<p>“I’d be curious to see any examples of container plant “containers” (especially ones large enough for more than one plant) that people have purchased. Obviously don’t want to spend a fortune, but would love to see something other than the roundish terra cotta style pots in a row on the deck!”</p>
<p>I use an older version of these self watering planters, a little deeper, but not for tomatoes. It is so hot and dry here in the summer, that my tomatoes need a big root system that goes deep. </p>
<p>I’ve had about five of them for more than five years now. </p>
<p>Edit: TutuTaxi, great minds think alike! </p>
<p>And with regard to potting soil, they are generally “soiless” mixtures especially designed to hold just enough water among other tings. “Real” dirt nor the compost/soilbuilders you mix with garden soil don’t have “dirt” in them either, and need to be mixed with something.</p>
<p>Great suggestions. We planted our first vegetable plants in a large container last summer. The Cubanelle (Italian) & Green Bell peppers were growing like weeds! We ended up giving many away because we couldn’t eat so many after awhile!</p>
<p>The lettuces also grew well.We grew several varieties. Didn’t have much luck with tomoatoes, but this year we plan to use a better container. We also grew cauliflower, which was delicious.</p>
<p>I would like to try a few more vegetables this summer and maybe an herb or two. I think last year we tried too many different things and will pare it down a bit and try a few each summer.</p>
<p>How do the strawberry plants work? That would be amazing if we could grow them successfully. I’ll follow Emeraldkitty’s advice. And use the Miracle Grow potting soil!</p>
<p>Let’s see of anyone else has the dilemma I seem to have. Can only grow on the deck cause the rest of the yard is pretty shaded. Love watching the plants and walking out the door to pick them. My dilemma is looks. We have a decent sized deck but I don’t want it to look like a jungle! Which is why I mostly stick to herbs in small pots and some type of pepper plant because they seem to stay smaller. And one grape tomato - gotta have that. In my dream gardening world I would be able to go out and buy nice matching pots that are self watering. Or something bigger (longer) that more than one plant can go on.</p>
<p>Anyone else stuck on the appearance of the deck garden?</p>
<p>I think that Shrinkrap is right in Post #41. Thus, today I purchased a different type of garden soil that is a appropriate for vegetable plants in pots (in fact it’s the same stuff I used two summers ago). I’ll mix it with the stuff I already have.</p>
<p>I use Black Gold or [Coco</a> Coir -](<a href=“coco-coir.com”>http://www.coco-coir.com/), potting soil.
The coco coir is nice cause it looks better than the Black Gold which has perlite for drainage.</p>
<p>And click on the very first publication under the vegetable, fruit, and herb gardening section - HG 600 “Container Vegetable Gardening: Healthy Harvests from Small Spaces”. It has lots of info, including instructions for making your own self watering containers (one, from a 5-gallon bucket). Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to link the PDF file.</p>
<p>When I put out my tender plants (like tomatoes, eggplant or peppers) before the absolutely last possible frost date, I always use Wall O Water (green ones from Burpee) around them. Last year I planted tomatoes at the end of March. (Way, way, way ahead of the last typical frost date at the end of April.) </p>
<p>These work remarkably well. When we had a hard freeze (into the low 20’s) last spring in late April, the cold froze the top of the tomato plants (which were about 12 inches above the top of the Wall O Water) but the plants survived and went on to produce tomatoes 3- 4 weeks ahead of the season. (And, gosh did I have sooooo many tomatoes last season. It go to the point I couldn’t even give them away. I ended up freezing lots and lots of roasted tomato puree to make tomato soup. Also froze a dozen containers of quartered tomatoes and made a gallon of homemade salsa.)</p>
<p>Once I’m convinced it’s too late for frost (usually sometime in mid-May, around the time I turn the heat off in the house), I’ll dump the water out, hang the walls upside down to drain and air dry, fold them and put them in the shed 'till next spring. I’ve gotten many seasons of use out of mine. Even if you get a leak in a few cells, they still work.</p>
<p>And, so yeah, I planted all my tomato plants this morning–and, you guessed it!!-- we’re expecting 25 degree colder weather tomorrow and possibly snow tomorrow night…</p>
<p>^ Wow! I usually wait until May 1st here in N. Cal, but that’s partly because the days are warm enough, but nights below about 55 F can stunt the plants. The Wall O Water, and raised beds with dark compost, can help you retain heat in the soil as well. Not sure if that will work with pots on a deck. </p>
<p>Greenwitch! Good stuff! And of course, unlike what I wrote in #41, “real dirt” does indeed have dirt in it. My bad…</p>
<p>Will have to bring the plants in tonight, but wont be homr til very late (have an event after work). Its going down to the 30s! ITs currently 48 degrees, but I assume its better to have them in the sun for the day? Maybe not…</p>
<p>Same is true here. I live in the high desert at 6000+ ft altitude. Warm days, but nights are 30 or more degrees colder, definitely below 55 until sometime in May. Walls O Water work great for pots too. Have used them for years successfully.</p>
<p>^I used to use them on my raised beds for my early maters, for the same reason I can’t seem to grow indeterminate tomatoes in pots. It is just so hot by late May, you really need to have your plants flower before then, and you need a big root system. Now redwood roots have invaded the raised beds on the only flat parts of my yard. My tomatoes have really struggled in the last few years, and I’ve pretty much given up. i used to grow about 8 varieties a year from seed. </p>
<p>How much soil do your tomato planters hold? Do you know how many days over 86 you get?</p>
<p>Arggh. Plants are back in the kitchen again. Temps are dropping. And it was WINDY today. Brrr.
