What To Do With Extra Garden Tomatoes

June is from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, but is currently residing in New York. She loves to cook naturally with plants from her garden.

Growing Tomatoes in a Container for the Full Ripe Flavor of Summer

There is no replacing the full rich flavor of a tomato that has been sun ripened in your own garden!

That wonderful deep, rich, sun-kissed flavor will never be found in a tomato purchased from a supermarket.

The problem with growing tomatoes, that many of us face is that we have become apartment dwellers with limited land space to plant a regular garden. All is not lost though.

We can plant our tomatoes in a container and quite successfully too. This article will show you several ways you too can have that wonderful taste of summer from tomatoes planted in containers on the patio, deck or balcony of your apartment.

Growing Patio Tomatoes

happynutritionist

The 5 Things You Need to Grow Container Patio Tomatoes

Lots of Sunshine: Give them at least 6 hours a day. Be sure the area you want to put your container tomato plants gets plenty of sun.
A Large Container: For your plants, the larger the container, the better. Depending on the type of tomato plant you grow, it can get top heavy. The larger bottom will help to keep it from toppling over.
Miracle Grow Potting Mix: This is the only brand of potting mix that I recommend, if you are not mixing your own formula. I have tried just about every other brand on the market all over the United States and Miracle Grow is the only one that comes through consistently, every time, with healthy, disease-free plants.
Organic Plant Food: It's your choice for your area and climate, but it should have calcium in it especially if bottom rot is prevalent in your area.
Plant Stakes or Tomato Cages: Plant stakes or tomato cages are needed when growing indeterminate tomato plants to keep the vines contained. Determinate tomato plants, such as patio tomatoes, will not need cages, but might need a stake or two.
Garden Velcro Tape: This is the greatest invention for securing tomato vines to their stakes.

Tomatoes Need a Lot of Direct Sun

Before you go out and buy your tomato plant and the pot that you want to plant it in, be sure that you get enough sun on your patio, deck or apartment balcony.

It would just be a shame to go out and spend the money buying the supplies if there isn't enough sunlight for the tomato plants to grow into producing plants growing nice healthy sun-ripened tomatoes.

container-tomato-gardening — My Apartment Container Tomatoes

It Is Easiest to Grow an Established Plant

There are hundreds of different varieties of tomatoes, but there are only two types of tomato plants; determinate and indeterminate.

When I grow tomatoes in containers at my apartment, I usually grow one heirloom tomato plant (indeterminate) and one patio tomato plant (determinate). That is really all the space I have to allot to tomatoes.

Incidentally, an indeterminate tomato vine is a vine that will bloom and bear fruit all season long and will continue to grow and produce indefinitely as long as it has warm sunlight.

On the other hand, a determinate is a tomato plant that is a bush instead of a vine. A determinate tomato will only produce for a short period of time and remains fairly small in size.

Determinate tomatoes work the best for container gardening. I like Patio tomatoes, but some other determinate varieties include Pixie, Tiny Tim, Saladette, and Small Fry.

Should I Buy Established Tomato Plants?

When living in colder climates, like it is here in upstate New York, I use to only buy plants already established rather than starting them from seed.

I have found for this area it is the best way to get a good crop in before it starts getting cold again. Here in this colder climate of the northeast we don't have a real long growing season.

Now that I have a mini greenhouse in my bedroom I do start a few from seed in February so they are ready to put in the ground by the time we have had the last frost.

Green Velcro Plant Ties

I also use a green gardening Velcro to hold the vines to the stake. I love this stuff! I love gardening Velcro to use in place of conventional plant ties and swear by it!

This is the only thing I will ever buy again to tie plants to stakes. For my small garden, a roll will last me several years as I reuse the pieces every year. The stuff last forever just about.

Velcro has outdone itself with this little gem of a gardening invention. All you do is cut a piece of the Velcro strip, wrap it around the plant and the stake and it attaches to itself. It is Velcro after all. It sticks to itself and will not hurt the plant!

You can cut it with scissors or gardening shears to any length you want and when the growing season is over, remove the strips from the plant, wrap them around each other back onto the roll, and reuse them again the following year.

