Planting tomatoes in
Is it best to grow tomatoes in pots or grow bags? Grow bags are far superior to pots when growing tomatoes. Pots are heavy, breakable, expensive, and often have poor drainage as well. Pots can also ``bake'' in the heat, frying your poor tomato plants. Lastly, grow bags utilize ``air pruning'' for a healthy root system.
Grow bags are great. Grow bags self prune it's roots and prevents plant choking root circling. When the roots reach the grow bag it splits its roots which makes them thick with root hairs. The more root hairs the more nutrient uptake. Plant pots induce root circling which eventually chokes the plant.
I just ran an experiment at 2 gardens this summer. Out of 20 tomatoes in ground and 3 in pots, and 12 peppers (variety from bells to hot peppers) in ground and 12 in pots, the peppers did better in pots while tomatoes did better in ground.
For maximum production, the ideal pot size is 18-inch diameter for determinate tomatoes and 24-inch diameter for indeterminate tomatoes. When using a fabric pot or other type sold by volume, aim for 20 gallons.
The hotter and drier it is, the more often your tomato plants will need to be watered. In extreme heat, tomatoes in containers will need to be watered daily. If it's dry on top of the heat, then you may need to increase it to twice daily.
When planting tomatoes in a raised bed, use a 50-50 blend of garden soil and potting mix, or 100 percent organic Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Raised Bed Mix. When growing tomatoes in pots, choose a container that is at least 18 to 24 inches wide.
Coffee grounds should not be used as the sole fertilizer for tomato plants. The grounds do not contain the nutrient balance that tomatoes need to thrive, and adding too many grounds will affect the soil's pH. Tomato plants can tolerate slightly acid soils, as low as pH 5.5.
Unlike most vegetables, tomatoes do well when planted deeply. Roots will emerge anywhere along the stem, and the plants will develop healthier root systems. Dig deep holes and add fertilizer or amendments to each hole, if desired.
Use large pots to grow tomatoes. You can use a 5-gallon pot that is 10 to 12 inches deep for a single plant of determinate variety, for an indeterminate type choose a bigger container. The container should be deep, at least, 12 inches is necessary. Caging needs more space so instead of it, support tomatoes by stacking.
Grow bags require more watering than traditional pots do and this is one of the biggest grow bag gardening downsides if you don't have a lot of extra time on your hands. Grow bags are porous, meaning excess water will wick out of them rather quickly.
One disadvantage of grow bags is that they don't last as long as traditional containers. A fabric grow bag's lifespan is about 3–5 seasons, while plastic or clay pots can last 5–10 years, or longer. This means you'll have to replace your grow bags more often, which can be costly.
Grow bags are porous. They require more frequent watering than plants grown in plastic pots. However, it is harder to over-water using a grow bag, as any excess moisture can wick out of the container. If you overwater a plant in a conventional pot, they could drown and develop mold or fungus.
They'll also need sufficient water, drawn up through the soil, but can't be waterlogged, so create drainage holes at the bottom of the bag to help prevent this.
However, a general recommendation is to use grow bags that are at least 5 gallons (19 liters) in size for standard tomato varieties. This provides sufficient space for the root system to develop and supports healthy plant growth.
First, put down a cardboard base, open up the grow bag, fill with soil and plant with vegetables, herbs and flowers. A layer of mulch between the bags keeps down weeds for a tidy look.
Choosing the best soil
Tomatoes like well-draining, nitrogen-rich soil. This means extra compost, blood-meal or crushed eggshells will make them happy. You want to make sure they have a steady source of calcium carbonate throughout the growing season, which is exactly what eggshells are made up of!
The eggshells will naturally decompose, and they will add calcium and nitrogen to your soil; necessary nutrients for your plants. Calcium is very good for tomatoes because it prevents blossom end rot.
Banana peels are also brimming with potassium, which is excellent for plants like tomatoes, peppers or flowers. “Banana peels also contain calcium, which prevents blossom end rot in tomatoes,” the Cape Gazette adds.
How deep? Tomatoes are vigorous growers that need lots of room for roots to spread out. Containers should be at least 5 gallons or 12 inches wide and deep, though bigger is better. For maximum production, containers that are 10 gallons or larger are ideal, especially for bigger tomato varieties.
Refresh Before Reuse
One key to success when reusing potting soil is to follow the farming practice of crop rotation and simply grow a different type of plant the following season. This is especially true with potting soil used to grow tomatoes since these high-energy plants tend to zap the growing medium.
The benchmark for the perfect tomato planter starts at 18 inches in diameter. You'll want to target 10 gallons of soil. That will easily house determinate tomato varieties. However, it's a good idea to bump to a 24-inch diameter with indeterminate tomato varieties.