If you have a thing for juicy and healthy tomatoes and yet you don’t really have the soil to grow one, why not learn about how to grow tomatoes in containers? You don’t need a lot of land to grow the plant. In fact, you don’t even need soil! If you can find the right (and a big) container, and you make sure that it can get enough access to water, fertilizer, and sunlight, you are good to go. You should be able to grow any variety, from the tiny ones (like grape tomatoes) to a big one (the slicing types).

The General Benefits

Before we discuss the steps about how to grow tomatoes in containers, it’s crucial that you know the basic perks of growing one in the container.

  • It’s space efficient. Not only you don’t need to have soil, but you can plant it anywhere you like, even in driveway, border beds, balcony, or patio.
  • Containers are easily moved around. You can find spots where there is abundant sunlight. Tomato plants need at least 6 to 8 hours a day to grow well.
  • During the growing season, young plants are easily transplanted to containers rather than on ground.

Best Varieties

Tomatoes can fall into determinate types or the indeterminate ones. The previous one means that the plant will set the flowers and then produce fruits within one flush. The latter refers to vining tomatoes needing support so they can produce fruits during the mature growing period.

Determinate tomatoes usually fall within compact plants or bush tomatoes. They are great when grown in containers. Their best varieties include Italian Roma, Tiny Tim, Maglia Rosa, and Glacier. On the other hand, if you do have the space (and room) for vining tomatoes, their best varieties would include Chocolate Cherry, Cherokee Purple, Sun Gold, and Sun Sugar.

grow tomatoes

How to Do It

Here are the steps on how to grow tomatoes in containers

  • If you start from seeds, place the seeds within the seed trays. Put them in small containers, and then transplant them later to bigger containers. Only do this when they are about 10 centimeters, or up to 15 centimeters tall.
  • Choose a sunny spot. And then pick the right container.
  • Fill the container up with fresh soil and potting mix. Place the seedling on the potting mix’s center. Adjust the mix so there would be only two sets of leaves on the plant that would be exposed, right above the soil level. Yes, you should plant the tomatoes deep enough.
  • The deep planting action would encourage root growth, along with the stem below the soil. As a result, you can expect a healthy and strong root system.
  • Once you have adjusted the proper height, fill the container with another potting mix. Make sure that the two leaves sets are above the (soil) level.
  • Water the container with seaweed solution.

Crucial Tips

To help your tomato plants grow better, there are some things to consider carefully.

  • Plan the container carefully. If you want to know how to grow tomatoes in plastic containers, they should be big enough to accommodate the expansive roots. Having a square foot of container (or similar to two gallons) should be enough for every plant. But if you have a bigger container that reaches two square feet, it’s even better. It’s similar to a five gallon bucket for a proper growth of the plant.
  • The containers shouldn’t be black because they will absorb (and hold) heat. It can cause the roots to be excessively warm. If it happens, you get stunted plants.
  • Go with fiberglass or plastic pots. Don’t go with clay pots because they can quickly dry off.
  • Containers should have good drainage because you want to keep the roots moist, but not overly flooded or soggy. If you happen to use a bucket, make sure to make holes on the bottom. In the event of you having a container but with overly big holes, you should cover them. You can use paper coffee filters, window screening pieces, or broken pot pieces.

Final Word

Growing your own tomato plants can be rewarding. Aside from making sure that you always have a continuous supply of tomatoes, you can also monitor your plants, making sure that they are fresh, juicy, and healthy. Once you learn about how to grow tomatoes in containers, you can start your planting journey right away.