Which ones will do best in Pots?

12 years ago

I need to narrow my plant list to no more than 10 in my garden because of its size. I have purchased a number of smart pots that I can grow others in, but I need to know which ones will likely do best there and which ones I really need to save garden space for. This is my list so far:

EARLY

Grape Tami G
Black Cherry
Sungold

Earliana

Sophies Choice(pots)

MID SEASON
Kosovo (pots)
Eva Purple Ball
Pruden's Purple
Azoychka
Moravsky Div
Anna Banana Russian

LATE

Mortgage lifter, Estler's
Fish Lake Oxheart
LInnies Oxheart
Cherokee Purple Heart
Kellogg's Breakfast
Anna's Noire
Brandywine Sudduth
Brandywine OTV
Omar's Lebanse
German Red Strawberry
Indian Stripe

I have already dropped 2 that have become standards for me, Rief Red Heart and Wes, so that I can try some new varities, like Brandywine OTV, Anna's Noire, and Indian Stripe. I can't take my favorites off the list, which are Brandywine Sudduth, Mortgage Lifter, Estlers, and Kellogg's Breakfast. Can most of the early/mid season tomatoes do well in pots? I tend to think the really late season varieties usually have larger tomatoes and plants would be a little more difficult to stake in a smart pot. I can my Texas Cages in the garden, but have to use smaller ones I got from Gurneys or Parks (can't remember which) for the pots. Could Annas Noire go in a pot? Even if I put only the late varieties in the garden, I still have one too many.
If you would delete any of these because of poor taste let me know, because taste is number 1 for me.

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Comments (10)

edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
12 years ago
I grew a MONSTER Black Cherry in a pot 2 years ago. Over 1000 tomatoes! They were delicious too.
sue_ct
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Ed, pot it is! :) I like the idea of cherries and grapes in pots because they will be close to the house, on the driveway behind the house and it will let me keep up with them better and they won't self seed all over the place.
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digdirt2
12 years ago
You didn't mention what size pots Sue? I have done German Red Straw, Eva's Purple Ball, and Mort. Lift in 15 gallons and Earlianna, Cherokee Purp. Ht. and Ananas Noire in 10 gallon Smart Pots. But I also use drip irrigation and fertigation too.

Dave
seysonn
12 years ago
I have never grown tomatoes in pots. But this year I will plant several DETERMINANTS in containers.

Q: Sue, is any of yours is determinant? I would nominate those for potters.
sue_ct
Original Author
12 years ago
Mostly 20 gallon. I have a few 10 gallon, but will probably use those for Sophies Choice and maybe some peppers. I could always order a few more smaller ones for the peppers. I would imagine if those tomatoes did OK in 15 gallon, they would be fine in 20 gallon pots. They are not actually the smart pot brand, they are phat sacks and are not available in 15gallon. I can only get 5, 7, 10 and 20 gallon. I used them last year and was happy with the quality.

I do want to keep ML in the garden because seeds are hard to come by and I would like to give it the best chance of doing well and producing well so I can save seed this year. I will plan on putting Annas Noire in a pot then. Thank you. Some of the others were ones I think you recommended. Have you ever tried Moravsky Div in a pot?
sue_ct
Original Author
12 years ago
I think Sophies Choice is the only determinate. I grew that in a pot last year so I know it does OK. I will check the others, though.
digdirt2
12 years ago
Have you ever tried Moravsky Div in a pot?

No but I think it would do fine too, certainly would in 20 gallons. It is about the same size (for me) as Bloody Butcher and it does fine in 15 gallons for me with my set up. Is an auto drip irrigation set-up a possibility for you? Makes a world of difference with containers.

Dave
sue_ct
Original Author
12 years ago
Probably not this year, Dave, but if I continue to grow a lot in pots it probably will be in the future.
barrie2m_(6a, central PA)
12 years ago
Sue, When you grow these varieties in pots what do you use for plant support? The cherry/ grape varieties you listed first are good varieties to grow but I find that the plant growth on those is vigorous and extreme. I can't imagine the advantage of growing these in pots without a strong support.
sue_ct
Original Author
12 years ago
I have some tomato supports I bought at Gurneys online, that are stronger than the thin cheap round ones you can get at the big box stores, and I use them for container tomatoes and peppers. Fairly sturdy, but not even close to the Texas cages I use in the garden. I actually don't use cages for the cherry tomatoes in the garden, though. I have a raised bed I built with concrete garden wall blocks. I plant them along the edge and let them spill over the wall and sprawl onto the grass.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gurney's tomato cages