As I already said, a roll will last a small space gardener for years. The roll I am working from now I bought 2 years ago and I haven't even used half of the roll yet!

Fresh Ideas for Growing Vegetables in Containers

Better Homes and Gardens

Companion Planting With Tomatoes in Containers

Some herbs and vegetables just don't work as well together in the same pot. In this example from Better Homes & Gardens, look at the basket in the front.

They planted green onions (scallions) in the pot with small cucumber pickles. It did not work out very well. See how the green onions are drooping over the edge of the pot? The leaves of the cucumbers are blocking the upright growth of the green onions.

I prefer putting green onions in a pot with other herbs as the center focal point giving them the room they need to grow while planting other herbs around them such as thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley.

I was very successful the year when I planted cucumber pickles with my patio tomato in the same pot. The pot I chose was wide and deep enough that I was able to plant the patio tomato in the center of the pot, the cucumber behind (so as not to get the intense afternoon sun that we get in northeast) and some thyme in the front to grow over the side of the pot.

Whiskey Barrel Planter

A whiskey barrel planter will have plenty of room for a patio tomato variety.

A whiskey barrel planter is generally 21-inches wide making it wide enough and deep enough to hold a patio tomato variety nicely.

Because the top of the pot area is wider than the bottom it gives you additional growing space where you can plant a few other small plants with short roots like some herbs such as parsley or thyme closer to the walls of the planter.

They will look beautiful spilling over the edge of the barrel as they grow will giving you fresh herbs for the kitchen.

The whiskey barrel is approximately the same size as the galvanized buckets in the photo below. They work great for companion gardening in a small space for plants with roots that spread rather than growing real deep.

They can hold a patio tomato or cherry tomatoes along with herbs, pepper plants and edible flowers.

A good example of a small space container garden.

Better Homes and Gardens

Growing Fruits and Vegetables in Containers for Small Spaces

This is a good example of getting the most yield from a small space.

The yellow container in the front is a galvanized washtub that has been painted yellow. As a DIYer, I suggest you use rust proof outside paint to paint metal containers if you would like to do the same thing.

Nasturtiums, signets, and marigolds have been planted in the galvanized wash tub. These are all eatable flowers.

Personally, I would substitute pansy flowers for the signets. I love the little smiling faces of pansies plus the gorgeous color combinations the flowers have, and yes, pansies are eatable too!

In the back of the flowers, there is a tomato growing in a container along with a pepper plant. In the back to the right is another container full of a variety of herbs and another pepper plant.

This is a terrific use of utilizing limited space into a small garden which will feed a family and is also aesthetically pleasing.

Large Plastic Planters

Last year, I bought two of these large plastic planters to plant my tomatoes in, and my container tomatoes did a lot better than they had in the past when I used smaller pots.

I planted a heirloom tomato in one pot alone and in the other pot I planted a heirloom tomato plant and a yellow sunshine cherry tomato plant. I could not believe the tomato yield I had from these plants.

Because all three plants were indeterminates, I staked them using my gardeners Velcro, then used the tomato cages over them.

Let me tell you, these pots are really big! I wanted to get the 30", but couldn't justify the expense of one that huge. Plus it takes a lot of potting soil to fill a container that big. These do have plenty of room for the roots of a tomato plant to grow, and with the additional inches in width across the top, smaller plants can be planted in there too.

Basil and marigolds are really good companion plants to grow with tomatoes. They help to keep harmful insects at bay. This year I added marigold plants to all of my tomato plant containers.

This pot is made of plastic, not sandstone or terra cotta. I prefer the plastic, especially if recycled plastic, because they hold the moisture and don't dry out as quickly as terra cotta pots. They are much more durable, have effective drainage, and won't chip or crack due to climate changes.

Please be warned. When these pots are full of soil and big tomato plants they are very heavy. There is no way little old me can move one of these bad boys once filled. If your container garden is going to be on a deck or balcony,I suggest getting a plant caddy to put underneath the pot.

Under the Tomato Containers

Underneath your tomato planter containers, you should have a drainage tray to keep the water from draining onto your patio or balcony floor. It really is a must for container gardening unless the pots are placed on grass or soil like mine are.

