Container Tomatoes

42 Comments

1. Kris - March 7, 2006 at 12:26 pm

   I am considering growing a few tomato plants in an area that gets only partial sunlight. Would it be advisable to supplement light from a grow lamp, when natural light is not available? What about the use of mirrors to reflect sunlight to shaded areas?

   HI
   Tomatoes need 8 hrs of full sun each day, plants will be weak and spindly and may not set fruit with less than 6 hrs . You can try the grow light and mirrors to provide additional light. I would be interested in hearing what kind of results you get. My suggestion is (if you can) plant and tomato in a large pot (16inch or more) find the sunniest spot available and see what happens

   .

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2. mrb - May 11, 2006 at 5:21 am

   I have a porch tomato plant that has already started to fruit! Is it too early in the season to let this happen? Can you expound about early fruiting on container plants? Also give your best instructions on watering potted tomatoes? Thanks!

   When tomatoes reach a maturity level they start to produce flowers. Yours was probably started early in the season and is now ready to produce fruit. Sometimes they will fruit early as a result of stress and it triggers them to reproduce before they die. You may be the first one in the neighborhood to have home grown tomatoes! Keep your plant evenly moist during the growing season and fertilize once a week to replenish the nutrients that wash away.Time-release fertilizer also helps to feed the plant. In hot,dry spells water deeply.

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3. Betty - July 10, 2006 at 4:04 am

   a general question i have for you…can Tomato plants be planted with other plants,such as Coleus?Or will the Coleus take all the nutrients from the fruits?

   Tomato plants can be planted with companion plantings. Be sure that they are comparable in light requirements. Coleus is a semi-shade/ shade plant whereas tomato requires at least 6 hrs. of full sun. As long as you supply enough water and nutrients both tomato and companion plants(provided they aren’t too aggressive) should grow without competing with one another.

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4. Robin - February 18, 2007 at 9:11 am

   tips for growing tomato plants in bucket

   Three problems you should avoid: 1. Too small of a pot 2. overheated soil 3. fluctuating moisture
   Choose the largest bucket available (eg. whiskey barrel) to allow plenty of room for root development. Make sure you use good, well-drained potting soil. Add coarse gravel to the bottom of the pot for good drainage. If the soil gets overheated it will stress the plant causing poor growth of leaves and fruit production. Fluctuating moisture will add blossom-end rot. You will have better luck if you grow special varieties that are designed for container gardening such as a Patio Hybrid, Totem Hybrid (70 days). Both have compact vines that produce medium sized tomatoes. They need at least 8 hrs of sun. Tomatoes are heavy feeders, be sure to fertilize regularily (10-14 days) with a 10-10-10. You can also add a timed-release fertilizer to the soil. Hope this helps.
   Kris

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5. Virgil Lockhart - March 10, 2007 at 1:23 pm

   I just planted in seperate 4 gal pots, a San Diego Hybrid and a Better Boy using potting soil and 5-10-10- fertilizer. My question is how often do I water and fertilize them. I was told that chicken fertilizer made into a tea mix was good for tomatoes. Also can I use miracle grow?

   Water thoroughly when the soil feels dry and let it drain out the bottom. Maintain even soil moisture but don’t keep it too wet. In the garden tomatoes need about 1 inch of water per week. Watering will depend on the weather. On hot, dry days you may need to water twice a day. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and growing in a container will need ample fertilizer to produce fruit since a good amount of nutrients drain out of the bottom of the pot. Feed them with a higher phosphorous ( middle number) 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 formula at every other watering. Chicken fertilizer tea is high in nutrients but can be “hot” and burn the roots unless brewed well before using. For optimal production, make sure that your tomatoes plants get 6-8 hrs. of sun. Hope you get lots of tomatoes, enough to share with your friends!

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6. Bonnie Walling - June 18, 2007 at 10:41 am

   My healthy looking container tomato plant has beautiful flowers, but they are drying up before setting any fruit. I had great success last year with this same container in the same location. Help—

   The fruit will not set in excessive heat,if temperatures are above 90.

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7. Keith - August 3, 2007 at 6:25 am

   Leaf roll
   I have planted tomatoes in large pots – one of the pots has tomatoes that has the leaves starting to curl – we water regularly and have fertilized twice – there are three plants per pot ( 10 gal pots ) – can you help me

   If your leaves are curling inward they are probably responding in self-defense to conserve water. Less exposed leaf surface will transpire less moisture. As the summer progresses and temperatures are hotter, plants will use more moisture especially when you have 3 plants in a pot that have matured and compete for water. Leaf Roll can indicate environmental factors such as uneven watering , prolonged wet soil, drought, high temperatures. Symptoms occur when the plant has a heavy fruit load. Be sure to water enough so that it drain out from the bottom of the container. In hot weather you may have to water twice a day. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) can also promote leaf roll. In addition, frequent watering leaches nutrients from the soil, therefore fertilize more often (at least every 2 weeks). Once you remedy the environmental problem, (barring viral disease) the leaves should uncurl. If the leaves are curling down- look for aphid on the underside of the leaves.

