| CONTAINER TOMATO GARDENING Tomatoes can | | | | available in the market. You can also use a liquid mix |
| be grown easily in container gardens.Here's how: | | | | fertilizer, which assimilates quickly into the soil. |
| USE LARGE CONTAINERS Tomatoes are large plants | | | | WATER & MORE WATER Since the tomato |
| when they mature. For this reason, your container | | | | fruit is 95% water, the plant needs lots of water |
| size should be at least 12 - 14" in width or diameter. | | | | regularly. You have to water the plant regularly or |
| Any smaller container than this and your tomatoes | | | | when the soil appears as if it drying out. Don't be |
| will not last the season. With smaller pots, the plant | | | | lethargic in watering the plant else your fruit will |
| dries out early in the season and the bloom simply | | | | suffer. In hotter climate, water the tomato plant at |
| doesn't happen. The choice is yours. Whether you | | | | least twice a day. |
| want to be stingy now or repent later. Pay for the | | | | STAKING IT OUT You can grow the tomato plants |
| bigger pot to ensure that you get great tomatoes in | | | | on stakes and without the stakes. The branches of |
| August. | | | | the tomato plant are easy to break which is why its |
| GOOD QUALITY SOIL Use good quality soil all the | | | | essential to secure them. By using stakes, you can |
| way to the bottom of the container. By using an | | | | ensure that they are secured to the stakes. In this |
| artificial soil mix rather than the garden soil; you | | | | way they have less chances of breaking during a |
| prevent the soil from compaction. Compaction stunts | | | | windstorm. A windstorm can easily ruin your tomato |
| the growth of the tomatoes and kills them. The soil | | | | plant. |
| should also have the right pH balance for the tomato | | | | You can leave them to flop over the pots but if |
| to thrive fully. The soil should be mixed properly and | | | | there are slugs then they will enjoy the tomato fruit |
| good quality fertilizer should be added at the time of | | | | as much as you enjoy the fruit. Tomato plants with |
| filling the container this is why garden soil is seldom | | | | stakes seem a better option that those without. |
| used. Tomatoes need lots of soil with constant | | | | PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL This is as important |
| watering. You should put in at least six shovels of soil | | | | as watering. Pest control as well as disease control is |
| in the container. Any less than that can spell doom | | | | important otherwise the fruit will rot even before it |
| for the plant. | | | | blooms. There are plenty of commercially available |
| LOTS OF FERTLIZERS> Tomatoes need lots of | | | | organic and synthetic pesticides and fungicides, which |
| fertilizers, they need at least fertilizing once a week. | | | | can combat your woes. Added to this tomatoes |
| This leads to great growth and great yield for the | | | | need to be pruned regularly. |
| tomato plant. Use a good quality fertilizer that's | | | | CONCLUSION All other factors remain the same as |
| available. Both organic and synthetic fertilizers are | | | | for the tomato plants, which are grown in the soil. |