If you love fresh tomatoes but do not like tilling, weeding, watering and all the other stuff that goes with normal gardening, then this DIY self-watering container system for growing tomatoes may be for you. It also works great if you have no space for a garden. This system would easily fit on a patio or balcony, or even indoors. It’s called an Earthtainer and you can see what one looks like here:

The whole thing is created by starting with a big plastic storage bin that you can buy for a few dollars at any discount or home improvement store:

The Earthtainer – Now, anyone can grow the BEST tomatoes in containers…and conserve water.

The total cost for one container and support cage is about $40. This will grow two plants, which will produce more tomatoes than any human being can consume. But if you plan to start your own tomato sauce factory, you can build as many containers as you like. From the article:

Newstead has found that the soil in the EarthTainer warms up to suitable planting temperature in Springtime one month earlier than his in-ground soil bed, permitting him to plant out in early April. In 2008, his harvest of ripe tomatoes began on May 25. “If there were an Energy-Star rating for garden devices, this design would top the charts”, said Gary Ibsen, Founder of the Carmel TomatoFest. “The water saving advantage alone is extremely compelling. With the EarthTainer system , urban gardeners have a new alternative in growing their own quality vegetables.”

The site contains complete instructions plus construction videos.

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