Best slicing-size tomato for container growing?

I was wondering about depth in terms of the roots. I used 15 and 20 gallon grow bags last year and I found the 15 gallon bags weren't big enough for some of my plants. Of course with the bags watering is an issue because they drain so fast and there is no reservoir. Anyways, at the rate the weather is going, tomatoes are a distant dream, lol!

Are you talking about buckets or earthboxes? You know how deep the 5 gallon buckets are so you must mean the boxes? Just guessing Bob says about a foot and a half counting the reservoir and wheels on them. Now David said he put casters on his. But, ours came with the wheels on them already plus the support about 4 feet above the box. I bought it at an estate sale David for $20. A good buy.

Hugobee,
The Earthbox dimensions are 29L x 14"W x 11"H. You'll have approximately 8" of depth in the patented EBs, from the top down to the soil platform. The other 3" is underneath the platform, creating the reservoir. I wouldn't put more than two large indeterminate tomato plants in each box, and might even sacrifice and go with only one.

The first time I used my patented Earthboxes for huge indeterminates, I got a tomato jungle. I trenched for planting the limp stem (didn't water for awhile to make it go limp) in an "L" shape, and planted deep, up to the plant tip. There was a humongous root system along that bent stem, LOL!

I'd say go with a planting vessel that's wider than it is deeper. Tomato roots don't go all that vertically deep (I observed about 15" max in some of my EBs), but I have observed they will do better if there's more horizontal spread room for the roots. I have several cattle molasses tubs, ~15-25 gallons, which are short and squatty -- about 18" deep and 24" across. The tomatoes do well in those.

Hope this helps.

Linda

Thanks Linda that really helps. I agree about the width, because the grow bags are fairly wide, and when I removed them, I saw how the roots spread more in width than depth. Actually I agree, one plant might be enough if it`s a large one. Still trying to figure out what I want to do. Obviously, I have time seeing as we are having yet again another snow storm tomorrow!

Guess I have some planning to do..... I`m also considering raised bed, so any suggestions are welcome.

Sharon, did you like the growbags? I tried a couple but any time I moved them the soil moved off of the roots. Or around in there so the roots were never grabbing hold. At least that is what I imagined happening.

I know one of the ladies is using a lot of them for tomatoes, but I think she has them all packed together and not moving at all. That would work if that is what you do. I had them on my deck and moved to follow the sun.

I'm getting ready to start my tomato and pepper seeds indoors. I always do that on March 15, for plant-out in the ground during the first week of May.

First, though, I had to use my seedlings' light table for something else. That plywood base in my shop with just one fluorescent light hanging is just right for pouring lead jig heads onto hooks for the spring crappie and white bass run here. I do that every year, and THEN I'll hang the rest of the lights and the table becomes available for seedlings.

I love gardening, but I've got 'way more than one hobby - and those fish are about to start biting. :>)

Wish I was fishing! The jig-making jig looks very cool. It looks like it makes jigs of several weights with several hook sizes. Do you dip the heads or use them uncolored?

Near disaster here Thursday morning. One of the Earthboxes rolled off the edge sideways and promptly twisted and dumped. About half the damp mix fell out. I was able to rescue the seedlings which had only minor damage. My mother in law helped rescue the potting mix. The plants had a few broken leaves and minor breaks in a few branches. I was able to replant and by mid afternoon they had recovered pretty well. This box was the one with Isis Candy. I would be least disappointed to lose that one, since I have grown it before.

David, that particular mold does make jig heads of different weights - but that did me no good yesterday as I only wanted a bunch of the 3/32 oz. size, poured on 1/0 gold hooks. I made over 100 of those.

Sorry about your Earthbox spill. It sounds like the net damage was about like a spring thunderstorm coming through here. I'm glad you were able to save all the seedlings.

Keeping this thread away from tomatoes I guess - but I was shocked to read an Agriculture Department report yesterday about how easily peppers cross pollinate. Recommended distances to keep the seeds true, and with barrier crops like corn planted in between, is 150 feet between different sweet pepper varieties and 600 feet between sweet peppers and hot peppers! Sheesh.

