When people become interested in container gardening, their first question is usually “how can I grow tomatoes in a container?” Growing tomatoes in a container is a relatively easy process. Basically, growing tomatoes in the ground and in a container is the same thing. There are just a few differences.

First, start with high quality tomato seeds.   If you’re new to gardening, try a variety pack of tomato seeds that you can grow in different containers.

Start your seeds indoors, several weeks before the threat of the last frost in your area.  You can use a seed starting kit, or just a few empty cups or clean yogurt cups filled with rich, high quality soil.  If you live in an area where it freezes for most of your winter, use a germination station with a heat mat to start your seeds.   Make sure that the soil stays moist (not wet), and that your seeds and seedlings get at least 12 hours of light per day.

Once the threat of the last frost in your area has passed, you can begin “hardening off” your tomato plants before you put them outside permanently.

During the week when you are hardening off your tomato plants,  start looking for a container.  The first tomato plant that I grew in a container was grown in a large plastic tub/bin that I had bought years earlier to store my kids toys in it. (Like the blue one pictured here.)   You can basically use any container that is large enough to support proper growth of the tomato plant’s root system.   Because most tomato plants are large, they have large root sytems (hence the need for a very large container in which to grow tomatoes). Smaller tomato plants (like the stocky Roma tomato plant) can grow in 5-gallon buckets you find at home improvement stores. Larger plants (like Better Boy or Brandywine) require larger containers…I use 20-gallon totes with success. Basically, the taller a mature tomato plant will be, the more root space (and hence the larger container) the plant will need. You can determine this by looking at your packet of seeds–it always tells you how tall the tomato plant will end up being. Romas grow about 4-feet tall, and a 5-gallon bucket works perfectly.

I suggest placing your container some place that gets enough sunshine during the day.  The container will be full of soil, and might be too heavy for some to be lugging around the yard to “follow the sun.”

Use a high-quality potting soil.  If you can find it in your area (or if you can order it online), I suggest using organic potting soil to grow your tomatoes in a container.   Organic soil is so much healthier, and you can really taste the difference in the tomatoes that you grow in your organic container garden, as opposed to those grown in regular soil.

Fill the container with the potting soil.  Do not pack it down tight.  Just pour the soil in and leave it.  Pour the soil to within about 2″-3″  from the top of the container.  Mix in some extended-release fertilizer.  I prefer to use organic fertilizer, but you can use whatever extended release you want to.

When your seedling is fully hardened off, you can transplant the tomato into the container.   Be sure to water the seedling regularly.  The soil must remain moist.  If you’re in the deep south, like I am, this will require that you water several times a day (I’m not kidding!).   Even those in cooler climates will need to water at least once a day.  I am lucky enough to work from home.  If you work away from home… and especially if you travel for your job… I suggest you invest in an Earth Box to grow your tomatoes.    These containers provide a constant supply of water for several days.  They are considerably more expensive than large plastic buckets, but they can make all the difference between losing your tomatoes to dry conditions and having regular bountiful harvests.

Once your seedlings are about 12″ tall, stake the plants in some way.  The plants will be very tall, and eventually very heavy with fruit. Staking provides support so that they plant won’t topple over or become stressed.   You can use specially designed staking kits for Earth boxes.  If you use a different kind of container, you can purchase tomato cages or stakes at your garden center.