10 Essential Tips for Growing Tomatoes in Pots

Growing tomatoes in pots is easy if you have a spot that receives lots of sunlight, perhaps on your deck, patio, or balcony. You can raise all your favorite kinds of tomatoes in containers, from deep red slicers to tiny grape tomatoes. It just takes a little more work than garden-planted tomatoes because of the limited access to water and nutrients. Give your potted tomato plants some extra care, and they'll richly reward you with handfuls of sun-ripened fruit. These ten tips will help you successfully grow your tomato plants in pots.

1. Plant a patio or bush tomato variety.

Small tomato plants, known as patio or bush varieties, grow and fruit best in containers. Don't be fooled by the size of a plant—a small tomato plant can still produce loads of fruit. Pot-friendly types of tomatoes typically grow to a particular size, usually 1 to 3 feet tall, and then begin fruiting. There are many patio-type tomato varieties and dozens more coming onto the market every season. The best tomato varieties for pots include 'Patio Choice Yellow,' 'Tumbler', 'Bush Early Girl', 'Pixie', 'Tiny Tim', and 'Small Fry'.

2. Choose a BIG pot.

Tomatoes have a large, wide root system. The bigger the container, the more room your plant's roots will have to grow. The best choice for growing tomatoes in pots is one that holds at least 5 gallons of soil and measures 20 inches wide or more. A 5-gallon bucket, though not particularly attractive, makes a fine tomato container after you drill drainage holes in the bottom.

Growing tomatoes in pots can be done in a hanging planter, but they'll need extra support, such as wall anchors since the container can weigh over 50 pounds. Choose smaller varieties to plant in hanging planters. Hanging planters are a great option when there's little to no yard area or patio space, such as on an apartment balcony.

3. Drainage is key.

Tomatoes will grow in plastic, clay, and stone pots, but growing containers in pots that lack drainage holes is useless. Drainage holes allow excess water to escape, essential to avoiding root rot and other plant diseases. Only plant tomatoes in pots that have good drainage.

4. Use potting mix.

A pot of regular soil scooped from your garden will not drain fast enough for container plants. Growing tomatoes in pots will be much more successful in a potting mix labeled for container gardening. Lightweight and easy to use, potting mixes are designed to have great drainage while retaining enough moisture to keep plants hydrated.

5. Provide nutrients.

Nutrients fuel a tomato plant's fast growth. Plus, potting mix drains quickly, taking nutrients with it. For these reasons, you'll need to fertilize your potted tomato plants regularly.

One of the easiest ways to provide nutrients when growing tomatoes in pots is through a slow-release fertilizer mixed into the potting mix at planting time. Look for a product designed specifically for vegetables. Then, four to six weeks after planting, fertilize plants again with a slow-release fertilizer mixed into the top two inches of soil or use an organic product, such as fish emulsion, greensand, or kelp meal.

6. Give tomato plants plenty of sunlight.

Growing tomatoes in pots requires at least 8 hours of sunlight to reach their leaves daily for the best growth and fruiting. Ample light is also essential for producing flavorful fruit. Place your potted tomato plants on the south or west side of a building, which will get the most direct sunlight.

7. Water tomato plants in pots regularly.

Tomatoes are thirsty plants, especially when they begin to gain size. Add in hot or windy conditions, and you may find yourself having to water your potted tomatoes twice a day. Your goal is never to let your potted tomato plants dry out enough to wilt because a wilted plant is a stressed plant, which can impact your harvest. Morning is the best time to water, but if your containers have dried out significantly throughout the day, water again in the late afternoon. Water plants deeply until you see excess moisture running out the drainage holes.

8. Keep leaves dry.

Several common tomato leaf diseases spread when water and soil splash onto the leaves. Minimize disease spread by watering tomato plants at their base; avoid getting the leaves wet as much as possible. If you're using a hose to water your tomato plants, adjust the pressure so that potting mix doesn't get splashed up onto your plant.

9. Give plants space.

Good air circulation helps prevent disease because moving air dries wet foliage quickly, preventing some diseases. Arrange potted plants so that air can freely pass around them. For example, place your tomato plants so their leaves aren't against walls or touching other plants as much as possible.

10. Provide support for potted tomato plants.

Tomato fruit becomes heavy as it ripens. Even clusters of small grape and cherry tomatoes can bend and break stems. Give your tomato plants a little support by sinking a trellis or stake into the pot at planting time. Weave tomato stems through the trellis or tie them to the stake as they grow. You can also use tomato cages for support, which will have the added benefit of keeping some garden critters from eating your ripe crop or pests from infesting your plants.