So there's no telling what we've got in those Yummy Orange Pepper seeds I sent you. The seeds were saved from a plant that was in a row between two Mariachi (mild hot) Pepper plants, and I put my peppers 18 inches apart! I'm gonna try a couple of plants from those seeds anyway.

Ozark, I have read that about peppers as well. At least I remembered reading the part about keeping the hot peppers and sweet peppers separated. Since I keep my sweet corn separated by pollination dates/plant out dates I figured keeping the sweet and hot peppers separated by pollination dates would work as well. It is so fun to learn new things for the garden!

Back to the tomatoes, sort of. My Farmers Almanac says we may be getting thunder storms this weekend here in NE TX and a bit east of here. The local TV weather dude says the same and since the Farmers Almanac was right about the ice/snow storm that blew through here a couple of weeks ago (weather dude not really right at all) I have know reason to doubt that we might very well get those thunder storms this weekend ( it says 15th - 17th). So if you all have any tomatoes sitting outside to harden off this weekend you might want to bring them in at night just in case!

Wish I were fishing too! Visitors coming here to the office from afar and everyone is uptight about it. Bother!

Ozark, back to the fishing. When I was a kid in North Idaho, we caught crappies and they were about the size of the Blue Gills, Sun fish, etc. But several years ago when we moved here to NE Washington State, we were fishing for Bass, and I was totally amazed to pull this fish out and it looked like a crappy, but you know that fish was so huge, I know it was a crappy but it was BIG. At least a pound.

Are yours that size? That was the size we were catching there for all that season and then the next we started but we WERE fishing bass so we didn't try for the crappies any more. I have never seen Crappies that big before.

OK, back to business here. David, you need to tell us how you are. I didn't know you were back. How did the hospital, surgery, etc. go? I know you said it was tough getting in and out of the car, which it would be in the situation you have with your knees.

Do you have therapists coming to your house several days a week, etc. Hope so. Guess they are pretty good.

Ok, back to the tomato business. I planted my seeds yesterday, have them on a heating mat in my kitchen with florescent lights over them. Oh, and a dome.

I don't have my surgery scheduled yet, but hoping the plants will be ready to repot when my daughter comes to visit in April. Then will plant in the buckets in May. Those are my plans anyway.

I am so glad that the issue of cross pollination and peppers has been brought up....I've always been told how readily they cross but nobody seemed to agree with me. I've heard hot peppers cross the easiest. I have had Tabasco peppers and Purple Jals cross and they were at opposite ends of the same row. I'm so glad I'm not going nuts, that's one reason I'm very reluctant to save or trade pepper seeds.

Back to tomatoes or fishing or whatever...LOL

Lisa, just because you're right about the peppers - it doesn't mean you're not nuts. LOL

Big day for me - the "Ides of March", the 15th. That's when I always start tomato and pepper seeds indoors. The growing season begins, even in this 6a zone that's been blasted by something called a "polar vortex" repeatedly, all winter!

Dave, hope all is well. Jen how are you doing and what is happening?
so, back to tomatoes. Jen I moved by grow bags a few times, although they did weigh a fair amount. My growing medium stayed pretty intact. In fact as the tomatoes grew, the roots really grabbed on and from time to time, I topped up the soilless mix because the bags drain so quickly.

I've been home from the hospital just over a full week. I'm not able to do very much, and I have to rest frequently. I have to remind myself that at this point after the first surgery I was still in the rehab hospital. I'm impatient to start recovering.

I have stopped taking narcotic pain pills, using only Ibuprofen for pain. I can't bend my legs at all. I have splints on both legs, with immobilizing braces over the splints. The splints are basically plaster half-casts, attached tightly to my legs with wrapped bandages. I can sit in a wheelchair, but my stiff legs protrude fairly far in front. I sleep and spend most of the day in recliners. They are in different rooms, so there is a change of scenery. I am able to roll the wheelchair out through the garage to move the tomatoes if the weather threatens a freeze. It involves a lot of stopping, moving the box, repositioning the chair, and moving the Earthbox again. Works even if it is tedious.

