How to Grow Tomatoes in Containers When Garden Space Is Limited

Lots of people grow tomatoes at home, and most people think you need a big garden in the ground to do it. However, tomatoes in pots can be just as productive as those in a garden, if you pick the right kinds of tomatoes, use containers big enough, and are a little more careful about how much water and plant food they get. Balcony owners in apartments, people with patios, and tenants who aren’t allowed to alter the landlord’s garden…all of these people can now easily grow their own tomatoes with containers.

Choosing the Right Container Size

When you are growing tomatoes in containers, choosing the right size container is the most important thing, and is what a lot of beginners get wrong. Bush tomatoes, which are called determinate, need at least a five gallon container, which is about the size of a typical bucket for paint. Tomatoes that are vining (indeterminate) get much bigger and give you tomatoes for a longer time, so they need a ten gallon container at the very least, though they do best in pots of fifteen to twenty gallons. It’s pretty simple to understand: more soil holds onto water, and is better at keeping the temperature steady, than a little pot, and bigger roots mean bigger plants with a larger crop. Fabric grow bags, cut in half whiskey barrels, and big plastic tubs are all great for tomatoes. Whatever you use for a container absolutely has to have holes in the bottom, because tomato roots will get root rot in just a few days if they sit in water.

The Best Varieties for Container Growing

For pots, the most trustworthy choices are “bush” or compact tomato types. They grow to a set height, usually three or four feet and then stop, all their tomatoes ripen at once, and their roots do better in a restricted pot. Patio, Tiny Tim, Tumbling Tom, Bush Early Girl, and Celebrity are all varieties that have worked well for container gardeners. Cherry and grape tomatoes (Sun Gold, Supersweet 100, Sweet Million are good examples) do excellently in containers and will give you loads of tomatoes all summer long. You can successfully grow large tomatoes like Brandywine and Cherokee Purple in containers of fifteen gallons or more, but you will need strong supports for the plants and a lot more looking after.

Soil, Watering, and Feeding

When planting tomatoes in pots, use a really good potting mix. Don’t use garden soil, as it gets too solid in containers and doesn’t let water go through. For container roots to get the drainage, air, and nutrients they require, either get a mix specifically for vegetables, or a standard potting mix with added compost and perlite. The biggest problem with looking after container tomatoes is the watering. Soil in containers gets dry much more quickly than in a garden in the ground, and even more so when it’s hot or windy. Big pots during the height of summer might even need water twice a day. To avoid both not giving them enough water and giving them too much, push your finger about two inches into the soil before you water. Also, every two weeks during the growing months, give them a balanced liquid feed to replace the goodness that washes out of the soil with all the watering.

Support and Positioning

Even smaller bush-type tomatoes do well with something to lean on. A little tomato cage or three stakes forming a triangle around the plant will stop the branches, which get weighed down with tomatoes, from breaking and will also hold the developing tomatoes up and away from the surface of their container – that way they won’t get harmed by dampness or bugs. Ideally, put containers in the sunniest spot you have, giving them six to eight hours of sunshine each day. South or southwest sides of buildings are best in the north. If you put containers on plant trolleys with wheels, you can easily turn them to follow the sun as it moves across a patio during the day, or get them safely inside if the weather gets very bad.

Key Takeaway

You’ll get lots of tomatoes from plants grown in pots if the pots are big enough – at least 5 gallons for bush (determinate) types, and 10 to 15 gallons for vining (indeterminate) ones. They need to be in good quality potting mix, watered regularly, and in hot weather you may have to water them twice a day. You should feed them with liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks. Bushy, smaller determinate kinds and cherry tomatoes are the ones that do best in containers. And to finish up what your tomato plants need for a good crop of tomatoes in pots, they love being in sunshine all day, a strong support to lean on, and soil that drains well.