Mintee wrote in message ...
Frank wrote:

Dear Experts,

I just planted my tomatos! Here is SF bay area. I bought a growing kit
which contains a 6" bucket, potting soil and a small bag of seed.
Following the instruction, I put 10 seeds about 1/4" below the top
soil and water thoroughly. I'm anxiously waiting for the green! After
it grows taller, I'll buy a type of "backing scaffold" for its vein.

But one day when I was chatting with my coworker at lunch. He said
tomato needs a big pot! Is it true? The instruction didn't say I need
to change to a bigger pot and it promised 200+ tomatos!

So my question is whether I'm OK with the current 6" pot or should I
replant later? and when? after 1 year?

Thanks!

Tiffany

I've been growing tomatoes in pots for years.
My pots are 70" around & 2' tall. Tomatoes have big root systems.
Make sure your tomatoes can drain thoroughly.
They hate wet feet.

Mintee

I concur. Growing Beefsteak tomatoes in a pot of any kind is going to
be marginal at best. I have had decent success using 15-20 gallon
nursery planters
(the kind they ship small trees in) filled with a good potting mix but
I was growing smaller varieties. You MUST have really good drainage
or you will wind up with blossom end rot. The tricky part about
smaller containers, at least here where the summers get very hot, is
watering. I can water a plant in a 5 gallon bucket profusely in the
morning, go to work on a 95 degree day and the plant will be dying of
thirst by that afternoon. If you really don't want to dig and do want
to grow larger varieties, you might consider bag culture. Just do a
search for it on Google. I have never tried it but I know a few
people who have had good results.

Lee Hall
Zone 6B - Tennessee