I go back to the doctor on Thursday to have the splints and the staples in my incisions removed. It will be at least 2 months before I get to substantially bend my knees, about 3 months before I get to nearly 90-degree bends. Hopefully I will get to start putting some weight on my legs by 3 months. We hope that I will be limited walking by the end of summer. I'm not doing any therapy at the moment, since I can't bear weight. I do have a home aide that comes in for 4 hours a day, to help me with lunch, moving from wheelchair to recliner, and also doing some light housework to help my wife. I don't know how I'm actually healing, but the pain from the surgery is minimal. There is some pain in my legs from being stretched out all the time, but that is bearable. Thanks to all for your well wishes.

To the tomatoes: There has been a noticeable amount of growth on everything. The dwarf plants are (as expected) growing the most slowly. The Isis Candy cherry is already trying to bloom, but has been pinched. I will post new pictures next week. Initially, everything with the tomatoes is growing pretty well.

I have a few pepper seeds planted, too. I will probable start a thread on those on the peppers forum. I have Gypsy hybrid seeds, Yummy, Purple Maui (Thanks Ozark) and a cayenne-style red pepper started. All have sprouted on the heat mat, with the temperature set at 85-degrees. I'll probable take the tray cover off on Monday.

David R

Glad to hear you are doing well David. I think the worst part of it is the frustration over not being able to go your regular speed and get things done that you want to do. That will come but you just have to be patient. Sounds like a long drawn out process doesn't it. At this point. Just have to remember that surgery, any surgery, is very traumatic to your body. It has to heal.

Sounds like your tomatoes are doing good. What temps did you have your heat mat on for them? I planted my tomato seeds 2 days ago and had lost the instructions on the thermostat. It was a new one, as my last one gave up and cooked the seeds I had planted. That was last year. So, I put the question on Amazon and 5 people wrote and told me how to set the heat. But it is only on 75. Don't remember what I should have it on???

Sharon, I finally got the clearance on my cardiac issue, but now have to wait for an appt. for surgery once again. She, the scheduler, says she has a whole new stack of surgeries to schedule for the 2 surgeons I need. My insurance is going to quit paying for pre-ops pretty soon. So far it is 2. Jen

Jnette, I set my heat mat to 80 degrees. I used a kitchen thermometer to verify the accuracy of the setting. For peppers I set the temp to 85.

Thanks David. I was thinking that was about it, but since cooking the seeds once, I am trying to be more careful. I think the petunias will be ok with 80 too. Thanks.

I'm glad you're making progress David!

I planted my pepper seeds about 2 weeks ago, my heat mat is at around 85 degrees and I got 100% germination except for one variety (Alma Paprika from Totally Tomatoes). Should I take them off the heat mat mow or after the first set of true leaves? I planted my tomato seeds yesterday and replanted the Alma Paprika-maybe they will do better this time or maybe they're duds......

Dave, you're amazing to do what you do! I wish you a speedy recovery. But like Jen says, take it easy and slow. It will all happen when it happens!
Jen, I know how frustrating it is waiting and waiting...... I still haven't started anything yet. By the weekend, and then we'll see!
I have never used a heating pad, I'm hoping the room will be warm enough and there's plenty of light. Hmmmm..... Still freezing here.

David,
Glad you're on the mend, even if it will be for awhile!

NOW is the time to do some of those tedious HAND gardening projects!

Get a jump on next season by doing things like:
►washing up your seed trays in a small basin or bucket you can put on a small table. Have your wife put protective garbage bags over your legs -- rubber bands
►organizing your shelves (the ones you can reach easily)
►making plant labels
►making a graph of your veggie beds and determining what and where to plant next season
►making a list for your next seed order(s)
►oiling and sharpening your tools
►making your own U-shaped landscape staples out of bent wire hangers
►breaking down large volumes of fertilizer & garden amendments to manageable coffee cans, etc. & labeling them
►Turning plastic drinking water bottles into seed pots - cut off the tops & cut holes in the bottoms -- use ones with the least dip in the "waist" of the bottle...

Hope these ideas help! There're LOTS of things you can do from the chair!

Linda

Good suggestions Linda.

Thanks, Jnette!

