Tomato question?
Question:My tomato plant is in a 9in wide by 9in tall container,is this to small for a tomato plant,if so what size should i put it in because i cant plant it in the ground and its starting to get tall.The tomato is called a southern star,how big will it get?are the tomatos going to be big or small?Thank you so much for helping me
Answers:
Generally, the larger you container for a tomato plant, the better. Most tomato plants are indeterminate (meaning they will continue to grow after setting fruit. Determinant varieties will stop growing when they begin to set fruit and are often sold as "Patio" or "Container" varieties.
I've never grown Southern Star, but I did find some information online. One person grew their Southern Star tomatoes in 18 gallon containers. The second website I listed below says that Southern Star is determinant, which is good because you don't want a 12 foot plant on your patio! I'd recommend you get the largest container you have space for, maybe a nice half barrel. The 9 inch pot you have isn't going to work.
You can grow tomatoes in a 9 inch container, but you will need to water it very frequently. A mature plant can use a gallon of water per day. The plant can get very large, so it will need some support if growing in a container. You can even train it to grow up a string. For a tall but narrow plant, just prune out the suckers as they form along the stem.
the size container you need is the size of a five gallon bucket or bigger it will allow room for the roots to grow. as for the plant being southern star this is a hybrid plant and you can get different sizes as with any kind of tomato so you would have to know if it is roma, cherry, etc. or you can just let it surprise you. good luck
yes - that is too small… tomatoes need a 17 – 19 inch diameter planter is need for tomatoes, preferably plastic, fiberglass or glazed pottery ~ they retain moisture better… five gallon buckets work too.. Be sure to several ½ drill holes in the bottom of the container and add rocks to bottom for good drainage..
Use good potting soil mix… or make you own with equal parts of sand, Compost, garden soil/black dirt/top soil, and peat moss… whether you make you own or buy it mix in I cup of lime for tomatoes…
and slow release vegetable fertilizer add as directed…
add a few inches of mulch shredded wood or newspapers is good on top… keep soil moist... soggy or dry soil will affect the plant negativley... They will also need 8 or more hours of sunlight…
Also, get tomato cage to support the plant – they get big…
I’m not familiar with the variety you have… so I don’t know what kind of fruit you can expect…
Remove the lowest suckers to promote height… and pinch off some center suckers to allow better air circulation through the plant…
Tie heavy branches to cage to support heavy fruit – cut up stocking work well and do not damage the plant..
I find planting a couple marigolds in with the tomatoes helps keep the bugs away.. Parsley and mint plant well with tomatoes too… :)
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