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How to Grow Container Tomatoes

By Alison Wood

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 31Aug2011 Word count: 561 Viewed: 250 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

If you don't have an outside garden with fertile soil where you can grow fresh fruits and vegetables, don't fret. Many delicious vegetables can be grown in containers. One of the most popular container plants is tomatoes, because these luscious and juicy vegetables are easy to grow, and taste delicious right off the vine. Follow these tips to grow container tomatoes.

* Pick a tomato variety that will thrive when grown in a container. Many types of tomatoes do better when grown in a full garden where they can be staked and caged, but there are some varieties that grow extremely well in containers. Choose a compact, bushy tomato plant that has an indeterminate growing pattern for your best bet at growing fresh, ripe tomatoes in your container.

* Choose a container to grow your tomatoes in. Containers that work best are plastic or fiberglass, because they don't dry out in the sun as easily as clay pots do. Plastic and fiberglass containers are also easier on the wallet, as you'll need to buy a fairly large container for your tomatoes. The size of the container should be about a foot in diameter and at least 8-12 inches deep. Bigger is better when it comes to tomato containers because the bigger the container, the more soil it will hold and the more moisture retention and nutrient retention you will get. You can be resourceful with your container, looking around home improvement stores or even your own garage for a suitable growing pot. Just make sure there is proper drainage in the container so water can escape and not sit stagnant in the bottom of the container.

* When planting your tomato, be sure that you are using a high quality potting soil, as regular soil is too rough for tomato plants to grow in. Put a little soil in the bottom of the container, and then place the seeds or tomato plant into the pot. You can buy tomato seeds online and tomato plants at gardening stores. Fill in around the plant or seed with potting soil and water the plant well to give it a good head start.

* Care for your tomato plants regularly to increase the chance of successful growing. Place the contain on a sunny balcony, porch, deck or other outside area and water the soil (not the plant directly) regularly. You want the soil to be damp, but not consistently wet. Check the soil dampness with your finger before watering so that you don't overwater and accidentally drown the plant. As your tomato plant grows, you may need to stake it or cage it to stop it from falling over. Even bushy tomato plants sometimes need extra support since the tomatoes grow full and heavy on the plant. Harvest your tomatoes when they are fully matured. Tomato varieties show different colors when they are ready to be picked, but most will be a bright orange when they are ready to be plucked.

Growing container tomatoes is a great way to experience the homegrown tomato taste without the hassle of dealing with a whole garden. Homegrown tomatoes have that extra fragrant and fresh taste that supermarkets just can't compete with, so if you're a tomato lover, start growing your own container tomatoes today.

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