Gardeners are growing a lot more plants in containers these days because containers are often times more accessible, and not incidentally, they are space efficient. A favorite container plant is the tomato. And why not? Growing tomatoes in containers is easy and fun.

Even traditionally space-hogging varieties of tomatoes can be now grown in pots because hybridizers continue to roll out varieties that are bred just for container culture. For those who’ve always grown tomatoes the old-fashioned way (in-the-ground), it may be time to give container tomatoes a chance. With the right varieties, good culture and the proper container, the realm of tomatoes has expanded.

Breeders have created new tomato varieties for hanging pots. Photo by Jean Starr

What expert gardeners can tell us about growing tomatoes in containers

I grew my first container tomato five years ago after seeing it as part of a comparison trial of vegetables raised in large containers at Raker-Roberta’s Trial Grounds in Litchfield, MI. Raker-Roberta’s is the leading commercial wholesaler of custom-grown plugs and young plants in North America. Each summer, they test more than 3,000 plant varieties at the four-plus acre property, both in-ground and in-containers. The tomato I discovered there was growing in a huge pot. It was ‘Megabite’, which I successfully grew myself the following year.

The robust Tomato ‘Megabite’ had its first fruit end of June. Photo by Jean Starr

As Director of Trials for Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants, Greg Michalak manages the company’s trial grounds. “We’ve been trialing tomatoes in containers for several years,” he said. “There are a lot of breeders that are offering tomatoes that they claim can be put into containers.”

Michalak says he has had mixed results with them, but he has found some tricks to get the best out of container-grown tomatoes:

• Use a very large pot – at least 20” diameter across the top of the pot.
• Make sure plants are regularly fed and watered, especially watered.
• Install a stake or trellis. Many varieties say they don’t need it. However, Michalak believes that staking the central branch really helps.
• Plant varieties that are bred for containers.
• It is important to pull off the suckers! Due to their compact nature it is important to keep the plants trimmed for good airflow.

“Other than the above, treat them like any other tomato,” Michalak suggests. “Don’t forget that uneven watering can cause problems and low feed can stress out the plant, too.”

Top growers are developing hybrid tomatoes specifically for containers

Proven Winners has stepped into the food plant arena with their Proven Harvest offerings. ‘Garden Treasure’ and ‘Garden Gem’ grow well in containers. My brother grew ‘Garden Gem’ in a container last summer. He was surprised at how quickly it bore fruit. It was like a large cherry tomato, about the size of a golf ball. And, it had a great flavor.

According to Proven Winners, the semi-determinate, snack-size tomato was developed to have true heirloom taste, with modern disease resistance and high fruit yield. It has firm, juicy texture with a smooth, balanced flavor. These plants thrive in heat and humidity.

All-America Selections is an independent non-profit organization that tests new, never-before-sold varieties for the home gardener. AAS Executive Director, Diane Blazek, says, “Growing vegetables in containers is a trend that is likely to stick around a very long time.”

“I think people just think it’s easier in containers,” Blazek continues, “the breeding world is certainly embracing the trend and customizing their work to that goal.”

Some examples of that work include AAS tomato Winners: ‘Patio Choice Yellow’, ‘Red Racer’, ‘Fantastico’, ‘Lizzano’ and ‘Torenzo’ tomatoes.

Blazak believes that not only is it new gardeners who are putting tomatoes in containers because retailers are carrying them, but it’s also easier for older gardeners or those with physical limitations.

Recommendations for growing tomatoes in containers

All America Selections offers the following recommendations for growing tomatoes, both in the ground and in containers.

• Plant newer, disease-resistant varieties.
• Use good, healthy soil to put less stress on the plants, and follow a crop rotation plan.
• If you spot disease on a plant, cut off the affected leaf or limb.
• Properly dispose of diseased plants in the trash, not with the compost.
• Cleanliness counts! Wash your hands and clean your tools after working in one garden area or pot before continuing. You don’t want to spread disease!
• Spread plants out so they have room for circulation, which helps prevent disease. This includes staking plants instead of letting them lie on the ground.
• Water early in the day so the plant’s leaves have time to dry before nighttime when diseases are more prone to spread.

Last year I started three tomato varieties from seed, including ‘Tasmanian Chocolate’ from Renee’s Garden. Two others, ‘Dwarf Confetti’, and ‘Dwarf Velvet Night’, came from Victory Seeds’ generous roster of dwarf tomato varieties. I grew them in 20” diameter containers. I fed them at planting time with Osmocote® and made sure they were well-watered.

‘Tasmanian Chocolate’ formed fruit by July 1. Photo by Jean Starr

‘Dwarf Confetti’ has a red & yellow fruit with a sweet flavor. Photo by Jean Starr

Don’t try to get a head start on their growth by setting them outside until the nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees F, at least. And, try not to feel sorry for the lonely tomato in the huge pot. It will fill that pot out in no time, and won’t appreciate a bunkmate.

Tomato ‘Tasmanian Chocolate’, performed the best for me, ripening in mid-July and producing until early September. I made the mistake of crowding the other two plants together in the same pot. They took much longer to ripen, and produced fewer tomatoes. I especially liked the smoky flavor of the meaty ‘Tasmanian Chocolate’. However, the ‘Dwarf Confetti’ had a very nice, sweet flavor. I’m not discounting ‘Dwarf Velvet Night’, but it didn’t get a fair shake as its pot partner fought for food and water all summer long.

So, save a container for a tomato this year. You don’t have to start them from seed, as there should be several available at garden centers and online. You might even find a variety called ‘Ketchup ‘n’ Fries’, which has a tomato growing above ground and a potato growing under the surface. It’s done by grafting a tomato plant on top of a potato plant. It grows to seven feet in height. You can plant in the ground for best results or in a very large container of at least 20” in diameter. Ellen Wells, our own Just Veggies blogger, describes her encounter with the concept in her blog about TomTatoes.

Tomato varieties for containers are becoming as numerous as those that are grown in the ground. But, no matter where you plant them, tomatoes need around eight hours of sun a day for the highest yield. My tomatoes are lucky to get six hours, but since I’m the only one in my household that eats them, they produce plenty. While you are at it, look for other vegetables bred for containers, such as peppers, cucumbers and eggplant.