Remember, a large tomato planter is very heavy when filled with soil, water and plants. Again, if your plants are on a patio or balcony, to assist you in moving the plants when needed for maximum sunlight exposure set the planters on top of a plant caddy with wheels to easily move the plants wherever they need to go.

This will prevent putting any strain on your back.

Grow Boxes

Grow boxes automatically drip the right amount of water and fertilizer into the box so you never have to guess.

This keeps it real simple for a small space gardener to grow tomatoes. You'll be able to grow your sun-ripened tomatoes without any hassle.

Even if you don't have any gardening experience you can still grow your tomatoes because The Grow Box practically grows them for you! The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and will have you growing tomatoes like a pro. It's a really great system for planting tomatoes in a small space.

When I lived in Michigan, I had a very shady backyard that was not good for growing tomatoes, or any other vegetables, for that matter, so I planted my garden on the side of the house that had full sun exposure.

Unfortunately, there wasn't nearly as much growing space as there was in the backyard. I bought four of these containers so that I could have more growing space into the full sun. The planters have resin casters making it easy for little old me to move the heavy boxes wherever and whenever I wanted to.

They worked very well and I was happy that I made the investment. I used them for 5 years until moving to New York.

These boxes are a self-contained growing unit that includes an aeration screen, a water reservoir, fill tube, and an overflow hole.

This kit will give you tomato plants (and any other plant you want to grow on your patio) the correct proportion of air and water ratio while preventing root rot and mold that can occur in regular planters.

It also includes fertilizer and growing media, which I chose not to use. I made my own organic fertilizer from my compost pile.

For the winter, I brought two of these planters inside and set them up under the windows which got the same southern exposure full sun which the garden got during the summer.

I kept herbs and my tropical plants alive in these boxes over the cold winter months.

DIY Vertical Patio Tomato Planter Idea

Depending on how handy you are with a hammer, saw and nails. This is a project that can be made at home easily for a small space with the proper tools.

If you are an apartment dweller, it can still be done.

For the DIYers With Tools: Make a planter box out of scrap lumber or an old pallet. (see video #1 below). For the apartment dweller, I would purchase an Earth Box to use as my planter box.
For the DIYers at Home With Tools: Make the trellis frame (see video #2 below). For the apartment dweller, go to Lowe's with your measurements and have them cut the pieces for you. The rest can be put together at the apartment.
Put the planter box against the wall that gets full sun on the patio or deck. Insert the frame. Attach the netting. Plant tomatoes.
As tomato vines grow, attach the vines to the netting with the green gardeners Velcro.

To get more bang for your buck, plant 2 patio tomatoes in the box instead of indeterminate vine tomatoes. Behind tomato #1, plant 3 cucumber plants. Behind tomato #2 plant 3 bean plants (vine not bush variety).

As the vegetable plants grow behind the patio tomatoes, stake the vines to the netting with the green gardeners Velcro. This will train the vines to climb upward on the netting.

Next, I would plant 3 herbs such as parsley, sage, thyme or pansy flowers in front of the tomatoes. Place one in each front corner and one front and center of the box.

How easy is that for 3 different vegetables and 3 different herbs growing all in the same small space?

Selecting Your Tomato Plants for Transplanting Into Larger Containers

Once you have selected a large container best suited for your patio or balcony space, it is time to select your tomato plants.

The type you select will be up to your personal preference and the growing space available to you.

For example, my upstairs neighbor loves grape tomatoes, so that is all that she plants on her deck in her tomato container. She grows the indeterminate variety and allows them to grow up the wall on a net trellis.

I prefer the flavor and size of heirloom tomatoes, so I like having one heirloom plant of a medium to larger beef steak size and one patio variety because it doesn't get very big, yet is a good producer of tomatoes for just the two of us with extra to give to neighbors.

This photo shows a container of ripe patio tomatoes. They are smaller, but delicious just the same. So much better than what you will ever buy in the supermarket!

