have to get a bit more inventive where you can?

8 Jun, 2019

 

That's what I do every year. I start with 20 seedlings, then select 8 of the best, discard the rest. Nobody wants my rejects.

8 Jun, 2019

 

I'm in agreement with Bathgate. I have only a small garden with a medium greenhouse. Every year I grow many more tomato plants than I need. So, I only have limited space for 10 plants to thrive in my greenhouse, needless to say that I always give away my spare plants. If I try and crowd more plants in a limited space, I wind up producing fewer fruits. So more is less?

8 Jun, 2019

 

Thank you all for such helpful views

8 Jun, 2019

How do I say thanks?

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