Did you know that over 60 million tones of Tomatoes are produced each year globally and are a beloved staple in many home gardens?
But there might be quite a lot you are thinking: I don’t have a large outdoor space.
Fear not, as there are plenty of delicious tomato varieties perfectly suited for growing in containers.
From compact bush varieties to trailing cherry tomatoes, this guide will introduce you to 15 of the best tomatoes to grow in containers.
Whether you want to maximize your patio, balcony, or small yard, these top-performing tomato plants will help you enjoy a bountiful harvest in limited space.
Key Takeaways
- Over 60 million tons of Tomatoes are produced globally each year and are a beloved staple in many home gardens.
- This blog post will introduce you to 15 types of tomatoes that are best for growing in containers even if you are a beginner to gardening.
- These tomatoes range from compact/bush, heirloom, dwarf, and cherry tomatoes, to determinate and indeterminate ones.
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Growing Tomatoes in Containers: Benefits and Considerations
Growing tomatoes in containers offers several advantages over traditional in-ground gardening.
Containers allow you to easily control the growing environment, including soil quality, moisture levels, and nutrient availability.
This makes container gardening an excellent option for those with limited space, poor soil, or challenging climate conditions.
Benefits of Container Gardening
When you grow patio tomatoes, dwarf tomato plants, or other determinate tomatoes for pots, you can maximize your harvest in a small footprint.
Small-space tomatoes thrive in the controlled conditions of a container, allowing you to enjoy fresh, homegrown produce even with limited outdoor space.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Tomato Varieties for Containers
Choosing the right tomato variety for your container garden is key to a successful harvest. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:
- Plant size and growth habit: Look for compact or dwarf varieties labeled as “determinate” or “bush” types. These stay small and controlled, perfect for containers.
- Fruit size and weight: Smaller fruits like cherries or plums are ideal, as larger beefsteak types can weigh down and stress the plants.
- Disease resistance: Check for varieties resistant to common tomato diseases like verticillium wilt or fusarium wilt – this will save you some major headaches later.
- Maturation time: If you live in a cooler climate with a shorter growing season, opt for early or mid-season varieties that mature quickly.
Choosing the Right Container and Soil
Choosing the right container and soil is crucial for successful tomato growing, especially in small spaces.
The container provides the foundation for your plants, while the soil delivers essential nutrients.
Get these two elements right, and you’re setting yourself up for a bountiful harvest.
Container Size and Material
The container size should match the expected mature size of your tomato variety.
Smaller 5-gallon pots work well for compact cherries and dwarfs but go up to 10 gallons or larger for indeterminate slicers and beefsteak.
This gives the roots ample space to spread and support the plant’s growth.
As for materials, plastic, fabric, and glazed ceramic are excellent choices.
They’re durable, lightweight, and retain moisture better than plain terracotta, which dries out rapidly.
No matter the type, drainage holes are an absolute must to prevent soggy soil and root rot.
If you want a sturdy yet easy-to-move container, check out these heavy-duty VIVOSUN Plant Grow Bags.
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Check Current PriceSoil and Fertilizer Requirements
Never use garden soil in containers, as it easily compacts and restricts essential airflow to the roots.
Instead, opt for a premium potting mix formulated for containers and vegetables.
However, most potting mixes lack sufficient nutrients for hungry tomato plants.
Amend the mix with nutrient-rich compost, worm castings, or a slow-release tomato fertilizer.
This gives your plants a solid nutrient base to draw from.
As the season progresses and your plants start flowering and fruiting heavily, supplement with a balanced liquid fertilizer like fish emulsion or seaweed extract every 2-3 weeks.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders, so don’t shy away from regular feedings – consistent nutrients result in more abundant and tastier fruits.
Proper soil preparation sets the stage for your tomatoes to thrive.
A well-draining, nutrient-rich potting mix provides the ideal growing environment, allowing your container plants to flourish and produce mouthwatering tomatoes all season long.
Now let’s dive into the different tomato varieties ideal for container growing!
When it comes to soil any good soil mix for planting vegetables will be good, but I would like to suggest something specific for tomatoes like the Coast of Maine Organic Tomato and Vegetable Planting Soil.
- Made with premium ingredients
- It contains compost, peat moss, aged bark, and lime
- Great for improving and revitalizing the soil in and around your vegetable garden beds
- Naturally lightweight and contains just the right ingredients to grow plentiful, flavorful tomatoes and vegetables
Best Tomatoes to Grow in Containers
With the right containers and soil dialed in, it’s time to choose which tomato varieties to grow.
Now I will list my top 15 options of tomatoes that you can easily grow in containers across different plant types and flavors for patio, balcony, and small-space gardeners.