Repotted Tomato Plant for a Balcony Tomato Garden

junksignal

Transplanting the Tomato Plant

Spread out newspaper in the area you will be repotting your plant to make cleanup less messy and much easier
Fill the new container pot half of the way up with the Moisture Control Miracle Grow potting soil.
Take the plant out of the pot that it came in. Look at its roots. If the roots are root bound at all, tease them away from each other to loosen them up before putting the root ball into the potting soil.
Make a deep well in the potting soil. Throw some dried crushed or powdered egg shells into the bottom of the well. This will give the plant a much needed extra calcium boost.
You are going to want to bury the whole stem of the plant, almost up to its first branches, so that it will form roots off the stem to anchor itself securely in the planting medium. Nestle the root ball down into the well on top of the egg shells.
Cover with the potting soil, adding more of the potting mixture until you have filled the container up to the leaves of the tomato plant.. The soil should be just a couple of inches below the top of your container. Give it a good watering and you are done.

Containers of Tomatoes in Front of My Apartment

Potting Soil

I always use Miracle-Gro Potting Soil with Moisture Control. As far as I am concerned it is the best for planting tomatoes in containers.

It contains all of the necessary nutrients to get your tomato plants off to a healthy start and the moisture control keeps a handle on the watering for the whole season.

I have tried just about every other plant mixture on the market and none of them hold up to this one, except for homemade, but most apartment dwellers don't have the space or an area to use for a potting shed.

Miracle Grow has a lot of different types of packaging for their Moisture Control products and they have finally come out with an organic blend. I will be using this one this year, unfortunately, it isn't yet available in all areas.

It really doesn't matter which one you pick up from a gardening store in your area. As long as it is a "potting" or "container" soil (not another type of soil), and it is moisture control.

Grow Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets

I loved this idea when I got it in an email from Better Homes & Gardens.

They have done a companion planting of grape tomatoes and basil in a basket! How cool is that? BHG says to be sure to select either compact or "bush" varieties.

They suggest this gardening tip: "Set up a drip-watering system to save you a substantial amount of time with a hose or watering can." I dunno. A drip system sounds like a pain in the arse for a hanging basket.

It sounds like a great idea for possibly the trellis planter box sitting on the ground, but it might be more hassel than it's worth for a hanging basket.

Growing a grape tomato basket.

Better Homes and Gardens

4-Tier Mini Greenhouse

The last thing I want to talk about is this 4-Tier Mini Greenhouse. This little greenhouse is a terrific asset to an apartment dweller!

I bought one and have it set up in my bedroom. Bedroom? How weird.

Not really. My bedroom has a huge picture window where I get the maximum exposure of morning sun during the winter.

I use this little greenhouse mainly for some of my tropical plants, although I do have a rosemary plant in it this year that I dug up last fall.

I set it up on an extra coffee table I didn't need to add more height to get the maximum sun exposure for my bedroom window. The bottom shelf is the only shelf below the window.

I use that shelf for extra storage space. I use it to store a few of my small pots that I will be using next month for lettuce seedlings. I also keep a bag of Miracle Grow seedling potting soil there too.

Right now it is snowing to beat the band outside, yet Lowe's has patio tomatoes on sale right now for $7. Go figure. Who the hell wants a tomato plant in the NE at the beginning of February? Me that's who.

I am going there tomorrow and buying one. Where am I going to put it? Why on the top shelf of my greenhouse, of course. Don't think I am the only lunatic in this apartment building.

My next door neighbor bought one for his apartment, which he put in his living room and my girlfriend who lives at the other end of the building bought one that she keeps on her balcony. She only uses hers during the spring and summer when it's warmer.

Anyway, we all think it is a great buy and we are all happy with our purchases. I am going to be double happy when I have a patio tomato sitting on the top shelf in the middle of winter!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

bob - on May 16, 2020:

hankyou thankyou very helpful _________

Sharon Madison on September 02, 2019:

I did tomato this year in containers your information help me to better my tomatoes for years to come. Thank you very much

Helen Oberman on April 05, 2017:

Nicely put together article. Thanks.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on April 18, 2014:

@Donna Cook: I wish you great success! Since downsizing into an apartment I still have a fabulous garden and almost all from containers.

