HOW TO GROW TOMATO IN CONTAINERS

Tomato is one of the most popular, favourite and the easiest fruit crop to grow in containers.  An ideal candidate for container gardening.

NUTRIENT VALUE

An excellent source of Vitamin C, A, Potassium and Iron.

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Tomato is a cold season crop and thrives in 4 – 6 hours of direct exposure of Sun. 

PROPAGATION

Seeds should be sow in seedling trays or small plastic containers, ¼”deep.  Keep the tray/ container in a room at 70-80^OF until germination and keep the soil moist.  Seeds will germinate in approximately 2 weeks.  Once the germination process start, move them to under partial Sun light/ shade. Wait for another 2 – 3 weeks before transplanting in to pots/ containers. Tomato plants normally grows to a height of 3 - 4 feet and start producing fruits in 2 - 3 months (depends upon the variety).  A small stick or tomato plant cage which gives support to the plant is very beneficial for its growth.

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Minimum container size is 12” (W) x 10” (H).  Normally tomatoes grow very large root system.  When we give them room to develop, they can flourish and produce.  The larger the pot, the better and healthier crop with bigger yields. Keep a minimum distance of 35 cm – 45 cm between 2 plants in case your pot is big enough and you are planning to sow two plants.  Container can be of any material but the best ones are Clay as they hold heat better than any other pot.  Keep big drainage holes for balancing moisture level of soil.  Big drainage holes also allows excess water to leave, minimizing risk of root rot.

SOIL

Soil should be loose, well-drained with lots of organic matter.  Equal parts of planting mix and potting soil will do. It provides an aerated, medium density environment for roots to expand and access nutrients. Adding Pearlite or Vermiculite and Organic Materials (Manure and/or peat moss) to the soil will help plant’s health and growth enormously.  A handful of crushed oyster shell mixed deeply in the soil works better and makes an ideal tomato growing environment. Dig a hole deep enough to cover all but the top three to four inches of the seedling.

IT REQUIRES SUPPORT
Most of Tomato plant varieties can become top-heavy and will definitely need support, specially the high yielding varieties.  Use Tomato cage or a bamboo stick to support them.  Place stick as soon as the plant is young and have been transplanted.  Do not wait for the plant to be grown bigger as this could cause a major damage to the root system. In case of bamboo stick, push it all the way in to the pot’s bottom so that it can support the plant’s weight later on.

COMPANION PLANTS

Basil, Beans & Peppers are companions and can be grown along with Tomato plants. 

FERTILIZER

Tomato plants are heavy feeders as they grow quickly and produce large fruits Low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus organic fertilizers are best for Tomato plants.  Do not provide too much nitrogen as it increases leafy growth and not flower and fruit production.  Liquid seaweed can increase fruit production and plants health if given weekly/ bi-weekly. 

WATERING

A common mistake that we normally make is over-watering the plant.  Water regularly while it is developing but also keep an eye on the moisture levels and do not over-water neither let them dry out fully. 

PRUNING AND PINCHING

Remove suckers that develops in the joints of two branches.  Use cutters and cut neatly against the main part of the stem or else they will take away energy from the plant.  You can also thin leaves but ultimately, the leaves are the ones which make food that go into making tomatoes.

CARE

Many insects pests can snack tomato plant, such as tomato cutworm, tomato horn-worm, flea beetles, aphids, leaf miners, stalk borers, aphids, white-flies and slugs. Blight is very common disease of tomato plants. This is a fungal disease, which spread through soil and can infect other plants as well that comes in contact.  Take care and catch pests before they do any damage to plants. Use organic pest control to control/ fight with these pests. Never sprinkle or pour water on the tomato plant’s leaves.

HARVESTING

Harvest the fruit at its peak. Fruit will appear approximately about 60 - 90 days after transplanting. Check the plants daily once they begin to ripen to ensure peak flavour. Gently twist the fruits and avoid pulling at the vine.

Your feedback and suggestions are welcome, as always.

Happy container gardening.