Find Out How To Grow Tomatoes In Pots

Gardening Articles | July 16, 2009

Not everyone has the space for a tomato garden. A great alternative is to grow tomatoes in pots, allowing you to put them on the patio, balcony or even grow them indoors.

You can grow tomatoes in pots if don't have the space for a traditional tomato garden. In fact you can grow upside down tomatoes and hang them from your balcony.


Some varieties of tomatoes are better suited to container gardening that than others. The Patio Tomato is especially designed for the container tomato garden and is a good choice, but you can do equally as well with something like a Roma, Tiny Tim, Cherry Tomato or any of the smaller sized plants. If you have the room you can grow the larger varieties like the Beefsteak, but most people will stick with the smaller varieties.


You've made up your mind what type of tomato you want to grow, now it's time to decide if you want to grow tomatoes from seed yourself or to purchase potted plants. It's not difficult to grow tomatoes from seed, and if it doesn't work out you can still get seedlings from your local garden center.


Select a pot that is big enough for your tomato plants to grow. It should be no less than 12 inches wide and need to be at least as deep as it is wide. You can use anything from a� wooden whiskey barrel that's been cut in half that's been cut in half to a store bought planter for your tomato pot as long as it's big enough to give your plants room to grow and has drainage holes in the bottom.


One of the advantages of growing tomatoes in pots is that you can use potting soil which is free of diseases and usually has the right amount of fertilizer in it, however if you are going to use something like an old tub it will take a lot of soil to fill it. If you decide to mix your own potting soil be sure that it is porous enough to drain properly.


With a traditional garden it's essential to plant your tomatoes where they will get sunlight all day. Your tomatoes are in pots, so if you don't have one location that gets sunlight all day you can move them throughout the day to ensure they get enough light.


Growing tomatoes in pots can actually be easier than growing them in the garden. You have better control over the soil, moisture and the amount of sunlight they get.