While I haven't let plants sprawl, I know those who do. It's space inefficient, but it works just fine.

The biggest drawback is when fruit are in contact with the ground and rot/bugs get them, but on a deck it should be just fine.

My only potential concern is that decks can get really hot in the summer and I don't know what the impact of a fruit on hot wood would be.

With out support ya maters will fall over in heavy wind and worse the entire container will tip.
You need to either put some support..either anchor the container (good idea) or put some T-post on either side of the container and run some support for the plants...and tie them off..some pruning depending on the species
(better idea)

same post from Hydropetunina.. please keep it to one post at a time.

Atascosa_tx, are you saying there is another post on this subject here in the container gardening forum? If so, I checked and couldn't find this question asked anywhere on GWeb. Would you mind providing a link?

Anymore suggestions? Experiences?

My bad ourhappyhome..sorry bout that.

I grow in 20 gal. containers on my deck and the times I have left them unsupported I had broke limbs from wind and heavy fruit loads. Caging has worked better for me than pole supports again wind and fruit load make it hard to give solid support for the plants, limbs weighed down by fruit. I am using some old 3x6 inch spaced fencing for some this year so I don't have to buy more cages and use what I already have. The fruit of my cherry tomato was a challenge to pick and maintain with out support. I had to step on vine to get to the fruit. Plus ants were harder to control without affecting the plant in some way.
Anyway that are a few thoughts I have on the subject.
Happy Growing however you choose. David

I've always caged my container tomatoes. I've grown them in 5 gal buckets and put a round tomato cage over them. It would work to let them sprawl, but like other's have said, it'll take up a lot of space.

Helpful information everyone. Thanks so much. I was hoping to avoid most of the problems you mentioned hitexplanter, but I see there's just no perfect solution.

Atascosa_tx, wish I knew how to build a frame of anykind. Just don't have the talent. Last year I used a combination of cages and stakes on the deck. This method would be awesome on the ground because you could run the stake straight through the bottom of the container to provide support but my only remaining sunny spot is the deck. Guess I'd better buy another pack of twine.

Anyone tried pruning to a single stalk? I've seen pictures but looks like you lose an awful lot of fruit.

Anyone tried pruning to a single stalk? I've seen pictures but looks like you lose an awful lot of fruit.

Yes, I do this routinely, and yes, you do lose yield per plant. The advantage of pruning to a single vine (indeterminates only) is they can be spaced very close together (12") and this results in a higher yield per square foot of garden space even though there is less yield per plant. If you figure a large indet tomato allowed to grow without pruning will generally consume a 2'x2'-4'x4' area. That's 4-16 square feet of garden space per plant. In that same space 4-16 tomato plants pruned to one vine can be grown. That's a lot more roots so assuming the soil is well watered and fertilized or amended with organic matter you end up with higher yields per unit of garden space.

In a container I would not prune anything other than suckers starting more than 18-24" above the soil level. The closer to the roots the sucker is, the more productive it will be. The suckers higher up on the plant just sap energy and don't do much good with it.

First time I've ever heard that about suckers Justaguy2. Very helpful. I also read somewhere that sunscald could be a problem with heavy pruning. Don't think I will try the one vine method this year. Ho Hum

Thanks

I had an extra Yellow Currant tomato plant last year that I grew successfully in a pot on my deck. If your deck has a railing with the vertical slats coming up to the rail, this might be worth a try: I just placed the pot up next to the railing, and as the plant grew used strips of old dishtowels to gently tie it to the vertical slat. Once it grew above the railing it just sort of rambled through and over the slats and off to the sides - it got huge! It wasn't the most beautiful thing I ever saw, but I got terrific yield, and the plant did withstand the brutal rains and heavy winds we got at various points over the summer - I would have to say it was better than nothing.

Last year I used the round cheap metal cages and some small lattice frames in my containers. Worked ok cause I had a fence behind them to help secure them.

This year my containers will be bigger, up to 13 gal. I still have a lot of the round cages so I am going to repot and place a 2" diameter pvc pipe in the container as I fill it with mix. This will stick up as far or as low as I want. If I keep it low (just above the soil) I will add a piece of wood into it and then support the sunken cage bottom to the wood. If I keep it high, (5' or more above the container) I can add tees and elbows to make a pvc frame grow as the plant does. And use twine for supports also. That is plan A anyway.

Also, I am thinking of sinking a few smaller diameter pvc pipes into the containers so I can insert my hose nozzel into the pvc pipe and give it a slow watering down deep. Also plan A. (Then again, I might go the soaker hose route), As you can tell, I have a supply of pvc pipes,fittings, and pvc cutter already. No need to glue.

I'll try to upload an image of my setup from last year. Looks the same this year except containers are larger.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatoes on the deck

Our HH

Why don't you tie or otherwise attach tomato support stakes to the uprights in your deck railing? Or, even better, get some cattle panel, cut it to the length of that area, attach it to your railing, and tie the plants to it. It supports a lot of weight.

If you don't want the branches to reach out over your deck space, I don't know why you couldn't remove those limbs and branches that will (when they are small to avoid too much plant trauma). Tomatoes take a lot of abuse when they're well-established!

I've placed concrete reinforcement wire cages inside the rim of half whiskey barrels before. It worked quite well despite frequent windy conditions.

Hi: I realize it's way to late to help you this season, but for next year: I just finished reading a post on how to stake your container tomatoes from 'Fred from maine', and it seems like a really good idea. I have put his pic of his idea below. I think he puts a couple bamboo stakes around his container and then uses twine to build a cage around his stakes. Since the stakes are secured to the container, it's not going to fall. In his experience, he was going to use the 10' bamboo poles. Hope it helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fred from maine's container staking idea

I built my own free standing cages out of scrap 2x2s, 2x4s, and lathing. For each section I make 2 eight foot 4x4s by nailing w 2x4s together. Place them parallel around 18" center to center like a rail system. The containers sit on top of those. Last year I got 4 containers per 8 foot section but the tomatoes didn't do so well so I'm reducing it to 3 or less this year.

Cut a bunch of 2x2s 6 feet or more and nail or screw them on each side of the rail. Last year I put vertical 2x2s every other container but this year I'm putting them in between every container. Then cut up a bunch of lathing, drill holes on each side, and screw them into the vertical poles, every 6 inches or so. The lathing supports will keep the entire structure sturdy so the wind won't blow it over.

If none of this makes sense see the pic of last year's cage in the link below. What I like about this cage system is it's free standing and sturdy which really helps keep the plants from blowing over and flopping everywhere. I've used stakes in containers and they never worked for me. This takes a little up front effort but after its built you don't have to worry about it all year. I think one of my biggest problems with growing tomatoes in containers last year was that 2 feet separation is not enough so I'm increasing it to 3 feet this year and hopefully that helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: 2007 Tomato Patch

ourhappyhome,

Check my post on the "Growing tomatoes" forum before you go to this method. I have an easy method for trellises.

Bing