We’d already moved some of the plants off the deck since we are getting it refinished. Now they are back in the kitchen. This musical plants game is getting old. </p>
<p>But we had some of the basil yesterday as a garnish when we had company over. It smelled and tasted wonderful!!.</p>
<p>OK, I overdid. I now have 7–yes, count 'em 7 tomatoes planted. And I had way too many tomatoes last year with only 5 plants. Any going to have…um…euthanize a couple. </p>
<p>Grrrr! I’m aggravated. I cannot find eggplant starts anywhere. I’ve checked both chain stores (Lowes, Home Depot) and 3 different local plant nurseries. Repeatedly over the past 2 weeks. None. Nada. Nothing.</p>
<p>But I did plant more basil and a cucumber or two.</p>
<p>Fred Meyer has eggplants, Japanese I think.
I was planning on hitting the garden sales yesterday, so I went to Fred Meyer to use the ATM in case the sales weren’t set up for plastic & I ended up getting quite a few vegetables along with the bark for the paths. Oh well, the Arboretum sale is next weekend.
I didn’t even try to plant tomatoes last year, but this year looks much better. Getting them started for the girls, although the D in Portland may have less room than I thought, so I might have to hold on to one. I do have a tipsy turvy thing so maybe she can hang it up?
I have 7 tomatoes but I was going to give the girls two ea., one cherry & one determinate. I also bought more herbs, lemon cucumber and a couple peppers. I know they like warmer weather but I have had really good luck with them before, only not sure what kind it was.
I am going to set down right now & write down what I have so I can start keeping records instead of relying on memory! ( that’s what she said)</p>
<p>Bought a couple of tomato plants two weeks ago. Haven’t transplanted them yet but they are growing like gangbusters in the peat pot. Will plant tomato seed (Cherokee Purple) this week, along with zucchini, sugar snap peas, yellow wax string bean, lima bean, and okra. Followed the recommendation of a CCer and purchased fairy tale eggplant seed. Temperature should be up again around these parts here this weekend and suitable for planting.</p>
<p>I’m growing 2 Black Pearl hybrids. Tried heirloom black (purple/brown/maroon–they’re all mostly from the same subfamily) tomatoes 3 years ago. They didn’t do well. Caught wilt and never bore fruit and were especially susceptible to cold nights.</p>
<p>In general I have had terrible luck with heirloom variety tomatoes. Dry conditions —> lots of leaphoppers which spread wilt disease. Now I always plant disease-resistant hybrids. The Black Pearls are one of the first disease resistant hybrids I’ve see available.</p>
<p>I also planted Sun Gold hybrid cherry tomatoes (great flavor!) and Big Beefs.</p>
<p>I’m looking for Ichiban eggplant. Grew it last and it did spectacularly.</p>
<p>Lettuce is about 1 inch high. Still no sign of the pole beans I planted 2 weeks ago. Might have to re-sow.</p>
<p>I gave up on growing zucchini. Too many squash bugs. Plus it’s cheap at local farmer’s markets.</p>
<p>I am trying again this year. Yesterday planted 3 different tomato plants. A Jalapeno, tomatillo and another pepper. Every year I try but rarely do I get great or even decent results.
This year I bought two of the tomato plants and might go back for a few more from a local organic garden educator at the farmers market. He suggested I stick with cherry type since I live so close to the coast and don’t get much heat or hours of sun during the summer. One is called Yellow Taxi, the other I can’t remember the name but is a black cherry tomato. Hoping I get a few tomatoes.</p>
