tomato nedd lots sun, good soil and water

Here is a link that might be useful: tomato container gardening

they get full all day sun - are planted in Miracle-Gro soil & I water regularily - trying not to overwater.

Are you using Miracle Gro SOIL as opposed to Miracle Gro POTTING MIX? Soil is not for containers. It compacts over time and the roots suffer with such a dense mix.

Choosing a container planting mix is very confusing--it should be predominately soilless with a few amendments. Most are made up of peat, perlite, and vermiculite and are very expensive.

Can you tell us the name of the varieties you are growing and the size of the containers you are using please? Also what have you used in the way of supplemental fertilizers?

The size of the fruit is primarily determined by the genetics of the variety so you may just have small-fruited varieties. And if they are determinate varieties, then it would be normal for them to produce a crop and then die. Only indeterminate varieties will grow until frost.

To post pics you need to open a free account at photobucket.com , upload your pictures there, and then copy and paste the HTML URL they give you (the one that begins Hope this helps.

Dave

Might want to try an Earthbox (or homemade version) next year. They seem to be outstanding for container tomatoes.

If you're going to go with regular pots, 5 gallon is the minimum I believe.

I am growing all my toms. in 5 gal. self watering buckets, useing composted oak leaves, and adding the nutrants they need to grow and produce fruit, and am happy with what I harvest.

DAN

dangsr grow,

Do you have pictures of your 5 gal. self watering buckets? I also made some of those and I am interested in how you made yours. How big is your reservoir for these buckets?

I could post some pictures of mine if you would like to see how I made mine. My tomatoes that I have in my 5 gal swb's are out growing the tomatoes that I'm growing in EarthBoxes. The only draw back is that I have to water them more as the plants get bigger. My buckets only have about a one gallon reservoir. One of my plants I have to water 5 times a day. It's over 6' tall and has hundreds of cherry tomatoes plus many more blossoms on it too. I'm working on an automated watering system so I won't have to manually water all my containers.

I feel your pain. My tomatoes are in containers and are growing great, my fruit are large and the plants look great but the leaves at the bottom are turning yellow and then dying. I posted some pictures of mine under the post "dying leaves," let me know if ours look the same.

I am growing 3 different varieties in containers on my porch (6 plants total). I don't know the gallon size of the pots, but they say they fit 1 sq ft of soil. I think they are more than 5 gallon, but less than 10. They have MG Moisture Control Potting Mix & are doing quite well. If you are using good enough sized containers, i'd probably suggest giving them some MG tomato food every other week, especially once they start to flower.

Although they might be a little pricey, I have one of my container plants in the square foot success kit that Gardener's Supply sells. It's a self-watering container with special soil and a tomato cage. The Sausage I have in it is twice as big as the other tomato plants and has twice as many tomatoes growing on it. My pots are out in my yard, but I think that would be excellent for balconies.

I sometimes have yellowing leaves at the bottom of my plants, but if the plant is otherwise healthy I don't worry about it.

One thing that I have noticed with container tomatoes and other veggies is that it's very easy to overheat the container and cook the root system. Try providing a bit of shade for the containers during the hot afternoon hours. Have some pictures of my container tomatoes etc. on my gardening blog linked below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Container Gardening in the Desert

Am growing only 2 Wisconsin 55 in 5 gal. containers this year planted in MG potting mix mulched with grass clippings. The rest of my varieties are in the ground. I haven't noticed any difference in growth or fruit set between them. They all started around the same time. No yellowing bottom leaves in the Wisconsin 55 and they are watered when I stick my finger in and it's dry up to my knuckle. Had some thrips starting in the upper leaves but pinched out those sets of leaves and discarded.

Lots of questions, you gotta provide some answers....

1) Which varities? Determinates or Indeterminates?

2) Container size? Since you're on a deck desertfarmerjohn may be right, your soil may be heating up too much...you may need to got to pot-in-pot and move to a shady area IF you're sure the bottom soil is not to wet.

3) Better not be in MG soil, everyone's right that it has to be a potting MIX, soil-less.

Pull one of your maters out of the pot mid-afternoon and check the soil temperature and moisture toward the bottom...best way to assess these two problems since you think you're losing them anyway.

Yea, I am somewhat of a tomato newbie, but I 1 million percent agree with the MG Potting Mix vs MG Soil for container tomatoes. I'm dying to find some funds to buy another 2 cu ft bag off the MG Moisture Control Potting Mix! I have 3 plants in MG Moisture Potting & 3 in Hyponex Soil...the difference is amazing! The MG ones are all over a foot tall. The Hyponex ones are barely 5-6 inches tall & not looking completely healthy. I plan on transplanting them to MG Moisture Potting ASAP! :)

Good points on the soil. Soil volume does not mean a whole lot without knowing about the soil. I would rather have 3-5 gal of high nutrient potting soil with peat and vermiculite than 10 gal of top soil or 20 gal of marginal soil. I prefer 5 gal that seems to be the best compromise.

Problems with 5-10 (smaller) gallon pots.
Dry out too fast.
Become waterlogged too fast.
Hard to maintain consistant moisture level.
Consistancy is probably the most important thing to grow a tomato in a pot. If the plant becomes waterlogged once or goes limp from drying out, you will most likely get BER.
Larger pots give the plant the ability to maintain consistant moisture and to also get a larger root system. Small root system, small plant, few and smaller fruit.

I would recommend 20 -25 gallon minimum and a automated drip system with mulch. Any good potting mix will do and read the directions on the chemical fertilizer if thats the route youre going to go.
Water once a day until the water starts to come out of the bottom of the pot. I use saucers to catch any excess. This may not be a good idea if you do not have double insulated pots since these do not sit in water like single walled.

It doesnt matter if the soil is rather wet or rather dry as long as its always that way. Roots that adapt for wet conditions(earthbox) will not work in dry conditions and vice versa. Same with leaves. Leaves that grow in darker conditions will die only to be replaced by high light adapted leaves.
The leaves on the bottom of the plant tend to die once the top gets going due to lack of light, upsplash, and just age.
The leaves tend to start dying off from the bottom up, under normal conditions as the fruits mature. I believe the plant naturally puts more energy to the development of the fruit at some point. Just snap off the leaves and any that are dying, damaged, or yellowing. This will also help to conserve moisture(less surface area.)When the plant really starts to shed, give them a boost with a foliar spray.
Pots are a good alternative since they allow you to create a contained and controlled environment. Once automated, it's very easy.