| If you always dreamed of growing your own | | | | your plants and dry the soil very quickly. Now that |
| tomatoes and not having the land to do it was the | | | | you have the area for your tomato containers it is |
| only reason you didn't, there is a way. Containers are | | | | time to start preparing the pots. |
| the answer you are looking for. Apartments, condo's | | | | Good soilless potting mix is very important when |
| or any other urban location you can still have the | | | | growing tomatoes in containers, along with a method |
| benefits of fresh grown vegetables. | | | | of regularly feeding them. Container-grown tomatoes |
| Successfully growing tomatoes is easy to do. A good | | | | are not be able to get nutrients they need from the |
| soilless potting mix, nutrients to feed your plants, | | | | soil as they would in the traditional garden. Soilless |
| water and sunlight is all you need. Containers planting | | | | potting mixes are generally a good choice for this |
| is a healthy way to grow your tomatoes and the risk | | | | method of gardening and you can find many |
| of insect and disease problems are minimal. Here are | | | | different commercial products available for this |
| a few basic tips to get you going with a thriving crop | | | | specific purpose at your local garden center, along |
| of container grown tomatoes. | | | | with the organic nutrients you will need to feed them |
| Selecting a container is the first thing you will need to | | | | with. |
| do. Size of the container for growing tomatoes | | | | When choosing to grow your tomatoes in containers |
| needs to be at least 5 gallons. This will provide the | | | | it is usually easier to start them from seed. Place the |
| plant with the adequate room for the root system | | | | pots in the desired location and plant your seeds |
| to grow. When choosing a container you want to | | | | directly into pots and give them a good watering. |
| make sure it isn't made of anything toxic and that | | | | Once your seeds germinate and the seedlings begin |
| the base of it has holes in it for drainage. These | | | | to grow you can add a slow-release fertilizer to keep |
| containers can be anything from a 5 gallon pail to a | | | | your plants vigorously growing. Regular watering are |
| tub. Your imagination is the limit in what you decide | | | | very important, soil in containers tend to dry out |
| to plant in. | | | | much quickly than garden beds and need to be |
| When using pots that have been used previously for | | | | checked daily. |
| other plants it is important to thoroughly clean and | | | | As your tomato plants grow they will require some |
| scrub them out before using. There can be soil-born | | | | type of support to prevent them falling over. There |
| diseases that might be present from previous | | | | are many different methods that you can use to |
| plantings and you don't want to have them infect | | | | support your plants. There are commercially made |
| your new plants. | | | | cages just for tomatoes or you can simply stake and |
| Sunlight is a very important part when growing | | | | tie them. Keep in mind that once the plants start |
| tomatoes, even in containers. The more sunlight the | | | | setting fruit they will get quite heavy and the stems |
| better, 8 to 10 hours,if this is a problem you should | | | | will also require some support. |
| have a minimum of five to six hours of sunlight to | | | | The large traditional garden isn't the only way you |
| have a productive healthy crop. Another requirement | | | | can enjoy home-grown, vine-ripened tomatoes. |
| that is just as important is to choose a location that | | | | Growing tomatoes in containers give you the same |
| is sheltered from the wind. Strong gusts can damage | | | | benefits. |