- 1). Use a 5-gallon, 24-inch-deep container for each standard-size tomato plant. Dwarf tomatoes grow best in 1- to 2-gallon, 12-inch-deep containers, which you can display in hanging baskets if desired. Check that the drainage holes in each container are clear.
- 2). Plant each tomato plant 1/3 to 1/2 inches deeper into the container than you would into the ground, which would usually be 1 to 2 inches deeper than the plant was in the seedling bed. Cover each stem with soil to encourage roots to grow along the tomato stems.
- 3). Use cages with your smaller containers to provide support for your dwarf tomatoes as they grow. Alternatively, you can make your own cage out of lightweight fencing material held together with zip ties.
- 1). Use a 5-gallon, 16-inch-deep container for each eggplant seedling. Select containers such as 5-gallon pails, whiskey barrels, clay pots, baskets, plastic trash cans or boxes for your eggplants. Any well-drained container will do, as long as it comes in the 5-gallon size.
- 2). Ensure you have three to five holes in the bottom of each container for drainage. Drill additional holes if you bought a container without enough; for containers made of soft plastic, you can often make holes using a hammer and nail. Place a piece of coffee filter or screen on the inside bottom of the container to prevent the soil from escaping.
- 3). Water the container soil, plant one purchased eggplant transplant into each container deep enough to cover the ball of starter soil and the eggplant roots, pat the moist soil firmly around the transplant and then water it again. Create your own transplants by first germinating and growing eggplant seeds for about 10 to 12 weeks, starting the seeds 1/2 inch deep in a commercial growing mixture in containers such as egg cartons or peat pots.
- 4). Install two-ring tomato cages in your containers just after planting to support upright eggplant fruits. If you try setting up the cages at a later growth stage, you can damage your eggplants.
Tomatoes
Eggplants
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