I was wrong about using big pots for my balcony tomatoes

For years I insisted on using those huge 5 gallon buckets for my cherry tomatoes, thinking more soil meant more fruit. My friend in Chicago who grows on a fire escape convinced me to try fabric grow bags instead. I switched to 3 gallon ones this spring and my plants are actually healthier, with way less root rot from overwatering. Has anyone else found smaller containers work better in a windy spot?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason.paige6d ago

Oh man, SAME thing happened with my peppers! I used these giant pots because I thought bigger was always better. The wind up here just whipped them around and the soil stayed soggy for days. Switched to smaller, heavier ceramic pots and it made a HUGE difference. The plants aren't as top-heavy so they don't get battered as much, and the soil dries out like it should. Sometimes less really is more.

piper_green6d ago

Yeah, it's funny how that works. I mean, we're always told to go big or go home, but then you end up with a giant pot of sad, wet dirt. I see it with stuff like buying a huge water bottle you never carry, or a massive purse that just gets filled with junk. You get the thing meant for 'more' and it just makes the problem worse. Makes you wonder what else we're overdoing.