Linda--

Those are all great suggestions, but they imply a degree of organization that I could never manage. : ). I end up planning at the last minute and organizing on the fly. It's a personal flaw. I do love to develop detailed solutions, but never very far in advance. That's one reason I love Amazon.com and "prime" two-day delivery.

David R

I have to second that David....I know how it's going to be done in my head..,God help me so I don't order anymore seeds. I haven't even finished cleaning out all my garden area. Next task is to toss some radish seeds...

Me too, you guys.

Count me in for an Amazon junkie as well. That 2 day delivery is often faster and easier than driving into the "City" to get whatever I need. I swear, you can find just about anything on Amazon!

I just started my "free 30-day trial" of Amazon Prime last week. At the end of that time I'll be charged $79.95 for a year's subscription, a savings from the new price of $99.95. I don't know how long Amazon is going to offer that deal.

We'll get good value out of Prime because my wife and I are readers. We order regular books and Kindle books from Amazon all the time, and there's a Prime discount on a lot of those. Then there's Prime streaming video - lots of good movies and TV shows on there, and I've been watching them every night this week. Also, as a Prime member I can "borrow" one Kindle book per month for free and there are 50,000 titles to choose from - I'll take advantage of that, for sure. THEN, there's the free 2-day shipping on Amazon orders - I'll probably save $80. a year on that alone.

All in all, I think Prime is a great value for what amounts to $6.67 a month, and will be even after it goes up to $8.33.

Total Kindle junky here and have been a "prime" member for a while. What we save in shipping more than pays for the subscription even with the increase in fees. Still haven't found out how to use the "borrowing" part. But I'll figure it out in time.

Happy reading! Terri

I've had very little experience with Amazon but the one experience I had was fantastic customer service. My son order some tiny, expensive electronic thingie and it showed it had been delivered but we never got it in OUR mail box. I thought "great, how am I going to prove this?". I got online, they called me, I explained the issue, they gave us a refund. The whole thing took 5 min.

Still haven't gotten used to Kindle....I like the smell of regular books....lol

Well, that is the one thing I don't use. I don't have a kindle. My daughter loves hers and uses it and Prime constantly. I use the library 'cause I just do not have room for any more books etc. But, I love Amazon prime, have had a few issues with them, one big one that I doubt they will ever change, but won't smear their good name over it. Others can figure it out for themselves. But I do buy a lot thru them and yes, the delivery is great. How would you like to have one of those little drones dropping your order off in a half hour after you placed it? LOL, fun huh!!

Better watch out, Admin will be after us for giving Amazon free advertising. Wish my contract for prime was up before they raise the price. Oh well, $100 you say, is still a good price for all I get delivered.

Hehe....two Prime packages delivered yesterday:) A pullman bread pan (good luck finding that here in Buffalo MN) and a new lunchbox salad container-I bought the original one at Walmart but they stopped carrying them. I'd taken over Hubby's and he wanted it back, so I got a new one.

Personally, I have a Nook (B&N) because when I started using it, the Kindles weren't widely available in retail stores-now they're all over. I wanted to hold one in my hands before I bought it. They're virtually the same, though, I think. I have the Kindle app on my Nook:) I love it but I tend to spend more on books-too easy to buy online. I'm going to renew my library card today, in fact.

The tomato seeds I planted last weekend have sprouted nicely...too bad there is still over a foot of snow on my garden and the temperature is 5 degrees this am. Someone posted on Facebook that Minnesota has the record this year for the most days below freezing this winter, 135 days. Seems like it has been more:)
Think warm!

Well DMurray, I guess that means you did not spray your seeds with neem oil. Yup, like I did. Got hold of it instead of the water to mist all my seeds. Tomatoes, petunias, verbenas, etc. Very few came up, and I never have any problems with any of them.

And, I would replant tomorrow, but off to the hospital on Monday for surgery, so too much other stuff to do.

