5-Gallon Bucket Summer Tomatoes: Phase 2

I thought for sure that some of the tomato seeds I planted in June would die. Every single one is now a healthy transplant size. I couldn't believe it. I had originally intended to grow 6 plants (two of each variety) in 5 gallon buckets, but with such seed-sprouting success I expanded to 9 buckets.I planted 3 of each variety (Arkansas Traveler, Sweet Chelsea, and Texas Wild) in a five-gallon bucket. To prepare the buckets, I drilled 8 1/2" diameter holes around the base, and covered them from the inside with window screen. Then I filled them up with potting soil. This will hopefully provide more than adequate drainage in the bucket. After planting, I fertilized with fish emulsion, and put several handfulls of mulch on top.


All the books and websites say to make tomato cages out of concrete reinforcing mesh, but it is way too expensive. It would cost ~$25 per cage, and I'm not going to pay it. For the short term, I put the skinny, cheap bamboo stick in the buckets, and tied them at the top to make a bamboo tee-pee. Victor ( Plants for All Seasons ) is ordering some more robust bamboo poles for me to make my own cages. It will take a little more work, but save lots of money.


I put the buckets against the east side of the house where they'll get good morning sun, but will be shaded from the scorching afternoon heat. I put them up on cinder blocks so it would be easy to mow and trim the grass around them.

After all this work, I now have 9 thriving transplants that will hopefully produce tons of tomatoes this fall once the weather cools down enough for them to fruit. I had 30 plants, and only planted 9, leaving me with 21 healthy plants to try to find homes for. I gave a bunch to Nick at church, but I still have 13 or so.

I'm a bad influence on children: