Frequently Asked Questions


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Tomato question: (4/11/08)
Q. Can I use five gallon dry wall compound buckets to grow tomatoes outdoors and what type of soil can I use to fill them?

A. Yes. A dry wall bucket in a five gallon size would make a good container for growing one tomato plant per bucket. Wash the bucket well to remove any compound residue and be sure to drill one large hole about 11/2 to 2 inches in diameter in the bottom (you may use a hole saw set on a drill for this purpose). Cover the hole with a square of window screen and fill the bucket with a soil mix made for containers. It's best not to use garden soil for container plants as it may contain undesirable plant (soil) pathogens and weed seeds. It may also drain poorly and become compacted. Some container mixes have fertilizer mixed in, eliminating the need for fertilization within the first several weeks. Thereafter, you may need to fertilize with a complete fertilizer labelled for vegetables if maximum production is to be achieved. A note about plant size: Some tomatoes may be better suited to growing in containers than others. Since they are essentially vines, a wall trellis or a strong stake that goes all the way down to the bottom center of the bucket would be necessary to support average sized tomatoes. The containers could also be placed near a deck or porch railing over which the vines can drape. If you don't want to be swamped in greenery, choose patio type tomatoes that grow smaller or choose determinate types that develop stems that end in a blossom cluster. Determinate tomatoes grow more like a bush than a vine and tend to set and mature lots of fruit at once before initiating significant growth again.

Gerald G. Giordano
Senior Horticulture Consultant/Extension Community Educator
CCE Westchester Hort Team

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For more information please e-mail westchester@cornell.edu

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