Determinate Tomato Varieties for Containers
Bush Varieties
- Bush Goliath: Don’t let the “Goliath” name fool you – this compact plant stays a perfect patio size. But it sure lives up to that name when it comes to production. You’ll be Swimming in a sea of large, meaty, red slicers from this one.
- Bush Champion: This disease-resistant variety is pretty much the MVP of container tomatoes. It pumps out masses of smooth, round red fruits loaded with classic tomato taste. A total champ indeed!
- Better Bush: The name says it all – “better” flavor, “better” yields, all on a superior bush plant. The bountiful red slicers are packed with delicious, old-fashioned tomato tang.
Patio Varieties
- Patio Princess: This royal patio dweller bears clusters of large, juicy red fruits fit for a queen. Perfect for smaller spaces.
- Tiny Tim: While the plant is compact, there’s nothing tiny about Tiny Tim’s production. Get ready for loads of small, red, snack-ready tomatoes!
- Maskot: This Russian heirloom is like a tasty mystery wrapped in a fun, productive little package. Each 2-inch reddish-pink fruit is full of rich, intriguing flavors.
Indeterminate Tomato Varieties for Containers
Compact Plant Habits
- Celebrity: A true A-lister among slicing tomatoes. This celebrity yields an impressive amount of globe-shaped, crack-resistant red fruits.
- Window Box Roman: Don’t have a traditional garden? No problem! This prolific producer was tailor-made for window boxes and tight spaces.
- Patio: As you’d expect from the name, Patio tomatoes thrive in…you guessed it… patio containers! Expect a steady supply of bright red, juicy fruits.
Staking and Pruning Techniques
With indeterminate or vining varieties like these, proper staking and pruning is the key.
Use tomato cages or stakes, and prune off suckers for best results.
Cherry Tomatoes for Container Growing
Sweet and Tangy Flavor Profiles
- Sungold: One bite of these super-sweet orange gems and you’ll be doing the Sungold happy dance. A total taste sensation.
- Sweet Million: Just as the name promises, get ready for a million (well maybe not that many) incredibly sweet red cherry bombs.
- Black Cherry: These dusky beauties might look unusual, but their rich, complex, smoky flavors are downright dreamy.
Easy to Grow and Harvest
Cherry tomatoes make for an excellent, low-maintenance container crop.
They’re prolific and the bite-sized fruits are perfect for snacking straight off the plant.
Heirloom Tomatoes for Pots
Popular Heirloom Varieties
- Brandywine: An iconic heirloom prized for its intense, rich, old-fashioned tomatoey flavors. Yields large beefsteak fruits.
- Green Zebra: These zany 2-inch fruits are bright green with darker green stripes. Their zingy, tangy taste is remarkably delicious!
- Cherokee Purple: This pre-1890s beauty has the full-bodied, slightly sweet flavors you’d expect from an heirloom. Deep purple-brown fruits.
Growing Tips for Heirloom Varieties
Heirlooms tend to be a bit fussier than hybrids. Coddle them with nutrient-rich soil, consistent moisture, and maximum sun exposure.
Recommended Dwarf Tomato Plants for Small Spaces
- Tiny Tim (cherry): We’ve already covered how prolific this little cherry can be! But did you know Tiny Tim typically only reaches 12-16 inches tall? It’s a true patio and container superstar.
- Pixie (orange cherry): At just 12-24 inches high, Pixie is another ultra-compact wonder. But what it lacks in stature, it makes up for in a nonstop supply of sweet, tangy orange cherry tomatoes.
- Micro-Tom (red cherry): Prepare to be amazed by the Micro-Tom! This teeny plant tops out around 6-8 inches tall, yet still manages to produce hundreds of perfectly bite-sized red cherry fruits.
These ultra-compact cuties are perfect for the smallest patios, balconies, and even windowsills.
Don’t let their size fool you – they’ll keep you swimming in tasty cherry tomatoes.
With all these amazing container varieties, you’re sure to find the perfect tomato (or tomatoes!) to suit your space and taste preferences.
Get ready for an awesome homegrown harvest!
Container Gardening Tips and Tricks
Even with the best tomato varieties, you’ll need to give your container plants some extra TLC for a successful harvest.
Here are some key tips and tricks:
Water and Feeding Schedules
Keep the soil evenly moist, but not soaked.
Tomatoes need consistent soil moisture to develop properly and avoid issues.
Inconsistent watering leads to problems like:
- Blossom end rot – This classic tomato problem with leathery brown bottoms is caused by uneven water uptake. Maintain steady moisture.
- Cracking or splitting fruits – Dry periods followed by heavy watering can cause the skins to split open as the tomatoes take up too much water too fast. Slow, steady watering’s prevent this.
