How to grow tomatoes in pots

You do not need a garden to grow tomatoes. A sunny balcony or patio and a few large pots will do, as long as you give the plants what they need: sun, room, steady water and food.

Pick the right variety

Smaller varieties, especially cherry and patio types, suit pots best. Look for the word “determinate” or “bush” on the seed packet for compact plants. Tall “indeterminate” varieties keep growing and need strong support and a big pot.

Sun

Tomatoes want full sun. Aim for at least six hours of direct light a day, and more is better. In a shadier spot, choose cherry types and expect a smaller crop.

Pots and soil

• Use a large pot. As a guide, aim for about 5 gallons (around 20 liters) per plant for medium varieties, with more for tall ones. Small pots dry out quickly and stress the plant.
• The pot needs drainage holes.
• Use a good potting mix, not soil from the garden.

When to sow

If you start from seed, sow indoors about 6 weeks before your last spring frost. Plant out only when frost has passed and nights are warm. Tomatoes are ready to harvest roughly 70 to 80 days after sowing, depending on the variety. Buying young plants saves time.

Watering

Regular, even watering matters more than almost anything else. In a pot, tomatoes may need water every day in hot weather. As a starting point FloraPulse suggests about every 2 days. Check the soil: push a finger two inches in, and water deeply when it is dry. Wildly swinging between dry and soaked can lead to split fruit and blossom end rot, where the bottom of the fruit turns dark and leathery.

Water the soil, not the leaves, and do it in the morning so foliage dries during the day.

Feeding

Feed about every 2 weeks once the plant is growing and starting to flower, using a fertilizer made for tomatoes or a balanced one at the label rate.

Support

Put a stake or cage in the pot when you plant, so you do not damage roots later. Tie stems loosely as they grow. For indeterminate types, pinch out the small shoots that form between the main stem and a branch if you want a tidier plant.

Pests and problems

Check leaves regularly for insects and spots. Remove badly affected leaves. Good airflow helps prevent disease.

A note for pet owners

The leaves and stems of tomato plants are toxic to pets, even though ripe fruit is fine for people. The ASPCA lists tomato plants as toxic to cats and dogs. See the tomato page and cherry tomato page. Grow them where pets cannot chew the plants.

FloraPulse can keep a watering and feeding schedule for each pot.