Why Grow Tomatoes in Containers? Read on……

Limited space, poor quality soil, pest problems and unfavorable local climate are the most common reasons why rural and urban gardeners often turn to growing tomatoes in containers. Luckily, this garden vegetable is well-suited for containers because of its great many varieties that offer manageable plant sizes without compromising on high yield. Want to enjoy fresh tomatoes every day? Grow them on a My Garden Post, a vertical gardening system, on your patio just steps from the kitchen!

About Choosing the Best Variety

Your first concern is to choose a variety with a growth habit that is compatible with the planter and the vertical space available on My Garden Post. For example, the two large lower planters on the MGP offer 22 – 24 vertical inches. That’s plenty of room for compact varieties like Bush Big Boy Hybrid and Bush Heatwave II Hybrid. The size and taste of the fruit is your next decision. Any good seed company and most garden centers and greenhouses will give you many to choose.

The three smaller planters on My Garden Post are best planted with dwarf tomato varieties like the 10” “Tiny Tim”. We’ve also had great success with the 15” “Patio Princess”. Both varieties will give you high yield and great flavor. Keep looking, you’ll find many more small tomatoes that are fun to grow and delicious.

What Determines the Difference Between Success and Failure?

Here are a few basic tips that home gardeners can keep in mind to achieve success.

• Soil: Spend a little extra money to buy a light container soil mix that drains well. MGP planters have adequate drainage with 2 holes in the smaller planters and 4 holes in the larger ones. With a good soil mix and good drainage you’re headed in the right direction.
• Water: Adequate moisture for tomatoes is critical. The light soil mix and good drainage mentioned above takes the worry out of overwatering. My Garden Post’s exclusive programmable Drip Irrigation System relieves you from the daily or twice daily chore of watering. The system never forgets and does a flawless job.
• Feed: Healthy tomatoes laden with fruit are always hungry. Whether you use organic fish emulsions, composts or a balanced formulation of Peter’s, frequency is most important. Choose one specific day a week to fertilize and stick to that schedule.
• Light: Tomatoes like all the sun you can provide. My Garden Post is mounted on 5 sturdy casters which allow you to roll your tomato garden about the patio or deck to find the best exposure.
• Planting: Unlike peppers and most other vegetables, tomatoes can be planted deeper than they grow in the germinating trays and transplant pots. This is great news for tomato transplants that are stretched and leggy. When planting your leggy tomato to your planter, pick off the lower leaves, leaving two or three sets of healthy leaves at the top of the transplant. Then lay the roots and stem of your transplant as deep in the planter as possible, leaving the 2-3 sets of leaves above the soil line. Lightly tamp the soil over the roots and stem. Roots will sprout all along the stem and support your stronger and healthier tomato.

Whether you are a longtime home gardener or trying your green thumb for the first time, keeping the above suggestions in mind will help you to successfully grow tomatoes in My Garden Post.