Upcycle Plastic Nursery Pots Into A Clever Solution For Healthy Tomato Plants

Buying plants is the fun part. Dealing with the buildup of plastic containers they come in — not so much. There are a lot of creative ways to reuse nursery pots in the garden, including setting your tomato plants up for success. With a small tweak, the pots can act as a vehicle for watering more efficiently and even improving the overall root structure of your plant. 

While there are pathogens and pests to consider, some of the most common problems with tomato harvests come from watering issues. Tomatoes are about 95% water, so, naturally, they need a fair amount of it: roughly 1 ½ inches per week. However, consistency is key! You can keep your tomatoes from cracking and splitting by avoiding sudden increases in water, while blossom end rot is exacerbated by a lack of water or an inconsistent schedule.. Though technically caused by a calcium deficiency, too little water can prevent the plant from pulling up and distributing available calcium in the soil. 

The last thing you want to do is dump a bunch of water on the ground in an effort to get it done quickly. The soil can't absorb it fast enough, so the water runs away. Instead, use the nursery pot to build a little barricade to keep water where it needs to be long enough to absorb into the ground. Here's how to create this little mote for your tomatoes.

All you need for this DIY is something sharp and an appropriately sized nursery pot. The top-most two or three leaf sets should be above the sides of the pot, so pick one that won't completely block the plant. First, cut off the bottom of nursery pot to create a ring. Thin plastic can be cut easily with scissors, but you may have to get more creative for thicker materials. How much you cut off is completely up to you and depends on how tall your tomato plant is already. You can either make a small trench or push the edges down into the soil to create that barrier for runoff. Then, you can place the young plant inside the ring.

Tomatoes are really interesting because they can grow roots from any part of their stem. To get a much stronger root system, try adding soil into the ring to stimulate growth. As long as there is still room to add the water, you can fill it up until about 5 inches of stem is buried. Snip off any leaves beforehand, though.

Because consistency is key, make it a habit to check the soil moisture, either with a moisture meter or your finger. You may even want to set a reminder on your phone if you're worried. This is also just a first step in your tomato-growing journey! Not only will you have to prune at the best time for more fruit, but you will have to consider staking and fertilizing as well.