How to Grow Tomatoes in Pots

Overview

One of the nice features of a tomato plant is that it doesn't seem to mind being grown in a pot; it still produces just as many fresh and delicious tomatoes as it would have if planted out in a garden. Whether your entire vegetable garden is going to be grown in containers or you've run out of space in the garden and just want to grow tomatoes in pots, you can successfully grow tomatoes with few supplies and very little time invested.

Step 1

Set up your pot in a sunny location on your deck, patio or yard. Pick a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Fill the bottom of the pot with a few inches of gravel followed by potting soil or well-broken-down compost up to an inch from the rim.

Step 2

Place a wooden stake down in to the soil just off from the direct center of the pot. Plant two or three seeds in the center of the pot half an inch deep and cover over lightly. If planting a seedling, bury 80 percent of the seedling under the soil with the plant resting on its side, leaving the upper 20 percent of the plant sticking up in the center.

Step 3

Water the soil to make it damp or moist, without overwatering or saturating the soil so much that the pot is holding standing water. Keep the soil moistened for the first three or four weeks, then back off watering to once or twice a week.

Step 4

Use plant ties as the tomato plant grows to help secure it to the stake and support the weight of growing fruits.

Step 5

Apply nontoxic pesticides only as needed to control whiteflies, spider mites and aphids, which enjoy the tomato plant as much as you do.