How to Grow Tomatoes in Buckets

Tomato plants thrive best in high quality, well-draining soil. Unfortunately, natural soil does not always meet those standards. Individuals that grow tomatoes often must till the soil and add fertilizer so young plants will produce a healthy tomato crop. If you grow your tomato plants in buckets, you do not have to till up any part of your yard, and you can move your tomato plants to provide them with as much sunlight as possible.

Things You'll Need

• 4 5-gallon buckets
• Drill
• 6 lb. fine gravel
• 2 50-lb. bags potting soil
• 10 lb. compost or manure
• Tomato seedlings or seeds
• Low nitrogen liquid fertilizer

Instructions

1. Drill 10 to 12 1/4-inch holes in the bottom of each 5 gallon bucket. This prevents excess water from becoming trapped around the roots of the plant. Trapped water leads to root rot, which will kill the plants.

2. Place 1 1/2 lb. of fine gravel in the bottom of each bucket to facilitate drainage and prevent the soil from being lost through the holes. This provides each bucket with 2 inches of gravel at the bottom.

3. Mix the potting soil with the compost or manure. Fill each bucket with the soil mixture. A 5 gallon bucket holds 25 to 30 lb. of soil mixture.

4. Plant the young tomato plants deeply enough that the entire root ball is immersed in the soil. If you are planting seeds, bury them in the soil no deeper than 1 inch.

5. Water the young tomato plant or seeds liberally to ensure that the soil is moist.

6. Place the buckets in an area of your yard where they will be exposed to direct sunlight for at least six hours each day. If your yard boasts a lot of shade, move the buckets around several times a day in order to provide the growing plants with enough sunlight.

7. Water the seedlings three times a week.

8. Provide the tomato seedlings with a low nitrogen liquid fertilizer once every two weeks.

9. Watch for the first tomatoes to appear on the vine. When this occurs, water the tomato plants once each day.

Tips & Warnings

• Surround your tomato plants with chicken wire if you are concerned about damage by squirrels or raccoons.

• Wait to plant your tomatoes until mid-spring or early summer when outdoor temperatures are warm during both the day and night.

• If your tomato plants wilt, they need more water. They will perk back up within a day or two.

• Check your tomato plants regularly for bugs. Insects tunnel into the stems of a tomato plant and will kill the plant over time.

References

• Tomato Growing in Buckets
• Light Requirements for Tomatoes
• Growing Tomatoes in Pots

Resources

• 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Tomatoes
• Tomato Growing Tips