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Tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets
Posted on 6/7/26 at 9:46 am
Posted on 6/7/26 at 9:46 am
How has your experience been doing this. Not just for condo patios. For like 15 plants. Celebrity, better boy, Roma and cherry varieties.
I think I may change to buckets as I get tried of the weeds and pests that attack my tomatoes especially this season with the cool start and rainy humid high temperatures. I’m thinking buckets will allow me to regulate soil moisture better and protect from slugs and snails and pasture grass and weed seed. Yes I use herbicides and but it’s a 1200 sq foot garden surrounded by ungrazed pasture. Grows great squash, canteloupe, okra and tomatillos but tomatoes get hammered.
I think I may change to buckets as I get tried of the weeds and pests that attack my tomatoes especially this season with the cool start and rainy humid high temperatures. I’m thinking buckets will allow me to regulate soil moisture better and protect from slugs and snails and pasture grass and weed seed. Yes I use herbicides and but it’s a 1200 sq foot garden surrounded by ungrazed pasture. Grows great squash, canteloupe, okra and tomatillos but tomatoes get hammered.
15
Posted on 6/7/26 at 9:54 am to Royalfishing
I've used 5 gallon buckets for tomatoes, cucumbers etc. It will produce them but not a lot and not big. Even cherry tomatoes have problems producing. Just not enough root space. They're great for herbs though. Only herb that kinda struggles is basil.
Posted on 6/7/26 at 12:16 pm to Royalfishing
Won’t be near as good as planting them in the ground in good ole fashion dirt
Posted on 6/7/26 at 4:53 pm to Royalfishing
I’m gonna disagree with the other guys and say you could probably induce more fruit by better control over the environment and nutrient/water schedule by growing in buckets. But, it’s a lot of work.
Depends on how deep down the rabbit hole you want to go. If you are able to produce ideal soil and feeding conditions, as well as ideal sun/temperature/air flow, I bet you could make it worth your while.
I’m getting more than we can eat but they are all ripening at once. Under controlled conditions you could probably extend the fruiting period
Depends on how deep down the rabbit hole you want to go. If you are able to produce ideal soil and feeding conditions, as well as ideal sun/temperature/air flow, I bet you could make it worth your while.
I’m getting more than we can eat but they are all ripening at once. Under controlled conditions you could probably extend the fruiting period
This post was edited on 6/7/26 at 4:54 pm
Posted on 6/7/26 at 9:13 pm to Royalfishing
I’ve tried it several times and never had any luck at all. I’m sure it was something I was doing wrong as I’ve seen others do a really good job with them but I won’t try it again.
Posted on 6/7/26 at 10:17 pm to CottonWasKing
It’s easy to over or under hydrate them. I would say at least a 15 gallon bucket.
Posted on 6/8/26 at 11:52 am to Royalfishing
I've done it for 4 or 5 years and only had one really good crop year with tomatoes. Cherries seem to do better for me. Ended up moving to 15 gallon grow bags this year and have had better results across the board.
Peppers and herbs did great in 5 gallon buckets last year but i think the tomatoes never quit searching for fresh dirt and once the roots find all 4 (5?) walls they start to panic and never produce the way a plant in the ground will.
The best of both worlds is the raised planters and I will be switching over to those for next year.
Peppers and herbs did great in 5 gallon buckets last year but i think the tomatoes never quit searching for fresh dirt and once the roots find all 4 (5?) walls they start to panic and never produce the way a plant in the ground will.
The best of both worlds is the raised planters and I will be switching over to those for next year.
Posted on 6/9/26 at 8:11 am to Royalfishing
I’ve had a lot of success using the 30 gal Grow Bags. They breathe better and stay cooler than the buckets. They’re cheap and reusable. I’ve grown 12-15’ tall tomato plants in them. You have to stake outside of the bag.
This post was edited on 6/9/26 at 8:12 am
Posted on 6/9/26 at 2:59 pm to Royalfishing
Have tried that multiple times. Minimal success.
Posted on 6/10/26 at 11:20 am to Royalfishing
I have done it, it is a lot harder to regulate moisture, i find that root rot happens very easily. I would suggest raised beds with cardboard as a base layer, then your soil. cover with fabric/mulch and that should eliminate most of your issues
Posted on 6/10/26 at 3:05 pm to Royalfishing
I’ve only tried buckets once and without much success. I have used the big cloth bags like the 20 gallon size and they do well. Where I’m at the soil is awful. I do mostly raised beds, but I have some cucumbers and tomatoes in those bags and they are doing well.
Posted on 6/10/26 at 6:55 pm to Royalfishing
Tomatoes aren’t rocket science. People make it seem harder than it is.
Containers need to be managed closely because they dry out quickly. The more you water the more you’re rinsing nutrients out. It’s not complicated, it’s just more work.
Apply a mild balanced fertilizer and water consistently, with drip being best.
Containers need to be managed closely because they dry out quickly. The more you water the more you’re rinsing nutrients out. It’s not complicated, it’s just more work.
Apply a mild balanced fertilizer and water consistently, with drip being best.
Posted on 6/12/26 at 7:02 am to Royalfishing
It can be done but not nearly as good as raised beds.
Posted on 6/14/26 at 9:59 pm to labguy
My grandpa used to grow tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets. He had a dozen or so buckets on the patio. My dad was in the painting business and he would clean out some white buckets that had contained latex paint and give grandpa a fresh batch of buckets every year. My dad starting using a new brand of paint that were in black plastic buckets. After he gave my grandpa a batch of the black buckets for a growing season my grandpa wanted nothing but black buckets. His tomato yield exploded when he started using the black buckets. He thought that the black buckets observed more heat hence it helped the tomatoes grow stronger and faster. YMMV.
Posted on 6/15/26 at 7:32 am to Royalfishing
Don't know about protecting from slugs snails. Since I have planters that are 30-32" tall that I'm growing tomatoes in on the patio. I still got a hornworm in one this weekend it had to crawl across the concrete and up 20" of 1-1/2" angle iron and 12" of corrugated metal to get to them.
Posted on 6/15/26 at 8:43 am to doublecutter
quote:I wonder if those tomatoes absorbed any of that latex residue.
My grandpa used to grow tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets. He had a dozen or so buckets on the patio. My dad was in the painting business and he would clean out some white buckets that had contained latex paint and give grandpa a fresh batch of buckets every year. My dad starting using a new brand of paint that were in black plastic buckets. After he gave my grandpa a batch of the black buckets for a growing season my grandpa wanted nothing but black buckets. His tomato yield exploded when he started using the black buckets. He thought that the black buckets observed more heat hence it helped the tomatoes grow stronger and faster. YMMV.
Posted on 6/15/26 at 10:58 am to Royalfishing
I grow all my tomatoes in what amounts to a bucket. Super easy and I have almost no problems with them.
Posted on 6/16/26 at 12:46 pm to Royalfishing
My experience is that 5 gallon buckets are just too small. VERY limited production makes it really not worth fooling with.
Posted on 6/16/26 at 8:30 pm to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:
Containers need to be managed closely because they dry out quickly. The more you water the more you’re rinsing nutrients out. It’s not complicated, it’s just more work.
I find this to be the real challenge when trying to raise tomatoes in five gallon buckets.
I acquired some plastic 55-gallon drums which work a lot better,
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