1 vs 2 per container

jan · June 7, 2006

I know a lot of people put 2 plants per 18US gal Rubbermaid tote. But if you've got 2 **of the same type of tomato** are you better off planting 1 or 2 of them in a tub (when you're running out of containers) for the best overall production?

I guess here in the PNW, I also have to think about the benefits of just 1 having better air circulation than 2.

Thanks for any input,
~jan

feldon30 · June 7, 2006

Determinate or Indeterminate tomato?

jan · June 7, 2006

Well, I have extras of:
Kimberly --semi-determinate;
Orange Russian --not Orange Russian #117; I'm assuming this is indeterminate, but I don't know for sure. My seedlings of these seem a bit smaller than most of my others;
or
Silvery Fir Tree -- determinate -but I'm not likely to use this size of pot for this plant.

In my climate, my determinates produce for about as long as my indeterminates.

Thanks,
~jan

MsCowpea · June 8, 2006

Jan if you have two containers why not experiment and put 1 in one and 2 in the other?

If you only have one container I think one is better for optimum production and health

however if you just want to 'taste' more tomato varieties go with the two.

timcunningham · June 8, 2006

Jan, I have tried that experiment and I didn't see much better production by having only one per 18 gal tote, So I optimize the space by putting two per.

bcday · June 8, 2006

Last year I had some tubs with 2 plants each and some 5-gal. buckets with 1 plant each sitting on the driveway, besides having some plants in the ground. Planting 2 to a tub didn't seem to reduce production at all, they did just as well as the ones in the ground.

As far as having better air circulation with just 1 to a container, I noticed something interesting last year. The ones that were planted singly in buckets did have better air circulation resulting in much lower humidity around them, which was much to the liking of the hordes of spider mites that flourished on those plants. The plants that were in the ground or planted 2 to a tub weren't bothered.

Spider mites have never been much of a problem outdoors in our climate, so I was really surprised to see what a mess they made of the plants in the buckets. This year I'm putting 2 to a tub again to help keep the spider mite population under control.

Early blight was just as bad on the other plants as it was on the ones in the tubs, so I don't think planting 2 to a tub made any difference at all for that.

gardengalrn · June 8, 2006

Jan, Kimberly has gotten really big for me so I wouldn't advise putting it in with anything else. This year I have treated Sophie's Choice and Silvery Fir Tree like potted flowers because they really are pretty plants. Very bushy and round so you might consider that in your planning. Good luck in your decision, it's always hard when you have plants left over and want to plant them ALL!!

bbjm · June 8, 2006

Bcday, -- That is interesting. I have one per 18 gal. tote, and would like to have two in them next year. Did you cage or stake? If you staked, did you limit the number of vines at all. Thanks.

Bret

bcday · June 9, 2006

Bret, some of the plants were determinate types that were grown in short cages and not pruned at all. A few were indeterminates that were trained to tall stakes rather than caged, and I only removed the suckers below the first blossom cluster. I also pinched out the tops of the indeterminates near the end of the season because they were getting too top-heavy and any fruit at the top wouldn't have time to ripen before frost anyway.

rsg2001 · July 1, 2006

I think you'll be fine putting two plants in the container - as long as they are not Sungolds. They grow so aggressively that they really compete for the space. The year I grew two Sungolds in a self-watering container, I never had so many of those tomatoes, but I had to keep figuring out creative ways to tie them up so I could keep them off the ground.

This year, I had an extra self-watering container and a bunch of extra plants ... since I already had a couple of Sungolds in my in-the-ground garden, I've planted one Sungold and one German Johnson in the same container. It's clear the Sungold is winning in terms of taking over the space, but the other plant is giving me some production too.

June 8, 2006	#4
MsCowpea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S. FLorida / Zone 10 Posts: 369	Jan if you have two containers why not experiment and put 1 in one and 2 in the other? If you only have one container I think one is better for optimum production and health however if you just want to 'taste' more tomato varieties go with the two. __________________ "When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest we inherit their work." Carl Huffaker

June 8, 2006	#5
timcunningham Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 241	Jan, I have tried that experiment and I didn't see much better production by having only one per 18 gal tote, So I optimize the space by putting two per. __________________ Visit my site: tomatoindex.com a database of over 2700 varieties. Vote for your favorite.

June 8, 2006	#7
gardengalrn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas, zone 5 Posts: 524	Jan, Kimberly has gotten really big for me so I wouldn't advise putting it in with anything else. This year I have treated Sophie's Choice and Silvery Fir Tree like potted flowers because they really are pretty plants. Very bushy and round so you might consider that in your planning. Good luck in your decision, it's always hard when you have plants left over and want to plant them ALL!! __________________ ~Lori "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." -Abraham Lincoln

June 7, 2006	#1
jan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 21	1 vs 2 per container I know a lot of people put 2 plants per 18US gal Rubbermaid tote. But if you've got 2 of the same type of tomato are you better off planting 1 or 2 of them in a tub (when you're running out of containers) for the best overall production? I guess here in the PNW, I also have to think about the benefits of just 1 having better air circulation than 2. Thanks for any input, ~jan

June 7, 2006	#2
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Determinate or Indeterminate tomato?

June 8, 2006	#6
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	Last year I had some tubs with 2 plants each and some 5-gal. buckets with 1 plant each sitting on the driveway, besides having some plants in the ground. Planting 2 to a tub didn't seem to reduce production at all, they did just as well as the ones in the ground. As far as having better air circulation with just 1 to a container, I noticed something interesting last year. The ones that were planted singly in buckets did have better air circulation resulting in much lower humidity around them, which was much to the liking of the hordes of spider mites that flourished on those plants. The plants that were in the ground or planted 2 to a tub weren't bothered. Spider mites have never been much of a problem outdoors in our climate, so I was really surprised to see what a mess they made of the plants in the buckets. This year I'm putting 2 to a tub again to help keep the spider mite population under control. Early blight was just as bad on the other plants as it was on the ones in the tubs, so I don't think planting 2 to a tub made any difference at all for that.

June 8, 2006	#8
bbjm Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 155	Bcday, -- That is interesting. I have one per 18 gal. tote, and would like to have two in them next year. Did you cage or stake? If you staked, did you limit the number of vines at all. Thanks. Bret

June 9, 2006	#9
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	Bret, some of the plants were determinate types that were grown in short cages and not pruned at all. A few were indeterminates that were trained to tall stakes rather than caged, and I only removed the suckers below the first blossom cluster. I also pinched out the tops of the indeterminates near the end of the season because they were getting too top-heavy and any fruit at the top wouldn't have time to ripen before frost anyway.

July 1, 2006	#10
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	I think you'll be fine putting two plants in the container - as long as they are not Sungolds. They grow so aggressively that they really compete for the space. The year I grew two Sungolds in a self-watering container, I never had so many of those tomatoes, but I had to keep figuring out creative ways to tie them up so I could keep them off the ground. This year, I had an extra self-watering container and a bunch of extra plants ... since I already had a couple of Sungolds in my in-the-ground garden, I've planted one Sungold and one German Johnson in the same container. It's clear the Sungold is winning in terms of taking over the space, but the other plant is giving me some production too.