Donna Cook on February 02, 2014:

Going to do container tomatoes for canning this year-tagged as my go to article!

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 18, 2013:

@anonymous: It really isn't very hard. They need 6 to 8 hours of sunlight to fully develop their flavor.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 10, 2013:

@the-gadgeteer: I have to do all my gardening in containers now that I live in a small apartment, but it is worth it to me to have fresh vegetables and herbs to dry so I never have to buy herbs anymore from the market.

anonymous on June 05, 2013:

i would love to be able to grow tommie like that...

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 03, 2013:

@MBurgess: That is great. Where I will be this summer we won't get fresh tomatoes from the garden for another month.

the-gadgeteer on June 01, 2013:

I have enough room in the yard, but I've always wondered if these container things worked. Now I see that they do!

Maria Burgess from Las Vegas, Nevada on May 22, 2013:

I love your images.. I grow tomatoes in my container garden and I just picked and ate the first one of the season today! Great lens, Konagirl!

KonaGirl (author) from New York on May 12, 2013:

@Aunt-Mollie: Thank you.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on May 05, 2013:

@RuralFloridaLiving: Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Glad you liked it.

Aunt-Mollie on May 02, 2013:

Most people don't know that tomatoes are perfect for container gardening, but they really are. Beautiful pictures!

RuralFloridaLiving on April 16, 2013:

You share some great ideas and some wonderful photos.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on July 02, 2012:

@beaworkathomemom: You should. It's not that hard and it is great getting fresh vegetables you have grown yourself organically.

beaworkathomemom on June 29, 2012:

What a beautiful lens. It really wants me to give container tomato gardening a try.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 26, 2012:

@justDawn1: It's as easy as can be. Good luck to you.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 23, 2012:

@karlawhitmore: Small world. I lived in Mt. Clemens, MI when my company transferred me there in 1998. I have always lived in Arizona, and will be back there this winter.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 23, 2012:

@PennyHowe: What a nice thing to say. Thank you!

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 23, 2012:

@Millionairemomma: Thanks so much for the nice comment!

KonaGirl (author) from New York on June 23, 2012:

@coolmon2009 lm: It's not too late if you buy established plants from your local organic nursery. Go ahead and do it. You know how satisfied you will be once you taste that liquid sunshine from that 1st tomato you pick!

justDawn1 on June 23, 2012:

Thank you for your help! I'm going to give container gardening a try! :)

coolmon2009 lm on June 18, 2012:

I use to have a small garden years ago; your article make me wanna grow something. I like the self watering planter, nice lens.

Millionairemomma on June 09, 2012:

This lens was my favorite of all of yours. The background colors and borders are gorgeous. I nominated it for LOTD ! Good luck!

PennyHowe on June 04, 2012:

Your are an awesome lens maker that is for sure! Beautiful and informative as well. Loved the upside down tomato planting.

Karla Whitmore from Arizona on June 04, 2012:

LOVE it! I'm from rural Michigan, but I now live in an apartment in Tucson, Arizona. I haven't tried any gardening because, well, frankly, I have felt intimidated. I love tomatoes and your lens has encouraged me to try growing on my patio. Thank you!

steph-naylor on May 30, 2012:

Cool Lens!!I enjoyed reading! Youve inspired me to start my own project!

Igneous LM on May 21, 2012:

Great work, I just love this lens. Ideas I never knew you could do with tomatoes.

livingfrontiers on May 20, 2012:

You have done such a nice job on a wide array of patio boxes and planters for tomatoes! Very well done! I never knew there were so many options.

marparr lm on May 20, 2012:

Very informative and easy to read lens.

flycatcherrr on May 19, 2012:

I planted my tomatoes today. :-)

Mary from Chicago area on May 19, 2012:

this is fantastic! my husband is working on his tomato garden right now -- takes up half our yard, so maybe I need to turn him on to container gardening?? oh well -- the flavor of homegrown tomatoes is unbeatable, so well worth the time & space! *blessed*

3levels on May 19, 2012:

Beautifully done lens with wonderful photos. Brought back old memories because it reminded me of the wonderful smells and feel of my grandmother's greenhouse 50 years ago.

joannalynn lm on May 18, 2012:

I live in the country, and I've grown a very large garden in the past, but it is so labour intensive. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, and herbs (among others) do really well in pots, and the yield is excellent. I enjoyed your lens. I think the risk of frost is over, so I should get tomatoes started!

