Tomatoes are easily grown in containers—clay pots, plastic nursery pots, and wood boxes

Container-grown tomatoes have an equivalent growing requirements as garden-grown tomatoes: 6 to eight hours of sunlight every day , nutrient-rich soil, and enough water or soil moisture for steady, even growth.

Best recommendations on the way to Grow Tomatoes.

You can grow any sort of tomato during a container—a miniature currant-sized or small cherry tomato or a tall, vining beefsteak tomato—as long because the container is large enough to carry enough soil to stay the plant upright and support the plant’s nutrient and water needs.

CONTAINERS FOR TOMATO GROWING

Simply, the container to grow a tomato should be large enough to carry the plant, which suggests large enough to contain the soil necessary to deliver nutrients and water for plant growth, and enormous enough that the plant at maturity doesn’t tip the container.

There are miniature tomato varieties which will grow in an 8-inch pot—roughly the dimensions of a one-gallon container. A 2-gallon or a 5-gallon container can support larger, indeterminate or vining tomatoes and hold enough soil moisture for 3 or more days when the weather turns hot in summer. A 5-gallon nursery pot is roughly the dimensions of a 2-by-2-foot redwood box; a 2-gallon container is that the size of a 10-inch pot.

Be sure the container has large drainage holes within the bottom. Set the container up off of the patio, deck, or balcony with pot feet or on wood strips; this may leave adequate drainage and ensure plant roots don’t bake on hot days when cement or wooden decking gets hot.

If you’re growing tomatoes during a box planter or hanging container confirm the container is securely fastened and has drainage holes.Tomatoes on a balcony

SOIL FOR TOMATO CONTAINERS

The soil for growing tomatoes in containers should be nutrient-rich and moisture-retentive but well-draining. Use a billboard potting mix or mix your own potting soil.

Here are some quick do-it-yourself potting mixes:

· Compost mix: mix 3 parts (such as a gallon) garden soil, 3 parts compost, 2 parts builder’s sand.

· Soil mix: 4 parts garden soil (be sure the garden soil is freed from stones and debris and disease-free), 1½ parts sphagnum , 1½ parts builder’s sand, 1 part aged, dried steer manure.

· Soilless fertilized mix: 1 part horticultural grade vermiculite and 1 part shredded sphagnum , add a half spoonful approximately of ground dolomite limestone, a half spoonful of superphosphate, and a half spoonful 5-10-5 fertilizer; mix thoroughly. this is often an honest mix for hanging baskets or window boxes.

Fill the container to about 2 inches below the rim allowing enough room for watering.

PLANTING AND STAKING TOMATOES IN CONTAINERS

Plant tomatoes in containers even as you’d set transplants into the garden. Pinch off the lower leaves of seedlings and set them vertically within the pots or hanging planters as deep as you’ll .

Most miniature and dwarf varieties won’t need staking, but if you’re growing a vining, indeterminate variety, it’ll require a stake or cage even as it might within the garden. Large, vining tomatoes are likely to grow rapidly and fruit heavily, so be prepared to prune or pinch away leaves and fruit that would cause the container to tip. watering tomatoes.

WATERING TOMATOES IN CONTAINERS

Tomatoes growing in containers, like tomatoes growing within the garden, need endless, uninterrupted supply of moisture. don’t let the soil during a container go dry and conversely don’t allow the soil to be overly wet or soggy

The smaller the container the more frequently you’ll got to water. confine mind that frequent watering will likely leach nutrients through the soil mix within the containers. Add a water-soluble fertilizer to your watering pot every three weeks approximately or renew nutrients that leached from the soil.

Water whenever the soil becomes dry right down to a few half-inch or slightly more below the soil surface; this might mean watering once every week in mild weather or watering up to 3 times every week in hot, dry weather. When a plant growing during a container begins to wilt towards the top of the day it’s time to water; if you discover a plant wilted within the morning, it’s gone too long without water and wishes immediate attention.

When you water, be sure that the water reaches the soil at rock bottom of the container. Water the container thoroughly, until the water runs out of the drainage hole at rock bottom , or put water during a saucer or tray under the container and permit the soil to wick water up from the saucer into the container. A container should draw all the water it needs from a bottom tray in about half-hour . don’t let the container sit during a saucer of water longer than 30 minutes; plant disease are often caused by overly wet soil.

You can place a perforated drain pipe within the container—from the soil line to rock bottom of the container, fill it with builder’s sand and pour water into the pipe; that way you’ll be sure water reaches rock bottom of the container and every one of the soil in between.

Avoid watering late within the evening or watering plant leaves; this encourages disease.

FERTILIZING TOMATOES IN CONTAINERS

Commercial potting mixes contain enough nutrients to sustain containerized tomatoes for about six weeks; then use add a water-soluble fertilizer to a gallon watering pot and feed tomatoes in containers about every two or three weeks. Use a fertilizer high in phosphorus to support fruit growth; a 5-10-5 fertilizer will deliver sufficient nutrients to a heavy-cropping tomato. Follow label instruction, commonly 1 tablespoon of water-soluble fertilizer per gallon of water, feeding every three weeks.

SUNLIGHT FOR TOMATOES IN CONTAINERS

Container-grown tomatoes—like tomatoes within the garden– should receive maximum sunlight, 8 hours– 4 hours within the morning and 4 hours within the afternoon—is optimal. If you’re growing on a balcony, turn the container a minimum of once every week in order that the plant develops symmetrically. If your containers are too heavy or bulky to show by hand, set them on wheels or plant dollies in order that they’re easily rotated and moved.

TOMATO POLLINATION

Tomatoes have complete flowers—meaning the male and feminine parts are within the same flower. Wind and insects aid tomatoes in pollination. If your container-grown plants are sheltered from light breezes or off the beaten path of bees and other insects—growing high on balconies, you’ll aid pollination and fruiting by gently shaking the plants once each day to make sure pollination.

GENERAL TOMATO CARE

Container-grown tomato plants are subject to equivalent diseases, insects, and disorders as plants grown in gardens. Keep an eye fixed out for weeds and await pests and diseases.

If you’re growing small tomatoes in hanging baskets and need to coach your plants to cascade—making harvest easier, tie 1-ounce fishing weights to the top of branches early to coach them to grow over the sides of your hanging pots.

TOMATO VARIETIES FOR CONTAINER GROWING

You can grow large or small tomato plants in containers. Choose any variety you wish as long as you furthermore may choose a container large enough. There are many small plant tomatoes—some which will grow in 6-inch pots—suitable for container growing. If you’re limited for space, choose a determinate variety—meaning one which will grow no larger than bush form.