[Spr0ut]

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!

[Steveharford]

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.

[mumofstig]

The large flower buckets that you get from supermarkets work well.

[Spr0ut]

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.

[sunshineband]

The large flower buckets that you get from supermarkets work well.

They do indeed   

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  )

[surbie100]

I have mine in 38cm bell-shaped pots. They do mean daily watering and lots of food though.

[mjpalin]

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.

[Headgardener22]

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.

[mobilekat]

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!

[Spr0ut]

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.

[gavinjconway]

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!!

[Spr0ut]

Ooh - somebody said the "Orange bucket" word! 

[mumofstig]

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? 

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 

[TheWhiteRabbit]

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.

[Spr0ut]

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.