I planted a tomato plant, from a small plant bought in a gardening center, in a pot last spring.
Thing grew like a weed to about 6 ft tall.
Only problem is, all I got was one very small tomato at the top of the plant. Really wasn't worth the effort.
Is there something I did wrong?
I agree! I grow tomato plants in containers every summer, and they do fine. They do require large containers, though. The ones I use are a minimum of 14" diameter and 14" deep. Most are even larger.
I've grown both the determinate and indeterminate tomatoes in containers and both have done fine. I prefer the indeterminate types, because the determinate ones I have grown all ripened at once, instead of providing fruit all through the season. You do have to have a method of staking or caging the indeterminate types, though. My personal preference is staking by arranging three 6' tall stakes around the plant at the time I put it in the container.
I will add that it's important to follow the standards of good container culture, however, using soil that drains very rapidly. One year when I was ill, a friend of mine planted my tomatoes for me. He decided it was too expensive to buy special potting soil, so just mixed the potting soil I already had with soil from my yard. I had a miserably poor crop that year, and at the end of the season, when I dumped the pots out, I saw what he had done and understood why!
I've grown both the determinate and indeterminate tomatoes in containers and both have done fine. I prefer the indeterminate types, because the determinate ones I have grown all ripened at once, instead of providing fruit all through the season. You do have to have a method of staking or caging the indeterminate types, though. My personal preference is staking by arranging three 6' tall stakes around the plant at the time I put it in the container.
I will add that it's important to follow the standards of good container culture, however, using soil that drains very rapidly. One year when I was ill, a friend of mine planted my tomatoes for me. He decided it was too expensive to buy special potting soil, so just mixed the potting soil I already had with soil from my yard. I had a miserably poor crop that year, and at the end of the season, when I dumped the pots out, I saw what he had done and understood why!
Since the plant grew large I doubt that the pot had anything to do with it as I've had stunted, mistreated plants in too small pots fill up with fruit.
Two things come to mind.
1) The plant was inhibited from flowering by high nitrogen fertilizer, over fertilization or low light.
2) Pollination was inhibited by high temperatures or high humidity. they may have been cooked on a hot concrete patio.
Two things come to mind.
1) The plant was inhibited from flowering by high nitrogen fertilizer, over fertilization or low light.
2) Pollination was inhibited by high temperatures or high humidity. they may have been cooked on a hot concrete patio.
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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm