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Growing Tomatoes in Pots? Tomatoes are the number one vegetable that almost everyone starts with when thinking of growing an outdoor garden for the first time. One thing that you might not have thought about is that you, too, can produce these beautiful plants in a container.
Growing Tomatoes in Pots
Growing Container Tomatoes, For the most part, this plant is the easiest and most rewarding of all the vegetables you can grow in the garden.
Why? Because of the taste and the bounty! No one can fully appreciate homegrown vegetables until they eat a freshly ripened tomato, picked right off the vine. There's nothing like it in the grocery stores, due to the delicate nature of tomatoes, the farmers need to pick them when they are green to ensure that the product will get to the store undamaged.
That means the loss of taste along with it. But when you go out to your garden and grow the plant yourself, then feast on the bounty of this beautiful plant, do you fully appreciate just how delicious these tomatoes can taste fresh from the garden.
Which makes it exciting that anyone can grow these just about anywhere there is the full sun, making it entirely possible to develop a healthy, fruit-producing tomato plant in a container sidestepping the need for an outdoor garden. Tomato plants are a straightforward plant to grow just as successfully in a garden as it is in a box.
There are several benefits to growing a tomato plant in a container. This method is perfect for those who are short on space for an actual outdoor garden. Pots can be placed anywhere that receives enough light for the plant to sustain its growth, including patios, yards, and even window sills.
Plus, since tomato plants require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day, pots can be moved from location to location to ensure that the plant is receiving the right amount of the sun, eliminating the need for one, mainly sunny spot. Another advantage of growing tomato plants in pots is that it removes the need to weed if you are short on proper gardening. Every gardener loves to hear that!
Most varieties of tomatoes can be successfully grown in containers but, some do better than others. You will want to grow tomatoes that do not get too large. Determinate tomatoes are varieties that will grow to a smaller size. They will typically get to be about 1 to 2 ft maximum. Plus, growing tomatoes in pots will cause them to ripen all at once.
Choosing the smaller tomato varieties means that you are not stuck with too many tomatoes then you know what to do with. To ensure your success in growing a tomato plant in a pot, it is also better to choose a tomato plant variety with lower water demand.
Tomato plants need about one inch of water a week, keeping the soil moist. But, because they are being grown in a pot, keeping the ground wet can be challenging. Choosing the right container to plant your tomatoes will help to keep the soil moist.
A standard terra cotta pot that provides enough room for the roots to grow is perfect for your plant. Good drainage is essential, so make sure that the container has drainage holes at the bottom. You can also add a layer of rock at the bottom of the pot to ensure proper drainage and ward off root rot.
To keep the soil in the pot moist, you should also use the right kind of soil. Tomato plants grown in a pot do well in a soilless mix of sphagnum peat, perlite, and vermiculite. You should also add a scoop of organic fertilizer to the soil mixture to the center of the pot and mix it in well.
Tomato plants tend to be heavy feeders, so you should add a fertilizer that is slow acting. On top of that, you can add fertilizer about every two to four weeks. This can help you grow early tomatoes.
It is wonderful to be able to grow your tomatoes. You can enjoy fresh organic tomatoes that taste better than what you can get from the store. With the ability to grow tomato plants in a container, apartment dwellers and those with limited space can enjoy the same benefits as those with access to a full outdoor garden.
Other tomato posts you may find helpful:
What To Plant In Your Summer Garden