As the gardening season has just started, I decided to give a couple of tips to those of you, who like the idea of growing their own food. I find that tomatoes are something almost everyone would like to attempt growing at home. Besides, they don’t require too much space. In fact, you may totally grow them even if you have zero backyard space. They grow in pots just as great as in the opened soil. So, whether you’re a first-time gardener who wants to start growing vegetables, or you want to carry out a fun and educating project with your kids, use these tips to make your pot tomatoes grow nicely and get a decent outcome. (And yes, tomato is technically a fruit)))
Tips on growing tomatoes in pots
- The first and probably the most important tip on growing tomatoes in a pot that will ensure the successful outcome is related to the containers you’ll plant your tomatoes into. So, the pots for tomatoes should be big enough. Generally, the bigger the pot is – the better. But, you’ll have to find a container that is at least a square foot to put one average tomato plant in. 2 square feet pot is even better. Smaller kinds may be planted into smaller containers. And, the pots have to be quite deep to contain the root systems of the full-sized plants. A standard 12-inch deep and 12-inch in diameter pot will be perfect for most tomato plants. Your containers don’t have to be fancy at all. You may use pretty much anything from bushel baskets and half barrels to 5-gallon buckets to grow these plants in your backyard or on your veranda. Just make sure that the pots have proper drainage. However, you should consider purchasing high-quality pots if you decide to continue the job after one successful tomato growing season. They’ll last you for a couple of years for sure.
- There are a lot of types of tomatoes you may grow in pots. Gardeners mention that the bush varieties are preferable but almost any type will work. However, bush types will grow quite well even without the upright supports. The most popular container tomatoes are Patio tomato, Pixie tomato, Tiny Tim tomato, Toy Boy tomato, Micro Tom tomato, Floragold tomato, Early Girl tomato, Stakeless tomato, Big Boy tomato etc. Consult with an experienced gardener or with your friend who’s been growing tomatoes for a while to find the best pot types of tomatoes.
- Good drainage equals healthy roots. And, here’s one of the ways to ensure that drainage while growing tomatoes in pots. Cut the window screening mesh to cover the bottom of the pot and add a layer of river rocks. The mesh will prevent the soil from coming out after watering, so it will stay put together. And, the rocks will provide the best drainage. Fill your pot with loose, well-draining potting soil. Adding in some organic materials like well-rotted shavings or manure sounds like a good idea too.
- Provide your tomato plants with a consistent amount of water. As simple as it might seem, watering might turn into biggest difficulty regarding growing tomatoes in containers. The aim is to keep the soil in pots moist, but not wet. If you constantly overwater tomatoes, their roots will rot. On the other hand, the lack of water will make your plants weak. That may result in your tomatoes getting blossom end rotting afterwards.
- If you want to use conventional containers and you live in a quite rainy area, it’s better to protect your plants from the excessive waterfall. Just move them under the roofed area or get them covered if you can. A simple greenhouse with a removable roof may be a great tomato growing spot. It can be a simple and small patio structure with transparent plastic cloth walls and removable roof to get your tomatoes started early in the season. You may also keep them away from the rain and direct sunrays (if you create a shade). Just go to HireRush.com and post a simple greenhouse building task to get callback from a local carpenter or a handyman and start the project. You may use the finished greenhouse to grow your own seedlings from a seed in the future. Make the plastic walls removable and add the cage to the wooden framing to keep the bigger pests away from the plants later in the season.
Post a task right now - It is really important that you feed your tomatoes. Skipping this crucial step may be the biggest and most common error most beginning gardeners make when growing these fruits. Gardeners often feed tomatoes with worm castings, which serve as compost and feeder and the same time. It’s possible to add it whenever you want. And, you won’t overfeed the plant with it. Organic fertilizers are a great alternative. They’ll normally last from 4 to 12 weeks. After that, you’ll need to add them again.
- People mix compost with the soil when planting stuff in ordinary vegetable gardens. So, why won’t you add it to the pots as well? It is probably the best thing for plants. Tomatoes aren’t an exception. Composted soil keeps the plants cooler and moister during the hot days. It’s recommended to add about 25% or so to your potting soil mixture. Disperse some mulch on top of the soil once you’ve planted the tomato. It will keep the soil moist for a longer time too.
- Tomatoes also like warm weather. So, don’t put them outside before it gets really warm (nights 50 °F) unless you have a greenhouse to keep them in. Don’t forget that tomato plants require at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. However, if it is too hot, these plants can fail as well. Excessive heat is really damaging to them. The perfect conditions for tomatoes to set the fruits are when the temperature is 55-85oF and the soil is moderately moist. Bear in mind that dark pots may heat up quite quickly when it’s hot outside. If you use small pots, forget to water the plant regularly or don’t mulch the ground, the roots of tomatoes will be too hot. And, the plants won’t create any fruits. They’ll set some flowers, which will just fall off. Thus, place your tomatoes at an easily accessible spot to be able to keep them watered and well-maintained. Inspect the health of your plants while watering them.
- Keep the pests away from the plants. When planting the seedlings, fill the containers with pot mixture and insert a cylinder wire cage in them. Attach black thick netting to it in order to provide the bug barrier. It will also prevent sun rays from burning the fruits and leaves. And, this protection will serve a perfect support for the tomato plants. Both bush and vining tomatoes will benefit from it.
- Another simple trick with growing tomatoes in a pot is to water them early in the morning. The fact is that plants take up and use water more efficiently at this time of the day. Besides, you’re supposed to water the dirt. Avoid getting the water on the actual plant. Wet leaves attract blight and fungus. And, they may burn in the sun.
- If you’re going to grow tomatoes in pots for the first or second time, purchase tomato seedlings instead of growing them from seeds. This way you’ll get instant delight and quicker results. That is especially important to the beginning gardeners. Once you gain more experience, you’ll purchase the seeds and give growing tomatoes from scratch a shot. Planetnatural.com has a great info on how to do that. Do your research before purchasing the seeds, choose the perfect timing and experience the joy of growing tomatoes at your garden or even on your patio.