Gayle from McLaughlin on May 18, 2012:

I have always wanted to try container gardening! Thanks for the tips!

Gayle Dowell from Kansas on May 18, 2012:

I planted a container garden for lettuce last year, then added one for tomatoes this year. I've got flowers on my plants now. Can hardly wait for the tomatoes to come! Blessed.

iWriteaLot on May 18, 2012:

Awesome lens with some really beautiful pics. Can't wait to show this to my mom. She was just talking about going out to buy containers to grow some tomato plants on her deck.

Sherry Venegas from La Verne, CA on May 17, 2012:

These plant containers are giving me same inspiration.

vBizeso on May 17, 2012:

Great Lens

anonymous on May 16, 2012:

Dear Konagirl,

The pictures of juicy tomatoes are so attractive that I want to grow tomatoes. In India, we have these "Desi tomatoes" which are small and green in colour, they are very tasty and I use them a lot in curry.

microfarmproject on May 16, 2012:

Good info. Thanks!

Michelle from Central Ohio, USA on May 16, 2012:

Very well done lens and very helpful. I got some great ideas!

sukkran trichy from Trichy/Tamil Nadu on May 16, 2012:

love container gardening. blessing this wonderful lens.

klaird on May 16, 2012:

Great lens. I'm currently growing my tomatoes in the Topsy Turvy. I'm doing strawberries too, but the strawberries aren't doing nearly as well as the tomatoes.

ChellC on May 16, 2012:

This is a great lens!! I love container gardening... mines in the making as we speak!! Good Job!

karen vance loudermilk from charleston wv on May 16, 2012:

great lens I have made my own upside down container with 5 gallon buckets, it works good

sbconcepts on May 15, 2012:

Wow! Very informative and cool lens! The pictures are so vibrant and beautiful.Thanks for a great job!

Lenskeeper on May 15, 2012:

I LOVE vine ripened tomatoes. I need to give container gardening a try.

LynetteBell from Christchurch, New Zealand on May 15, 2012:

What a great lens!

sheezie77 on May 15, 2012:

Beautiful lens! thumbs up

NupurAnshulika on May 14, 2012:

Amazing lens...Really enjoyed reading it :)

trendydad on May 14, 2012:

great lens on tomato containers

KonaGirl (author) from New York on May 14, 2012:

@Helene-Malmsio: thank you Helen, for your kind words!

KonaGirl (author) from New York on May 14, 2012:

@randomthings lm: Thanks so much for stopping by.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on May 14, 2012:

@jmatts1: Good luck to you, but a correction needs to be made. Most of these products are plastic. Unfortunately, plastic does retain the moisture better than the terra cotta clay containers, but I do use both and I also use the oak barrels. Truth be known, I use anything I can get my hands on to plant in. An old shoe or an old bucket work fine for me. LOL!

KonaGirl (author) from New York on May 14, 2012:

@Helene-Malmsio: Thank you so much, Helen for the kind words.

KonaGirl (author) from New York on May 14, 2012:

@allenwebstarme: I will be growing in containers again this year, except it will be in Minnesota instead of New York.

randomthings lm on May 14, 2012:

Really cool lens. So much great info about growing tomatos. Thanks! Love the upside planters.

jmatts1 on May 14, 2012:

Great lens. Thanks for sharing so much helpful information. I'm growing two tomato plants for the first time this year. Fingers crossed. Also, since you like non-plastic products check out my lens on glass water bottles.

kmyangel on May 14, 2012:

very nice and interesting lens :)

Helene-Malmsio on May 14, 2012:

This is a gorgeous lens, beautifully illustrated and informative - congratulations on a spectacular job on this lens!

allenwebstarme on May 13, 2012:

Awesome tips, never seen tomato growing in containers.