7 Tips for Successfully Growing Tomatoes in Containers

The nice thing about growing tomatoes in containers is that you can move it around. That being said, you want the plant to be in a spot that will give it at least six hours of sun a day. Tomatoes need the sunlight to grow up strong and healthy, so make sure they get it.

Choose the right size pot in order to get the best tomatoes in a container. Most tomatoes will thrive in a cage that is 18 to 24 inches in diameter. That is roughly 20 gallons for pots that are sold by volume. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the employees at your local nursery; they should be able to help you pick the best size for your plant.

When you first plant your tomato, also insert a tomato cage or a similar structure. When the tomato plant gets bigger, the structure will help it grow vertically. However, if you insert it into the soil later, it can possibly disrupt and even destroy the roots. So put the cage in early so the roots can grow around it.

It may seem like a good idea to skimp on the soil in order to save money, but DON’T DO IT! The soil is absolutely vital for your tomato plant to grow. If you get cheapy stuff, then you’ll get poorly grown tomatoes. Spend a bit more money upfront and buy some premium soil to promote strong and healthy tomatoes.

If the soil you buy doesn’t have fertilizer in it, then make sure to get some. This is an important step that a lot of people forget or ignore. Because the tomatoes will be in a container, they need you to provide all the nutrients. And they’ll get those nutrients from the fertilizer you add. So don’t skip this step.

Make sure to leave at least one inch of space between the top of the soil and the top of the container. This is because you’ll most likely want to add some mulch to the container. The mulch will help the soil retain moisture, which will keep the tomatoes healthy. If you don’t have that space, then it’ll be messy and damaging to remove the soil in order to make room.

Watering your tomato plant regularly is important, but it’s absolutely vital in a container. Too much water can drown the plant and cause it to rot. Not enough water will make it dry up and die. Water regularly to keep it alive and healthy. If you can press your finger into the soil and it’s dry, you need to water. The key for tomatoes is to keep the soil moist but not wet. You may need to water every day, depending on the climate you live in.

Container Gardening for Tomatoes Made Easy

Before you even plant your tomatoes, you need to make sure you have the right pot. One that’s too small or too big can really hurt the plant or make taking care of it a nightmare (although bigger is better than smaller). In general, you want a container that is 18 inches in diameter. This will give the tomatoes plenty of room to grow and flourish.

15 Creative DIY Plant Markers

Believe it or not, rocks are a nice and easy way to get plant markers for your garden. And they’re free too! I like the idea of getting rocks kind of shaped like the fruit or veggie and then painting them onto the face of the rock. But you can also just write out the name of the plants.

Corks are cheap, easy, and creative ways to label your garden. Just use a permanent marker to write the name and then stick the cork on a stick, fork, or something similar. They get the job done without being too intrusive.

Don’t just throw those broken plates away. Instead, use them to label your plants! Pretty clever, right? You’ll save money and the environment by not adding to the dump. Just make sure the pieces are safe and won’t cut you or anyone.

Terracotta pots are a similar way to label. You can use broken ones or full ones, depending on their size. Add a little paint to make them more fun and creative before you stick them into the ground.

Lids to jars are a simple yet fancy way to label your plants. It’s not hard to get ahold of the materials you need, and there are a few different ways you can use the lids.

Upcycle your old and twisted silverware to make garden markers. Forks can be used to hold signs, or you can use the handle of silverware. Just write the name of the plant and then stick it into the ground.

If you want a more natural marker system for your garden, use twigs. Cut off a part so you have a smooth face to write on, and then stick them in the ground. They’ll label your garden without introducing non-natural elements.

Grab those leftover bricks you have laying around and turn them into markers. They’re big, so they’ll be easy to notice. Write the simple name of the plant, or you could even add some paint and draw a picture of the fruit or veggie.

Spoons are a fun way to label your garden. Especially antique and big spoons. I like the idea of writing in the dip of the spoon or putting a picture of the plant in it. I think it just looks nice and rustic.

Use chalkboard spray on pretty much any surface or material to make garden markers. The spray turns the surface into a chalkboard, which you can then use to write the name of the plant. Fun, easy, and simple!

I never thought of using empty spools as garden markers. But you can, and it looks great! Add a little tag that you can glue or clip onto the spool for a fun and cute label.

Wooden spoons are a cheap and creative way to make garden markers. You can usually buy a batch of them for really cheap, so you don’t have to feel bad about spending money. Paint the whole top of them for each corresponding plant. So cute!

Find a few printables online that you can use for your garden markers. There are tons to choose from, and they’re all adorable. These ones with the little pictures are so cute, I think. But choose which one you like most.

Use Mason jars for your garden. You can stick the seed packet or label on a stick and then use a Mason jar to cover it so it is protected from the elements. This is a pretty classy and easy look to get to your garden.

Stamped aluminum is a fun way to get a nice mix between nature and manmade. The aluminum markers are small and simple, yet their metallic shine really enhances the garden. It may take a while to stamp it, but I think this idea is worth it.

6 Greatest Tips for Growing Delicious Tomatoes

A really important tip for tomatoes is to help them grow a strong root system. Do this by planting the tomatoes at least 4 inches deep (6 inches or more if you live in a hot climate). The soil will be more moist at 4 inches or lower, meaning the roots can spread more effectively.

18 of the Most Colorful Perennials

Peruvian Lily. You can get a lot of different colors with this flower. Purple, yellow, pink, you name it. Make sure it doesn’t get too hot, or it can stunt the plant’s growth.

26 Clever Gardening Tips and Tricks You Must Know

I love growing my own plants, but sometimes you can get… weird results. One year, I had some beautiful tomatoes that were SO sour. It was pretty bad. I learned, though, that you can mix some baking soda into the soil to make your tomatoes sweeter in just a matter of days!