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IN THIS ARTICLE
Equipment | Light and Temperature | Watering | Soil | Fertilizing | Pests | 
Containers | Harvesting

Tomatoes are one of the most popular plants for gardeners to grow. They are an easy plant to care for and also provide an impressive crop. You might be thinking that Tomatoes require a lot of gardening space to grow, well that’s not so. Did you know there are Tomato varieties that are suitable for limited space? That’s right, depending on the variety of Tomato you choose, you can easily grow Tomatoes in containers or plant pots in any corner of a Patio, Balcony or Porch.

More and more urban families are using spare space to grow their own fruit and vegetables. It takes almost no time or money and you get the pleasure of seeing your plants grow, and of course eating your own fruit and vegetables. In this article you’ll find simple instructions and extra details that will help you get started growing your very own Tomatoes in containers or pots at home.

What Equipment Do I Need To Grow Tomatoes In A Container

No matter what vegetables you’re growing in your balcony or patio container garden, you need a small set of tools. The tools just make it easier to take care of your potted plants. My list includes a few of these tools and supplies that you’ll need for all your container gardening. Take a look at my detailed article “Essential Container Gardening Tools” for loads of ideas, however I’ve got a good summary below:

• Hand Trowel
• Hand Cultivator
• Watering Can
• Plant Pots or Containers 5 gallons (20 liters) each
• Potting Soil 30 pound bag (good quality organic) 
• Compost 30 pound bag (good quality organic)
• Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer (recommended)
• Liquid Kelp Organic Fertilizer (recommended)

How To Plant Tomatoes In Containers Or Pots

What Is The Best Soil To Grow Tomatoes

Tomatoes are heavy feeders, so soil needs to be breathable and free-draining. Avoid dense soils like garden soil or soil from the back yard, instead get a good quality Potting Soil Mix. It will make for a healthier plant. At your store, you may also find a specialty Tomato Potting Soil Mix, containing additional compounds such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium designed to be optimal for growing Tomatoes. These soil mixes may be more expensive and less versatile compared to general types of Potting Soil, and for the average gardener these specialized Potting Soils aren’t required. Get a good quality All Purpose Potting Soil Mix like the example below.

OUR PICK
Best All Purpose Potting Soil.

I like using a good quality Organic All Purpose Potting Mix, as I prefer to feed the soil and let the soil feed the plant. Whether you’re organic or not, the following applies just the same. Fill your containers or pots (you can even use planter bags) to half full with your Potting Soil. Fertilizer is optional, however try adding Organic Blood and Bone Meal into the Potting Soil mix. Follow the directions on the package, then mix it through the potting mix by hand (you should be wearing garden gloves as there may be bacteria present). Now top up the container or pot with Organic Compost to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) from the top.

OUR PICK
Best All Purpose Organic Potting Soil.

If you want to learn more about choosing Potting Soil, take a look at our article “How to Choose the Best Potting Soil for Your Container Garden“. It gives a detailed guide to choosing Potting Soil, so you can always pick what’s correct for the plants you’re growing.

Where Do I Plant Tomatoes

Tomatoes love the sun and they love warmth. Before you fill your container or pot (they are heavy when full), place the container in a sunny corner ready for the Potting Soil mix and Tomato seedling. Plant 1 seedling per container or pot and place the seedling in the middle.

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Before planting, leave your soil-filled pot or container out in the sun to warm up. Tomatoes love the heat and sun.

What Size Container Is Best To Grow Tomatoes

The variety of Tomato plant you choose will determine the size of the container. As a rough guide, Tomatoes need around 16 inches (40 centimeters) of space per plant to support their root system. This roughly equates to 1 plant per container or pot.

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The container or pot needs to be 16 inches (40 centimeters) and 7 gallons (26 liters) for Determinate Varieties and 24 inches (60 centimeters) and 12 gallons (45 liters) for Indeterminate Varieties.

Spacing, Depth, And Support

Sow seeds 1 per container or pot, then lightly cover with Organic Potting Mix. I recommend germinating seeds indoors in small pots first. That way you have nice strong seedlings to transfer into your larger containers. When it’s time to re-home your Tomato Seedlings, plant them a little deeper, so that the bottom inch of the Tomato plant stem is covered with Compost. Finally, water in well.

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Grow your own seedlings. Plant seeds together in a seed tray containing a seed raising potting mix. Once the seedlings are 2 to 4 inches tall, you can plant them out.

Almost all Tomato plants require support, especially the tall growing varieties. This means frames, trellis or canes will be needed for support. It’s best to put these in when you plant the seedlings to avoid damaging plant roots later.

How To Care For Tomatoes

Light

As I mentioned earlier, Tomatoes love sun and warmth, so chose a place with all day sun for your containers or pots. Try to shelter them from wind as the plants are easily damaged.

Water

Potted plants dry out quicker than in-ground plants, so it’s important to water potted plants regularly. Water once a day either first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. Water until you see some leaking out the container drain holes. This means you’ve saturated the soil. Tomatoes don’t like wet leaves, so water the soil not the plant.

Position, Temperature, And Humidity

Tomatoes need plenty of sunshine, so position the pot somewhere that gets plenty of sun. Look for a location that can provide around 8 hours of sun per day. Optimal temperature can vary between varieties of Tomato plants, however aim for around 65 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 – 25 degrees Celcius).

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If germinating from seed, keep your seed try indoors in a location that gets plenty of sunshine, such as a windowsill.

