My balcony gets a ton of sun so I was hoping I could get some tips on how to get started with this better bush tomato plant I bought from Lowe’s. Can I put it in a planter now? should I start with a small one? What’s best to feed it and what soil do y’all recommend? I’m in zone 8b by the way:) ty!
by mangobutterball
6 Comments
Planter with a lot of compost! Does your city offer free compost? That’s what they want!
I’d go ahead and plant it in a large pot, if you have a 5 gallon bucket they work good especially for support. Plant food for fertilizer, look for a low nitrogen, high potassium and phosphorus. Not sure on potting soil, I buy from a BM6 but any kind should work.
I would put it in the pot it will grow in for good. It’s a bush determinate but could still get pretty tall. At minimum will need a five gallon pot
Yes it’s ready to go into a bigger container. I’d transplant it into a 3 gallon pot then put that pot into a nicer container. When you’re at your garden store buy some potting soil.
3 gallons is the smallest I’d use.
https://preview.redd.it/yjpj3ynbgfzg1.jpeg?width=4176&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=09aad4f637b2950981a59ec671f63b04412f6c01
Here’s what I would do. Going to make this simple and easy.
Get a 10 gallon pot or grow bag. 15 is technically better, but a lot more soil. Get a bottom tray to catch water.
Get miracle gro potting soil. Regular potting soil. Don’t get moisture control, or raised bed, or garden soil. Just potting mix. Yes, miracle gro is easy and good for new gardeners. [See the Epic Gardening soil test. ](https://youtu.be/o-iIvfD47Aw?si=deRi0SMAEMi2XdfK)
Plant at soil level. Don’t bother burying the stem.
Get organic tomato fertilizer. You can find it in small boxes in most garden stores. Fertilize when you plant (add it to the hole you out the plant) and fertilize about once a month. Organic releases slow so it is really fool proof. The miracle gro soil has fertilizer in it already to help and make it more fool proof.
Water every two days. Watch the bottom tray for how fast the water gets sucked back up into the pot. Water in the morning. There should be a bit of water coming out the bottom. If it gets hotter and when the plant starts to produce tomatoes, watering daily might be needed.
If your weather already supports growing outside then yes put it into its final growing pot with potting mix, compost and some granular fertilizer higher in potassium and phosphorus and calcium. It’s already trying to flower so you need to do this quickly.