Growing Container Tomatoes
It is entirely possible to grow a healthy, fruit producing tomato plant in a container sidestepping the need for an outdoor garden. Tomato plants are an extremely easy plant to grow just as successfully in a garden as it is in a container.
There are several benefits to growing a tomato plant in a container. This method is perfect for those who are short on space for an actual outdoor garden. Pots can be placed anywhere that receives enough light for the plant to sustain its growth including patios, yards and even window sills. Plus, since tomato plants require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day, pots can be moved from location to location to ensure that the plant is receiving the right amount of sunlight eliminating the need for one particularly sunny spot. Another advantage to growing tomato plants in pots is that it eliminates the need to weed if you are short on time for proper gardening.
Most varieties of tomatoes can be successfully grown in containers but, some do better then others. You will want to grow tomatoes that do not get too large. Determinate tomatoes are varieties that will grow to a smaller size. They will typically get to be about 1 to 2 ft maximum. Plus, growing tomatoes in pots will cause them to ripen all at once. Choosing the smaller tomato varieties means that you are not stuck with too many tomatoes then you know what to do with. To ensure your success in the endeavor of growing a tomato plant in pot, it is also better to choose a tomato plant variety that has a lower water demand. Tomato plants need about one inch of water a week keeping the soil moist. But, because they are being grown in a pot, keeping the soil moist can be challenging. The key to keeping the soil moist it to pick the right kind of pot for your tomato plant. A standard terra cotta pot that provides enough room for the roots to grow is perfect for your plant. Good drainage is important so make sure that the pot has drainage holes at the bottom. You can also add a layer of rock at the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage and ward off root rot. To keep the soil in the pot moist you should also use the right kind of soil. Tomato plants grown in a pot do well in a soil-less mix of sphagnum peat, perlite and vermiculite. You should also add a scoop of organic fertilizer to the soil mixture as well to the center of the pot and mix it in well. Tomato plants tend to be heavy feeders so you should add a fertilizer that is slow acting. On top of that, you can add fertilizer about every two to four weeks.
It is wonderful to be able to grow your own tomatoes. You can enjoy fresh organic tomatoes that taste so much better then what you can get from the store. With the ability to grow tomato plants in a container, apartment dwellers and those who are limited on space can enjoy the same benefits as those with access to a full outdoor garden.
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Growing Tomatoes The Easy Way
With the decision to start an outdoor vegetable garden, planting a few tomato plants is a must. Growing your own tomato plants is easy to do and a great way to enjoy fresh, organic tomatoes.
With over 7,500 thousand tomato varieties, there are many different ones to choose from. You might be interested in a smaller size of tomato like cherry tomatoes. Or you might be interested in making your own sauces and salads in which case Early Girl or Beefsteak tomatoes will be the right ones for you. Which ever variety you choose, you can be sure that you will have plenty of tomatoes to go around by the time the harvest comes around because of the ease of growing this plant.
Planting tomato plants in an outdoor garden requires warm weather. Tomato plants can not withstand frost. They prefer to be in temperatures that are between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and no cooler the 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night. In most places, this means that the weather is ideal at the end of May for tomatoes. Tomato plants should not be planted too close together. They have roots that fill out underneath the soil and therefore need the room. Plus, plants that are too close together can easily share disease and pests. They could also inhibit the growth of the fruit by offering too much shade from leaves that are too close together. Tomato plants should be place between 12 and 36 inches apart depending on their varieties. Types of tomato plants that require to be grown on a trellis should be further part then their dwarf variety cousins. Trellises or cages for larger tomato plant varieties offer support for the tomato vine and helps to keep the fruit off the ground. Fruit that lies on the ground becomes rotten and therefore cuts down on the crop you are producing.
Tomato plants love sunlight and should receive at least 6 to 8 hours of it a day. They also need to be watered on a constant basis. They do well in soil that is moist and aerated. Tomato plants can also be pruned to aid a good harvest. Try trimming one non-fruit bearing branch. These are the branches without fruit or blossoms. You can also trim some leaves so that the fruit gains access to more sunlight. But be careful not to trim too many leaves since it is the leaves that will proved the fruit with the sugars to aid in its flavor. Plus, trimming the suckers that grow in the joint of the branches will aid in the health and the growth of the plant as well. Removing the suckers will remove the energy that the plant uses to grow them allowing the plant to gain more energy to grow a nice crop.
Growing tomato plants in an outdoor garden is both rewarding and simple to do. They are a hardy plant that can withstand the efforts of event he most inexperienced vegetable gardener. Once you have tried a tomato from your own home grown garden, it will be hard to ever buy the fruit from the store again.