I only grow tomatoes in containers (sort of)....
don't forget the self-watering containers from Gardeners.com....they work great, and hold more water than the real EB. sometimes they are on sale (I sure didn't pay $30 for mine!!!). I (and NancySil) use a PVC cage on these (her design). my challenge this year is to make them hurricane proof, which I think I am accomplishing.
WallyWorld had a big round SW container last year for about $10 that worked great....same problem as the EB in that it didn't hold much water (less than the EB, in fact). but it holds LOTS of potting mix, and the maters love them.
the 14" self watering container from Johnnyseeds.com works great - about a 7 gallon container. I use the burpee cages on these, strapped into place with plastic ties.
I also made some self watering containers last year from nested wallboard joint compound buckets - contractors are usually delighted if you haul them away. these are about 4 1/2 gallons, with about a gallon of water in the wicking area (I use plastic cups with holes in them, will last for another year!). these are definitely the low-cost winners. for a cage, the good quality conical ones from Ace work great (the only place they are worth anything): you need to strap them into place and give them form with plastic ties. the legs go INSIDE the container.
Michael in Hampstead, NC
P.S. the "sort of" is that I have one raised bed, which I don't recommend: It has been a CHOW CALL for all the moles in the neighborhood. tomatoes grow great, though. in fact, any container where the roots can grow outside the container calls the moles. I found an azalea yesterday where the mole went INSIDE the container for dinner! no wonder it wasn't doing so well.
the other sort of is that I have used bags of potting mix with slits on the bottom side and the plant stuck in the top side on an x slit. I used a 32 qt MG Moisture control bag last year and it worked great....but the same chow call to the moles....
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