Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Spr0ut on May 22, 2014, 18:50

Title: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Spr0ut on May 22, 2014, 18:50
I've been a bit too successful with my tomatoes - a variety of cherry to medium sized fruits, some cordon and some bush - and I am limited to space.

What size should my final pots be? 3 litre seems to be too small. Do I need a pot around the size of a well known bright orange bucket from a well known DIY store?

I've got sweet peppers to go in there somewhere as well!
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Steveharford on May 22, 2014, 19:06
That particular bucket I do use but that would be the minimum size for me prefer a bit bigger. I found the 10 kg bfb buckets a most useful size and am using a mixture of the two this year. Having said that there were reports here last year of, Monty I think, growing them in ridiculously small pots but feeding and watering umpteen times a day. May have been successful but I suspect it will be another gimmick which we won't see again.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: mumofstig on May 22, 2014, 19:16
The large flower buckets that you get from supermarkets work well.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Spr0ut on May 22, 2014, 19:20
It looks like I may have to take a brave step and harden some of them up for life on the patio outside the g/h. I've never done this before, but if I can't do this in Cornwall I should be surprised.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: sunshineband on May 22, 2014, 19:36
The large flower buckets that you get from supermarkets work well.

They do indeed  :D 

But they do need a decent amount of water, especially when the plants grow large and the weather is warm.


(I might have found a use for those three empty BFB buckets I have under the work table at the plot now, Steve  :nowink:)
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: surbie100 on May 22, 2014, 19:42
I have mine in 38cm bell-shaped pots. They do mean daily watering and lots of food though.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: mjpalin on May 22, 2014, 20:06
I also use the black flower buckets from a certain supermarket, though I take the bottoms out of them and stand them in growbags (laid flat as intended) for a bit of extra compost.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Headgardener22 on May 22, 2014, 20:31
That particular bucket I do use but that would be the minimum size for me prefer a bit bigger. I found the 10 kg bfb buckets a most useful size and am using a mixture of the two this year. Having said that there were reports here last year of, Monty I think, growing them in ridiculously small pots but feeding and watering umpteen times a day. May have been successful but I suspect it will be another gimmick which we won't see again.

He was effectively growing hydroponically with lots of water and feed draining through.

I agree we won't see it again because he didn't do it anything like the bloke he was copying.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: mobilekat on May 22, 2014, 21:03
Being 'over the border' in Devon, I have only ever grown tomatoes outside ( never had a green house!) and unless they get Blight, they do very well.
I just choose blight resistant ones now

If you are choosing the ones to evict, try to go for the ones who are going to have smaller fruits, as these seem to do best, as if the weather is 'dodgy' they ripen better!

Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Spr0ut on May 22, 2014, 21:54
Some plants selected for eviction - Black Cherry for one and some Gardeners delight. Also found some space in a friend's polytunnel in exchange for some of the produce later on. Not looking too bad now.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: gavinjconway on May 22, 2014, 22:24
Is it illegal to say I got my buckets from B&Q on this forum or is everyone just beating around the bush for some reason?

We can add links in our posts to where we buy our seeds but no-one wants to say B&Q or Sainsburys for the flower buckets.. 

I'm lost!!


Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Spr0ut on May 22, 2014, 22:30
Ooh - somebody said the "Orange bucket" word!  :lol:
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: mumofstig on May 22, 2014, 22:42
Is it illegal to say I got my buckets from B&Q on this forum or is everyone just beating around the bush for some reason?

We can add links in our posts to where we buy our seeds but no-one wants to say B&Q or Sainsburys for the flower buckets.. 

I'm lost!!

Lost in space?  :lol:

Course you can name  stores or supermarkets - happens all the time when we post offers in the Frugal Living thread - if you think about it  ;)
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: TheWhiteRabbit on May 22, 2014, 23:12
I got some 7.5 litre pots from eBay - nice quality pots and they're plenty big enough. £25 for 30 pots inc next day delivery.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Spr0ut on May 22, 2014, 23:56
I think I'll go buy some 10 litre buckets (drill holes in for drainage of course) and pot my toms up in them one to a bucket at the 7.5 litre level and earth them up with more compost as they grow on so they put out adventitious roots, as toms do. that way they will become more stable as they grow.
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: gavinjconway on May 23, 2014, 07:38
Is it illegal to say I got my buckets from B&Q on this forum or is everyone just beating around the bush for some reason?

We can add links in our posts to where we buy our seeds but no-one wants to say B&Q or Sainsburys for the flower buckets.. 

I'm lost!!

Lost in space?  :lol:

Course you can name  stores or supermarkets - happens all the time when we post offers in the Frugal Living thread - if you think about it  ;)

Thanks Mum... Thought as much - it's just that a lot of people dont name the shops - instead they try to be cryptic... beats me...
Title: Re: What size pot for a final sized tomato in an unheated mini-greenhouse please?
Post by: Spr0ut on May 23, 2014, 08:16
- my reference to orange buckets was more cynicism than trying to be cryptic, but sorry if my comment offended.