- Poor flowering and fruiting – Tomatoes struggling with drought stress won’t produce as abundantly. Keep them quenched for maximum yields!
Tomatoes are sun-lovers and need at least 6-8 hours of direct light exposure per day, especially once they start flowering and fruiting heavily.
Place containers where they’ll receive unfiltered morning through afternoon rays.
Feed your container tomatoes regularly with a balanced organic tomato fertilizer or compost tea every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.
These heavy feeders need consistent nutrients to stay lush and productive.
Signs that your plants need a nutrient boost include:
- Slowed or stunted growth
- Pale green or yellowing leaves
- Poor flowering and fruiting
Following the right water and feeding schedules gives your tomatoes their best shot at thriving in containers.
Well-hydrated and well-fed plants will reward you with an abundant harvest.
Pest and Disease Management
Be vigilant for common pests and diseases that can affect container tomatoes, such as aphids, spider mites, and fungal issues.
Address any problems promptly to maintain the health and productivity of your plants.
Regularly inspect your tomatoes, and take action to control any pest or disease outbreaks before they can harm your crop.
- Use a strong spray of water to dislodge aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites from plants. Check the undersides of leaves and get good coverage.
- Hand-pick and destroy any tomato hornworms you see munching away at your plants. These big green caterpillars can decimate foliage rapidly.
- Neem oil and insecticidal soaps are excellent organic pest treatments. Spray in the evenings and ensure full coverage.
- Avoid issues like blossom end rot by maintaining consistent soil moisture. This prevents calcium deficiency that causes the leathery brown bottoms.
- Rotate crops annually and choose disease-resistant cultivars to manage soil-borne fungal diseases like verticillium and fusarium wilts. These can stunt plants and cause yellowing.
- Practice good sanitation by removing any diseased foliage and avoiding overhead watering to limit moisture on leaves.
Support and Pruning
- Stake, trellis, or cage indeterminate (vining) varieties like most cherry and slicing types. This keeps plants upright and improves airflow as they grow taller.
- Prune off suckers (side shoots) that form in the stem crotches. This redirects the plant’s energy into fewer, higher-quality fruits.
- Also, prune off any overcrowded stems/foliage in the plant’s interior to improve airflow and sunlight exposure to the main stems.
- For determinate (bush) types like many patio varieties, let them grow naturally without staking or pruning required.
Harvesting and Enjoying
- Watch for the first flush of color change from green to yellow/red. Then start checking fruits regularly for ripeness.
- Use a gentle twisting motion to pluck tomatoes from the vine in the morning after any dew has dried.
- For peak flavor, eat your tomato harvest as soon as possible after picking when sugar levels are highest!
- Garden-fresh tomatoes need little adornment. A drizzle of olive oil, balsamic, and a sprinkle of basil is all you need.
Preserving and Storing Methods
With productive container plants, you’ll likely have surplus tomatoes to preserve.
Try:
- Canning whole or diced tomatoes in jars for pantry storage. Also great for salsas and sauces.
- Freezing extras by cutting into pieces or purees for sauces, stews, and smoothies later.
- Drying or dehydrating to make tomato powder for seasoning, or chewy sun-dried tomatoes.
- Roasting and freezing oven-roasted tomatoes packed in olive oil for brightening up winter soups and pasta.
- Classic water bath canning is great for high-acid tomatoes. Pressure canning is required for low-acid foods.
- Always follow proper food safety guidelines for safe preservation and storage.
FAQs
‘Patio’, ‘Tumbler’, ‘Tiny Tim’ (determinate bush), ‘Patio Picker’, ‘Balcony’, ‘Dwarf Champion’ (compact indeterminate), and cherry types like ‘Supersweet 100’, ‘Sungold’, ‘Black Cherry’.
Control growing environment (soil, moisture, nutrients); ideal for limited space, poor soil, or difficult climates.
At least 5 gallons with drainage holes for most varieties.
Consistent watering, fertilizing every 2-3 weeks, pest/disease management, staking or caging as needed.
Yes, look for compact heirlooms like ‘Mortgage Lifter’, ‘Pineapple’, ‘Aunt Ginny’s Purple’; ensure quality soil and support.
Pick at desired color/firmness; preserve extras through canning, freezing, or dehydrating for long-term enjoyment.
Final Words
There you have it – the complete guide to growing a bumper crop of delicious tomatoes right in your containers and small spaces!
From varieties and planting tips to harvest handling, you’re now fully prepped for container gardening success.
So pick out your favorite tomato cultivars, grab some pots, and get planting!
With a little TLC, you’ll be savoring unbeatable homegrown flavor all season long.
And be sure to share your bounty and growing triumphs in the comments below!
Happy gardening!