Growing Tomatoes in Containers:
How to Grow Tomatoes in Pots
Growing tomatoes in containers works well as long as the pot is big enough, the soil drains, and the plant gets six or more hours of sun. Most container tomato failures come down to one of those three, or to letting the pot dry out in July.
★ SaveHere is what works:
- Pot size: 5 gallons at the least for one compact plant; 10 to 15 gallons for a full-size variety. A pot that is too small is the most common mistake.
- Soil: bagged potting mix, not garden soil. Replace or refresh it every two years.
- Sun: six hours at least; eight is better.
- Water: daily in hot weather, sometimes twice. Water until it runs out the bottom.
- Feeding: a liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks once the plant sets fruit, following the label. Pots wash nutrients out faster than a garden bed.
- Varieties: determinate, dwarf, and patio types stay manageable in pots.
Soil and Planting
★ Save- Use a light, loose mix. In pots, plain garden soil packs down and stays soggy, which can suffocate roots. Use a good bagged potting mix, or lighten garden soil with plenty of compost and perlite or vermiculite.
- Go deep. Give the roots at least 12 inches of soil, and 18 inches or more for full-size plants.
- Start with transplants. Buy young plants, or start your own seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost. Set them out after the last frost, when nights stay above 50°F.
- Plant deep. Bury the stem up to the first set of leaves. Tomatoes grow new roots along the buried stem, making a stronger plant.
- Add support at planting time. A sturdy cage or stake goes in when you plant, before the roots spread. Vining types can climb a trellis behind the pot.
- Change the soil every two years, or mix in fresh compost each spring.
For snacking, try cherry or red and yellow pear tomatoes in a large planter, staked to a firmly set post. They are perfect for popping from vine to mouth, and a great way to get children (and adults) to eat their vegetables.
Find your best planting dates with our free personalized planting calendar, and see how to grow tomatoes for more tips.
Caring for Tomatoes in Pots
★ Save- Water often. Roots in a pot can't reach for moisture, so containers dry out much faster than the garden. Check the soil every day, and don't let it dry out more than an inch below the surface. Uneven watering causes blossom end rot and split fruit.
- Feed regularly. Use a liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks once the plant sets fruit, following the label. Good choices include fish or seaweed fertilizers and compost tea.
- Mulch the top. A layer of straw or shredded leaves on top of the soil slows drying.
- Keep it tied. Tie stems loosely to the stake or cage as the plant grows.
- Watch for pests. Check under the leaves for hornworms and aphids, and pick off any you find.
See how to grow tomatoes and fertilizing tomatoes for more.
Benefits of Growing Tomatoes in Containers
- Easy to protect. You can move pots to shelter your plants from frost, cover them from birds, and keep them free of weeds.
- Follow the sun. Put a big pot on a plant caddy with wheels, and you can move it to the sunniest spot.
- Save garden space. Tomatoes on the patio free up room in the garden for other crops.
- Fresh tomatoes anywhere. A sunny balcony, deck, or driveway is all you need.
Best Tomato Varieties for Containers
Compact varieties are the easiest choice when growing tomatoes in containers. Look for "determinate," "dwarf," "patio," or "bush" on the plant tag or seed packet.
★ SaveTiny Tim
A tiny cherry tomato plant only about 18 inches tall, with 3/4-inch fruit. It ripens early, in about 45 to 55 days, and is a perfect choice for small pots, window boxes, and small gardens.
Sweet Baby Girl
A hybrid cherry tomato with long clusters of dark red fruit on compact plants. The cherries are ready to pick in about 65 days, and they keep well after picking. Give it a cage or stake.
Burgess Trip-L-Crop
This one is different: a vigorous climbing tomato with big crimson fruit, ready in about 70 days. Its vines grow very tall, so it needs a large tub (15 gallons or more) and a tall, sturdy trellis. It's a fun choice if you want big slicing tomatoes on a patio and have room to grow up.
Other good container tomatoes
Patio, Bush Early Girl, and Celebrity are compact, productive slicing tomatoes. Tumbling Tom is a trailing cherry tomato made for hanging baskets.
For heirlooms with bigger vines, like Cherokee Purple and Brandywine, use the biggest container you can, at least 15 to 20 gallons.
Growing Tomatoes in Bags
Grow bags are another easy way of growing tomatoes in containers. Fabric grow bags breathe, so roots stay healthy and don't circle the way they do in plastic pots.
- Size: use a 10- to 15-gallon grow bag for each tomato plant.
- Soil: fill it with the same light potting mix you would use in a pot.
- Water: grow bags dry out quickly, so water daily in summer, or set them on a drip line with a timer.
- Bonus: no weeding, and you can fold and store the bags over winter.
An old-fashioned version uses heavy plastic bags of potting mix laid flat on the ground, with slits cut in the top for the plants and drainage holes punched underneath. Commercial grow bags, sometimes sold already planted, work the same way.
More Tomato Growing Guides
For more, see Oregon State University Extension's Grow Your Own Tomatoes and Tomatillos.
My short garden email, Get the Dirt, comes Saturday mornings.
Sign Up for My Free Newsletter