Fertilizer

Some gardeners like to use a high-phosphorus fertilizer, which is indicated by a larger middle number on the package. Of course you can just buy a fertilizer especially formulated for Tomatoes, usually with a ratio like 3-4-6 or 4-7-10. I tend to buy a good balanced fertilizer and rely on quality Organic Potting Soil mix and Organic Compost to get good results. Most importantly, don’t over fertilize. A little less fertilizer is always better than too much.

OUR PICK
Best Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer.

Organic liquid seaweed fertilizer can be given to Tomato plants weekly when watering. This can be applied with your usual watering and it will help give a boost to encourage lush green leaves and healthy fruit. Seaweed is a common ingredient in many organic fertilizers.

OUR PICK
Best Organic Kelp Fertilizer.

Pollination

Tomatoes are self-pollinating which means only one plant is not needed for producing fruit. The pollen falls within the flower to pollinate itself.

Pests

Plant only disease-free healthy seedlings. Avoid overhead watering, as mentioned earlier, water the soil not the plant. Support plants to increase air circulation through the foliage.

When dealing with inserts choose a good Organic Plant Safe pesticide. Examples of good organic insect sprays for use with Tomatoes include those made with Insecticidal Soap or Neem Oil extract. For combatting Aphids and Whiteflies, use Bacillus thuringiensis (often called “Bt”), Pyrethrum for Beetles, and Horticultural Oil for stink bugs.

What Type Of Tomatoes Should I Grow

There is a huge number of Tomato varieties, many more than we can cover in this article. Regardless of variety, all tomatoes can be categorized into two groups Determinate and Indeterminate. These groups are used to help determine plant size and the length of your growing season.

Determinate Tomatoes varieties start to grow early, but with a shorter growth time. Plants grow stronger bushes that don’t require much staking and support 2 to 4 feet ( 0.5 to 1 meter) in length, and produce smaller fruit than Indeterminate plants. These types are ideal for growing where space is limited, such as a Pot or Container.

Indeterminate Tomato varieties will continue to grow until it starts to frost. These types produce taller plants that grow up to 5 to 7 feet (1.8 -to 2 meters) in length and produce larger fruit. Indeterminate varieties can be grown in containers, but larger containers are needed to support their root system. Supporting structures such as stakes, canes, or cages are essential to support the plant as it grows.

Here are a few other factors to consider, as well as some examples:

1. Plant Size – For compact gardens, you may be looking for varieties that lend themselves well to hanging gardens, such as Black Cherry or Patio Choice
2. Flavor profile – do you prefer sweet varieties that are ideal for snacking (Golden Nugget, Sweet 100), a hearty, versatile tomato that goes great in salads and sandwiches (Beefsteak, Oxheart), or a low-acidity tomato (Roma)
3. Climate – some varieties lend themselves better to cooler climates (Russian Red), or warmer climates (Bush Early Girl)

What Type Of Container Is Best To Grow Tomatoes

Tomatoes can happily grow in any type of pot or container, whether it be terracotta, plastic, or in a fabric pot or grow bag. Each planter will have different properties, which you will need to consider when growing your Tomatoes. For instance, Terracotta pots may dry out faster and require additional watering compared to plastic pots, while dark-colored plastic pots tend to absorb heat faster than other container types, requiring additional protection from the sun.

Regardless of material, it is important that your pot or container is large enough to support your variety of tomato and has room for your plant support. Tomatoes require adequate drainage, so you may need to cut or drill additional holes into your pot or container. Here is my container size guide.

Fabric pots, or specialty Tomato Grow Bags, are a popular option for those growing from home. They come in a wide variety of sizes to support any size of tomato plant, allow plenty of space for breathability and drainage, and are easier to relocate than heavier pots such as terracotta or clay.

How Do I Harvest Tomatoes

Tomatoes are typically ready to harvest 60-85 days after planting seedlings. Timing can change depending on your climate and the variety of Tomato you’re growing. If you’re growing Determinate Tomatoes, be ready for one large harvest during the season, all at once! Indeterminate varieties of Tomato can bear fruit more than once, producing fruit until the first frost.

Pick fruit when the skin is firm and the fruit gives slightly when touched. At this point, the color has just started to change from green to the ripe color, usually red. Don’t leave them on the vine for too long, otherwise they can over-ripen and split. To complete the ripening process, place your Tomatoes on a bowl on your kitchen counter top.

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To help ripen Tomatoes, place them next to Ethylene producing fruit like Apples, bananas, melons, pears or peaches to speed up the process. You can use paper bag is excellent also.

How To Store Tomatoes After Harvest

Wash and dry your tomato harvests before storing. If you’re planning to use your Tomatoes over the next week, then a bowl on the counter top will be fine. If you need to keep them for longer, then a lower temperature is needed so move them to the refrigerator.

When using the refrigerator, put your Tomatoes in the crisper section in a perforated plastic bag. The bag will keep the fruit from drying. Be aware though, refrigerated Tomatoes will lose color, firmness, and flavor. Don’t put unripe Tomatoes in the refrigerator either. Always ripen first.

Storing your Tomatoes long term is a whole topic all by itself, and outside the scope of this article. Take a look at the article “How To Preserve Tomatoes” for detailed guidance on this topic.

Conclusion

If there is one vegetable (oh I know it’s really a fruit) you should have in your container garden, it’s the Tomato. It’s one of the most satisfying and rewarding crops to grow. They can take up very little space and bring you a large harvest of beautiful Tomatoes. There is just so much you can do with them, eaten fresh, frozen, canned, puree, oven dried, and Tomato paste. Spring is always just around the corner, and so you should always be planning your next crop of Tomatoes in your container garden.

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