Growing Tomatoes in Pots can Work on Your Patio or Balcony

Growing tomatoes in pots allows you to put your garden almost anywhere that has enough sunlight.  But it brings with it the added advantage of mobility for your garden.  In addition, you can put your garden in spots that just are not feasible most of the time.  But there are a few concerns that are unique to growing tomatoes in pots that require a little more up front planning.  Keep these in mind and your will be treated to a bumper crop.

Some key factors to successful growing in pots include:

The Pot or Container:

A standard clay pot that has a diameter of 12 inches or more is recommended for tomatoes.  Your pot should be drained well, usually with drainage holes in the bottom.  Good drainage is needed to avoid rot. If you want something a little less traditional, try using a half whiskey barrels or a bushel baskets to give a different look.

The Right Tomato Variety:

Many types of tomato can be grown in a pot, but it's important that the variety fits the growing environment you've created.  If you are in a warmer part of the country, try growing smaller varieties like cherry tomatoes since they will set fruit and not drop blossoms at higher temperatures.  Sweet 100 is a real favorite small tomato variety.

Where to Get Seedlings:

The lazy man's way to start the plants it to just buy them from the the local home improvement story or nursery.  One problem with buying at national chains is that they often do a poor job of selecting varieties that are suited for the local climate.  If you can't find a a variety that you want, you may have to start seedlings yourself.  Using peat pellets or pots makes this much simpler.

Potting Soil:

When using a pot you can easily tailor the soil to your needs. The key starting point for good soil is lots of organic matter, which will improve drainage. A soil mix that is not difficult to mix is one part each of potting soil, sphagnum peat moss, perlite and compost. Tomatoes are fairly heavy feeders, to plan on using some type of fertilizer. But make sure that it's a tomato fertilizer, as it will have a slightly different formulation than a standard 15-15-15 or the like.

Putting Tomatoes in the Pot

Start by filling the pot most of the way with the potting soil mix. Put the tomato plant in the soil, and fill to the top, covering the tomato plant stem up to the first set of true leaves, which will be deeper than it was planted before.  Tomatoes can grow roots from the stem, so this will encourage a healthy root system. Water and add soil to the top of the pot.

Staking Tomato Plants:

Larger tomato plants will need to be staked.  It's good to put in the stakes when you plant the tomatoes so you won't damage the root systems adding stakes later. For really tall plants you may want to support the stakes outside the pot, so the pot doesn't become top heavy and tip over, especially outside in the wind.

Water your tomatoes at least weekly, take care to stake them if needed,  fertilize as often as the label suggests, and enjoy your tomatoes.  Move them into shelter for the first freeze of the fall, and enjoy an extra week or more of fresh garden tomatoes.