Potting Tomatoes

[14ftSunflower]

Hi, first time poster here,
We have just bought 3 large (50cm diameter, 50cm deep) round pots and we want to plant tomatoes in them, but aren't sure if it's possible.
We have 9 tomato plants - "Minibel" bush variety, apparently can grow in 15cm pots yet online I've seen planting distances of 45cm+?
Can I plant these in the pots, if so how many plants can fit in each?

If not, these are our other current seedlings:
19 sweetcorn plants - "Swift F1" variety - grows to 180cm tall and planting distance in the ground is 40cm
7 strawberry plants - no idea what variety, received from a friend
3 Courgette plants - "Yolanda F1" variety - 60cm planting distance

Which of these could we plant in the pots instead?

[Bill HH]

Welcome.

I think you could put three tomato plants in one pot ,all 7 strawberry plants 2 courgettes (they will overflow the pot and grow all over your yard though, or perhaps 4 or five sweetcorn.There is a temptation when you have the plants already to try and squeeze them in but try to resist it. Pay attention to watering and you will need to feed them too, I use tomorite for a lot of things in pots. The sweetcorn may need canes to support them. That is what i would do, others may disagree (and usualy do)

If you havent filled the pots yet i would use Multi purpose compost and mix a handfull of blood fish and bone into the bottom half.

Probably better to plant all your sweetcorn in the ground in a block not a row so they can fertilise each other.

[14ftSunflower]

Thanks, that's very helpful. Now trying to decide whether to have all 3 pots of tomatoes or 2 pots tomatoes and 1 pot strawberries. Seeing as the Minibel tomatoes do often like to trail off the edge of pots or hanging baskets, should I plant them right by the edge?

[Kristen]

others may disagree

Not me, I think all that advice was spot-on

[Bill HH]

Thanks, that's very helpful. Now trying to decide whether to have all 3 pots of tomatoes or 2 pots tomatoes and 1 pot strawberries. Seeing as the Minibel tomatoes do often like to trail off the edge of pots or hanging baskets, should I plant them right by the edge?

If your putting three toms to a pot then they will have to be on the edge anyway so that they are as far away from each other as possible.A useful idea would be to bury a pipe or pop bottle with the bottom cut off (cap end down and cap removed) in the middle so your water gets straight down to the roots.

Seeing as you have 9 tomatoes and three pots it almost as if it was meant to happen

[Kristen]

A useful idea would be to bury a pipe or pop bottle with the bottom cut off (cap end down and cap removed) in the middle so your water gets straight down to the roots.

I think, given the size of the pots, that that might take up rather a large amount of compost-space proportionately. Might be better to rely on the space above the compost, or to mount the "water reservoir pot" mostly above the compost surface (they tend to fall over then, but putting a cane through the open neck of the bottle might keep it stable enough).

[Bill HH]

I use a 2 inch bath waste pipe angled to the outside of the pot, makes watering easy. You are right about a bottle taking up a lot of compost space but a smaller 1/2 litre bottle might do it.

[Potstubsdustbins]

For you strawbs I would suggest a trough. Mine are 6" x 6" x 18" three plants to the container.

My courgettes are in 20" diameter x 14" deep pots one plant to the pot. I find any smaller presents problems with watering and feeding.

Potty