Growing tomatoes in Buckets #vegetable_gardening

How to Grow Tomatoes in 5 Gallon Buckets:

• Turn the 5-gallon bucket over and drill 4 to 6 half-inch drainage holes, spaced evenly over the bottom of the bucket.

• Fill the bucket one-half to three-quarters with a mixture of equal parts peat moss, perlite or sand, and garden loam or potting soil.

• Remove your tomato seedling from its nursery container, using caution not to damage the roots.

• Position the seedling in the center of the bucket with just the top 2 to 4 leaves above the surface. Fill in around the stem and roots with soil and firm it down with your hands to secure the seedling.

• Water thoroughly until water runs freely through the bottom of the bucket.

• Apply water-soluble fertilizer designed for tomato plants to the moist soil. Repeat applications of fertilizer every 10 to 14 days.

• Place the bucket in an area that receives full sun for at least 6 to 8 hours a day.

• Add a trellis or tomato cage at this time, if you are growing indeterminate tomatoes.

• Water whenever the soil feels dry 1 inch below the surface. Adjust to daily watering during hot dry spells. Soil in containers also dries more quickly than garden soil.