Planting and spacing: Plant tomato plants deep. 2. For instance, smaller varieties are well suited to hanging baskets or window boxes, whereas you might want to choose a sturdier planter or 5-gallon (18.9 l) bucket for larger types. Add a layer of pebbles or river rocks to the bottom of the pot, then fill the pot the 1/3 of the way with a mixture of potting soil and vegetable fertilizer.

Better roots mean better tomatoes. These basic steps will give your plants the best start and ensure that you are doing all you can to produce a bumper crop of tomatoes.

Tamp soil down to remove air pockets. To grow tomatoes in pots, select a 15 gallon, 18-inch plastic pot with drainage holes at the bottom for each tomato plant.

Dig planting holes deep enough to plant two-thirds of the tomato plant underground. This will produce a stronger, much more sturdier plant. The latter goes like this: Dig a small trench about 6 to 8 inches deep and almost as long as the plant (including its rootball) is tall.

Just like the saying goes — Feed the soil, not the plants — you want to focus on building strong roots, not just healthy stems and leaves. Yield: 1 container plant How to Grow Tomatoes in Pots Like a Gardening Pro. (Reminder: seed cell trays work well for seed starting.)

3. Containers will dry out more quickly than the garden soil, so check daily and provide extra water during a heat wave. Taller varieties may need to be staked. Why? Use Sea Soil (or Compost) I’ve been using Sea Soil on my tomato plants for about 5 years now, and the results are outstanding. Fill containers with moistened starter mix. Snip off any leaves that will be buried before planting.

Tomatoes generally require a minimum of 10 inches of soil depth for proper root growth, but 12 inches is better for determinate and indeterminate varieties. Each Bonnie tomato label urges you to plant tomatoes deep, so that a full 2/3 of the plant is underground.

Keep soil moist.

3.

To get the most from container-grown tomatoes, you need to match the eventual size of your plant tomato plants to the overall size of your container. Better roots mean better tomatoes.

Tomatoes generally come in two different growth habits: cordon (or indeterminate) tomatoes grow tall, reaching up to 1.8m (6ft) and require support; bush (or determinate) tomatoes are bushy and don’t require staking. Plant seeds with a tweezers or pinch seeds between your fingers.

Why? This planting depth is unique to tomato plants because unlike other vegetable plants, tomato plants can form roots along their stems. To give tomato transplants the most chance of success, plant them deep so that half the plant is underground. I have a deep love for growing any and all types of tomatoes in all kinds of conditions, so if you have any questions about growing tomatoes in pots, please ask away in the comments!

The root system of a tomato plant might extend to as much as 2 feet deep, but the main portion of the root system lies in the first 12 inches under the soil. Place the pot in a sunny spot with 6 to 8 hours of full sun a day. Roots that grow deep down in the soil are better able to anchor plants in the ground, maximize their water uptake, and pull in more nutrients and trace minerals. Tomatoes are easy to grow from seed.

Make sure container bottoms have holes for drainage. 1. They are able to root all along their stems if you plant them very deep or even sideways, in a trench.

That means that if you buy a 10-inch tall plant, all but the top 3 to 4 inches is buried. Finally, if the transplant’s roots are tangled and compacted, gently break them apart. Choose from bush or dwarf varieties; many cherry tomatoes grow well in pots. Most indeterminate types also require some form of staking to support the vine, so it's best to choose a deep planter to anchor the support. Print You don't need a lot of space to grow tomatoes. How deep should you plant tomato plants? This allows the roots to expand quickly into the soil. Planting tomatoes deep in the soil (almost half the plants worth) will encourage the formation of additional roots along the stem that gets planted. Related: How to Grow Tomatoes in Pots Like a Gardening Pro.

4.

1. Tomatoes, due to their taproot system, have a deep root going down up to 3 feet (90 cm) in extreme cases which happens when the plant is in search of water or nutrients in poor, but loose soil conditions. Use a pencil to poke a small hole in each cell or container. Plant one tomato plant per pot. That means that if you buy a 10-inch tall plant, all but the top 3 to 4 inches is buried.

5.