Tried and true secrets of success from the tomato pond
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From time to time I like to share what I have learned with my readers. Most of this is anecdotal evidence based on what I’ve experimented with and not based on scientific research. Having said that, after many years of trials and tribulations in the garden, there is some merit in sharing my successes with other gardeners. After all, I also continue to learn from readers who share their experiences.
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Today’s topic is growing tomatoes in containers. It has become a hobby of mine – much more than a hobby – it’s a small obsession because of my love for tomatoes. After years of growing tomatoes in the garden bed, I have found that I have much more success growing them in containers. You may ask why would that be? Here are my theories:
- I can move the containers to where the plants get optimal light and heat, as opposed to planting them in a bed that has a predetermined location and environmental factors.
- I can fertilize with accuracy and precision knowing that the fertilizer is going directly to the root system.
- Indeterminate species I can push and tie much more easily in a pot than when they are in the ground surrounded by other plants.
- Harvesting is easier because I have the containers conveniently located. This also helps me monitor the baking.
- Watering is easier and more accurate too. During the hottest part of summer and when the fruit is growing, it is important to water regularly to avoid late bloom rot. Watering a container makes it easy to monitor how much water you’ve added.
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Growing Secrets
- After many years, my go-to fertilizer is Jobe’s Tomato Spikes. No, I am not paid by Jobi. I just discovered that spikes do a wonderful job and are so easy to apply. Insert two spikes when you plant your tomato and after a couple of months, insert two more.
- Place your containers in the hottest place you can find. I like mine facing south and up against a building like a garage so the heat is reflected off the building to the tomatoes. The building also stores the heat that is released at night to keep the tomato warm and happy.
- Keep the soil evenly moist, but never soggy. Do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
- Use a container large enough to hold a fully grown plant to avoid repopulation if it outgrows the pot. This advice also comes from experience. Many times I had to repot a tomato that had outgrown its container by mid-season. Now choose a bigger pot to start with to keep the tomato and me happy.
- Choose a good support system. I like to use tomato trellis combined with a good sturdy stake so I can tie the main stem to the stake and let the trellis support the outer branches.
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The accompanying photo, taken on July 25, 2022, shows your intrepid writer standing next to my Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter tomato, my favorite tomato variety. It is an heirloom tomato and has a story behind the name. Radiator Charlie was MC Byles who started a radiator repair business in the 1930s. He had no formal experience in plant breeding but developed this variety by crossing four of the largest tomatoes he could find. He then sold his heirloom tomato plants for a dollar each (in the 1940s) and paid off the $6,000 mortgage on his home in six years. The bottom line is that tomatoes are large and very aromatic.
Online with this column, I’ve even included a song for all you tomato lovers by the legendary Connie Kaldor.
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Learn more by emailing your questions to [email protected], reading past columns or my book, Just Ask Jerry. You can also follow me on Twitter @justaskjerry01.