Good luck with your seeds, plant in the snow. :0)

Jnette:) Sounds like me last year. I had some nasty, very persistent weeds in two of my garden beds. I don't usually use chemicals except for the occasional walkway and was out spraying some weeds coming up through the cracks in the driveway (near the 2 beds) and I thought, "Hmmm, this is just Round Up, it will go away in a few days (I hadn't planted anything yet-still early spring) so I sprayed that nasty stuff onto my up until then pristinely organic beds. Guess what? It wasn't Round Up, it was Weed B Gone which hangs around in the soil much longer.Even after waiting several weeks, the first several batches of plants I put in died right away. Finally, a few tomatoes and peppers lived, but the plants looked deformed and stunted. I kept hoping that they would outgrow the damage, but they never did. They did bear fruit, but I was afraid to really eat any-though my much braver husband did try a few and said they tasted fine. Long story short (well actually, it's not actually short) those garden beds are gone and there is a trailer sitting there now. I have two new beds in a different location. My husband keeps asking me when I'm going to get my spray out........
Good luck with your surgery Jnette-I hope everything goes well!

And, as a side note, I've been reading about how horrible Round Up really is-doubt if I'll ever use it again anywhere.

The Earthbox tomatoes seem to be doing well. All (except the dwarf) are well over 12 inches tall. The Isis Candy plants are a little worse for wear after their dumping incident, but seem to be recovering. I'm leaving out all the time now, so the plants are having to adapt to wind and varying weather. We've had a few cold nights and a few windy (even blustery, if anyone is a Pooh fan) days. So far there's not been excessive damage from wind. The soil temperature seems to be staying warm enough as well. On a couple of mid 40s mornings I checked the soil temperatures and they were just above 60 degrees. I think the moist soil does a good job of holding heat overnight. I'll eventually get a new picture posted.

I've been to the orthopedic surgeon. He decided I needed to keep plaster splints on for another two weeks. : ( There's no indication of any problem, he is just being cautious. Also still have the early morning surgery for parathyroid scheduled Wednesday. Hopefully that will help resolve some of the long term bone issues I'm having.

Jnette-- good luck on your surgery!

David R

Thanks David, and the same to you. Caution is always best. I guess. That's what they tell me anyway. Guess we will Compare notes when we get out. LOL, Jeanette

I'm late with these wishes, but hope your surgery goes well today, Jeanette, and that you will be much, much better after your recovery. David, it sounds like you are up-and-at-'em again, so hope you are well on your way to a smooth recovery too. Can't keep good gardeners down!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, David. And best wishes for a successful surgery Jnette.

I would love to have the drones delivering to me. But out were I am in Texas I thinks they would be shot down by the locals for the fun of it. LOL!

Well, one of the Isis Candy plants didn't make it. We had a really windy day or two and one of the plants broke. I found some bamboo skewers and added quick supports to the other plants. My mom-in-law bought me a Super Sweet 100 to replace the killed plant. I planted it Tuesday night before the Wednesday surgery. All the plants are looking pretty good. I'm going to add larger stakes to support the plants until they get a permanent home, where I can have t-posts driven outside the EBs for permanent support.

Home from the surgery. All went well. Had the expected calcium crash, but that stabilized by mid-day today. I am taking mega doses of calcium and vitamin D. The good news is all that calcium is being absorbed by my bones and making them stronger. Still in the wheelchair for the foreseeable future, unfortunately.

David R

David you're a miracle that's all I cannot say! Well I sowed my tomato seeds last Sunday and am happy to report, so far so good. 75% have germinated so I'm very hopeful! We still have a lot of snow and apparently more is coming so I guess I don't have to worry about planting in the near future, lol!
Anyways, I don't think I'd have the energy to do what you do. I'm already tired and mine are just sprouting!
Jeannette, hope you are well and if you need more seeds let me know.
Everyone, hope this is going to be a good year. By the way, what about fertilizing seedlings? Do you fertilize when sowing or when the first true leaves start?
Sharon.

David, I'm glad you're home and that the surgery went well - you're amazing.

Sharon, I've always just gone by Carolyn's method, which is to not fertilize seedlings. I start my seeds in Jiffy Mix, which has no fertilizer. When they get the first set of true leaves I transplant them up into larger containers with MiracleGro Potting Mix, and that does contain fertilizer. That's all they get, though.

Before planting anything in my garden I till a good dose of 10-20-10 granular fertilizer into the soil. Before transplanting into the ground, though, when tomatoes and pepper plants are seedlings I want slow growth - so no fertilizer.