deb says:

May 27th, 2009 at 11:33 am

we’re trying our first ever tomato (and planted it in a container)…maybe that was daring

It’s a large 18-inch diameter terra cotta pot so space shouldn’t be an issue and we’ve got the tomato cage to support it as it grows. We planted in a 50-50 mixture of manure and topsoil. Any tips? What about fertilization as the season goes on?

Jaime Chismar says:

May 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am

PS: I like straw or coco bean mulch for containers.

Geoff says:

May 27th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

Containers are for herbs and flowers. Raised beds are for food.

The containers can be moved around and kept close to the kitchen, so if you need an emergency sprig of rosemary, you just lean out and grab it. Collecting enough food to feed 2+ people can take a bit of effort, so yield is important. And food in the ground yields better than food in a bucket.

The herbs will also need fewer supplements, so you don’t have to worry about keeping the soil in the containers at the optimal level. The soil in the raised bed garden should be set at the beginning of the season and be good until the end.

…Why yes, I am extremely lazy and do all my planning around max results for minimum effort. Why do you ask?

MNmom says:

May 27th, 2009 at 12:58 pm

I have good luck with chocolate brown very large plastic containers with side drainage holes. On a south-facing patio, they don’t dry out as quickly as earthen containers. I have one tomato per container with herbs and annuals at the corners and of course a tomato cage for each. They are sort of pretty, even though plastic, and with good garden soil they do well. Resident cardinal comes by daily and perches on the cages. Enough of a yield for two people, for sure. And on a deck they are somewhat protected from being eaten. Dare you to come up on my deck, Critter.

Debw says:

May 27th, 2009 at 2:13 pm

Leaf lettuce grows quite well in pots, cucumbers and melons, not so great. I had the brilliant idea in my callow youth to grow both on my balcony deck. The salad greens, radishes, green onions grew great. The tomatoes had a sparse harvest, better flavor than any in the store but the anticipatory buildup for the few I got was hard to measure up to. The cukes and melon tried hard, sent out flowers but did not measure up. I found the best tomato for containers was that oldie but goodie, Tiny Tim, short plants, quite prolific, can be taken indoors for winter production in a window.

laura says:

May 27th, 2009 at 2:54 pm

the only thing i can keep alive in containers are flowers. all my previous attempts to grow veggies in containers have failed miserably. way more effort and attention seems to be needed for container gardening, and for me its not worth it when i can throw it in the ground instead.

Jaime Chismar says:

May 27th, 2009 at 10:33 pm

Geoff — The smaller brussels sprout is in a ceramic planter I bought from IKEA. It may actually be a five gallon. It looks super tiny next to the oak wine barrel.

I love your keen eye. The big brussels sprout shares a container with my radish.

Rebecca M says:

May 28th, 2009 at 1:29 pm

Jaime,
Anything in the cabbage family (broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc…) are HUGE feeders. I put my broccoli in my most fertile bed and add compost and organic fertilizer throughout the season- I get much, much better heads if I do that. They are the only thing I grow that I fertilize. Everything else has to suffer through the season with just the initial batch of compost I put on the bed pre-planting.

I’m trying to sell my house and I anticipate moving mid-summer so the only things I have planted this year are early crops, like lettuce and boc choi. It kills me to think of not having tomatoes readily available in my yard- I think I will try putting them in a pot on my deck. Thanks for the inspiration!