Tomatoes are one of the most popular fruit vegetable plants grown among gardeners all over the world because of their great nutritional benefits.
Tomatoes are beautiful crops to grow and their ability to produce quite well makes them a great plant for everybody.
This plant can survive under any suitable condition, even when you do not have a large expanse of land to grow them, you can always grow them in containers around your little space.
Tomatoes can thrive well in different containers such as plastics, pots. Polythene, fiber, and lots more and they possess the capacity of growing to their best when grown in pots.
There are different varieties and species of tomatoes that you can grow and we will be focusing on the best of the container-type of tomatoes.
With the great increase in the use of land for other purposes around the world, the need to learn how to economize land to attain productivity has led to the development of varieties that can survive well in containers.
There are a number of varieties, however, in this article, you will learn more about some of the best tomatoes for containers.
If you are a lover of gardening and you would love to have a garden of yours even though you can’t create a conventional garden for yourself; having an idea of the tomatoes that can be grown in containers will definitely go a long way.
What are the best tomatoes for Containers?
There are a number of different varieties of tomatoes around the world and those that can be grown in containers are also numerous – you just have to learn some strategies to grow them well.
Gardeners love to grow these varieties for different purposes and they all have their own unique and special characteristics. Here are the best varieties of tomatoes that can be grown in containers:
Large-fruited tomatoes:
Just like the name implies; this type of tomatoes has fruits that are quite big. Some of the best of this type include:
Tasmanian chocolate:
This is an open-pollinated variety produced by the Dwarf Tomato Project. This tomato has the flavor of the heirloom and the plant can reach a height of about 3 – 4 feet with a harvest of about 6 ounces.
It is a compact plant variety that is suitable for pots and the tomatoes produced are either medium or large size. The fruits produced are burgundy in color.
Galahad:
This tomato variety can grow to a height of about 4 feet and they produce fruits that are medium to large size with the potential of growing a harvest of about 7 to 12 ounce.
This variety also possesses some outstanding characteristics of which their ability to resist common diseases such as late blight, tomato spotted wilt virus, leaf spot, and Fusarium wilt is an example. This compact variety produces fruits with a meaty texture.
Defiant PhR:
This variety of large-fruited tomatoes is known for its great taste and ability to resist diseases. They can grow to a height of about 4 feet and they produce about 6 to 8 ounces of fruits.
It is a determinate type of tomato that begins to fruit after 65 days of transplanting and this plant is resistant to diseases such as Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, and late blight.
Paste and Saladette tomatoes:
Some of the best varieties of this type include:
Sunrise Sauce:
This is a new kind of tomato that has the ability to grow to a height of about 30 to 36 inches. It belongs to the paste variety and due to the low height that it attains, it is considered as one of the perfect tomatoes for pots.
This plant is highly productive, though small in size; they produce round to oval-shaped fruits of about 4 to 6 ounce over a short period of time. This makes it a perfect tomato variety for making a sauce.
Glacier:
This is an indeterminate variety of the Saladette tomatoes and they produce small to medium-sized fruits.
They are early-maturing variety and can grow to a height of about 3 to 4 feet. They produce red-colored fruits that are borne in trusses and are rich in flavor.
Plum Regal:
This is a paste tomato regarded as the bush-type. This variety is popular because of its ability to resist diseases which includes late blight.
They produce plum-shaped fruits with a deep red coloration. This plant’s harvest can reach about 4 ounces and they can grow to a height of about 3 – 4 feet.
Cherry tomatoes:
These are generally the small types of tomatoes. The best tomatoes of this kind which can be grown in pots include:
Terenzo F1:
This variety can grow to a height of about 18 inches and the can be grown as trailers in hanging baskets.
They are known for their ease of cultivation and they produce fruits for a long period of time. They are slow-growers and thy produce delicious fruits.
Micro Tom:
This is the smallest variety of tomatoes that can attain a height of about 6 inches on max. This plant can produce a number of dozens of fruits and they are usually very reddish in color. They are mildly sweet and they are perfect for small pots about 4 – 6 inches in diameter.
Tumbler:
They can be grown as either trailers or growers. The fruits of this variety can grow to a size of about 2 inches in diameter and they are perfect plants to have in sight.
Sungold:
This is a popular variety of tomato among gardeners and they are superb pot type of tomatoes. The plant can grow to a height of about 7 feet and will, therefore, require a large pot for propagation.
Because of their large size, this plant does require great support and they can be supported with a tall stake or strong trellis. The fruits produced have a sweet orange color.
Heartbreaker:
This is a dwarf variety of tomatoes growing to a height of about 1 foot. They can either be grown in hanging baskets or containers and they can produce about 50 fruits. They have heart-shaped fruits which possess excellent taste and flavor.
What are the Strategies for Growing Tomatoes in Pots?
To achieve the best product possible when you decide to grow tomatoes in pots; the following are the strategies to put in place:
Choose a container:
The choice of pot that will be used for growing tomatoes is dependent on the variety of the tomato you wish to grow. The container that you choose must be appropriate for the size of the plant.
Also, the container or pot should be carefully checked for holes i.e. drainage holes so as to prevent the accumulation of water which can lead to root rot.
If drainage holes are absent, use a drilling machine to create holes at the base of the container.
Growing medium:
Tomatoes require a load of nutrients for the best performance possible and this can be made available with the use of suitable organic matters.
A medium rich in organic manure or compost will provide the necessary nutrients needed by the plants for growth and development.
Incorporating a potting mix like Pro-Mix Vegetable and Herb or a compost-rich planting medium will go a long way.
Deep planting:
When planting tomatoes, always make sure that the seedlings are sown as deep as possible. Because of the growing nature of tomatoes and the formation of the root systems on the stems, it is essential that they are deeply sown so as to prevent the exposure of the roots after planting and to enhance its survival.
Support provision:
Although not all type of plants needs supports, a number of them require smart support. Determinate and dwarf species of tomatoes that can grow to a height of about 3 to 4 feet requires tomato cages for support while indeterminate species that grow rigorously will need heavy-duty lifetime tomato cages, stakes, or trellises.
Sun availability:
Tomatoes are sun-loving plants and they do require sun exposure of about 8 hours daily. When growing tomatoes, this is very important to note because, in an area where there is little exposure to sunlight, it will become difficult for large plants to ripen their fruits. However, the small, cherry varieties can thrive well in spots that receive 4 to 5 hours of sunlight.
Water:
This is very essential in gardens and it is one of the most important things that must be readily available for the survival of tomatoes.
However, learning how to water smartly is also important; watering should always be done in the morning but inclusion of the afternoon can be added in the summer seasons when the sun intensity is high.
The soil should be slightly moist and not wet so as to prevent exposure to fungal infections.
Fertilization:
Ensure that your plant is given the necessary amount of fertilizer required for the best production possible.
When choosing fertilizers, you can purchase a liquid organic fertilizer to be used every two to three weeks during the growing seasons. Always make sure that your plant has a steady supply of nutrients during every season.
Conclusion
Growing tomatoes can be made easier with the use of containers; just make sure you have the necessary skills and put in place all the necessary strategies to make the best out of your garden.
On behalf of the author, thank you so much for taking the time to read this article !