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8. Dorothy Latimer - July 17, 2008 at 4:52 pm

   I use 5 gallon containers with potting soil mixed with osmocote. Water with l/2 gal every morning. Now the bottom leaves are turning yellow. What should I do?

   Hi Dorothy
   Sounds like they may need more nitrogen (lower yellow leaves) . Many nutrients are washed out when the water drains from the bottom of the container. I suggest you add an all purpose soluble fertilizer(10-10-10 or 15-30-15) mixed in with the next watering and every 10-14 days. Follow label instructions for dosage.

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9. broomcarol - July 21, 2008 at 5:06 am

   I have heirloom tomato plants in large containers using new potting soil. I water evenly and regularly. They get at least 8 hours of sun. I have some blossom end rot, not every tomato on every variety has it. I am using Tomato Maker 4-2-6 by Organic Laboratories Inc. which has 6% calcium. Also use Neptune Harvest Inc. fish and seaweed fertilizer 3-2-1. Both products used as directed and not applied at same time. How do I avoid getting blossom end rot? Thanks for your response. broomcarol

   HI Carol
   Blossom-end rot can be caused by several factors. Overwatering (heavy rainfall), underwatering(extensive dry spell),root damage, excess of soluble salts that reduce the uptake of calcuim. When calcuim is not easily translocated from old tissue to new tissue (when the tomato is forming) then blossom-end rot develops. Lack of calcium during fruit formation causes blossom-end rot. Some varieties are more susceptible to it then others. Uniform moisture is important especially when the fruit is forming. Adding lime to the soil (if needed as indicated by a soil test ) or spraying the foliage with a calcium nitrate solution once a week when fruit is grape size can help reduce the incidence of blossom-end rot.

   http://ipm.uiuc.edu/diseases/series900/rpd906/index.html

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10. Mike - July 23, 2008 at 8:48 am

    Hi, is there a fixed number on the yield of tomatoes grown in containers throughout the growing season, or does it all depend on when it’s planted, the size of the container, etc?

    Hi Mike
    I don’t know of any fixed number of yield. It depends on how large the plant gets, growing and blooming conditions. It’s hard to predict what Mother Nature will do. One year you can have 5 tomatoes on a plant and the next twice as much. The variable that you can control is container size and fertilization.

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11. Sara - July 24, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    I have been trying to grow a tomato plant for around 1 1/2 months now. i keep up with watering, keep it in the sun and give it fertilizer but all of the leaves are droopy and the edges are dry and brown, everytime a tomato grows the bottom turns brown and dies. i have no idea what is happening to it. it is too high for animals to get at, and i even moved it out of the direct sun at times. what is wrong with my plant and why cant i keep it healthy?

    Hi Sara
    It sounds like a watering problem. Blossom end-rot which causes the bottom of the fruit to turn brown is caused by fluctuating moisture in the soil-either too much or not enough water. Water your tomato plant until it runs out of the bottom of the container. On hot days, in full sun, you may have to water once or even twice a day. Its best to water in the morning. If you have lots of rain(which you can’t control) don’t water until the top inch of soil dries out. Feed your plant once a week (follow label directions for dosage) and add some mulch to the container to retain even moisture. I hope this helps.

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12. Daniel N - August 4, 2008 at 9:11 am

    I need some advice on my tomato plants.
    The leaves seem to be dieing off and the fruit has a brownish colour at the bottom and they seem to be spitting.
    The tomatoes have not yet ripened, but are near.
    Any advice on what and how to treat the problem would be most appreciated.
    Daniel

    Hi,
    It sounds as if you may have a watering problem. I know that sounds simplistic but in the aggregate both splitting (growth cracks) and brownish area at the bottom of the fruit (blossom end rot) are caused by uneven moisture. Mulch your plants, which will help maintain even moisture. In the garden, tomatoes need at least 1 inch of water per week. If growing in a container, water deeply until it drains from the bottom. Water again when the top1-2 inches of soil feels dry. If you allow the plant get too dry and then water, it causes an imbalance of nutrient uptake (calcium) resulting in brownish black spot at the point at the blossom end of the fruit. Over watering after being too dry (ueven moisture) will also cause the fruit to crack. If you correct the problem, the subsequent tomatoes should come out fine. You can still eat the cracked fruit provided you pick it before it starts to rot.
    Good luck and happy gardening.!. 🙂
    Kris

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13. Lena - August 13, 2008 at 8:42 am

    I am growing two Red Robin heirloom dwarf plants and recently transferred them into separate pots. Before I transferred them they were bothe doing fine. I noticed this week that some of the lower leaves have started to curl a little with some yellow and brown on the edges. Is this normal or could I have damaged the roots when I moved them. Neither had started flowering yet. I got a late start on planting them. I’m in southern GA and I know that the weather has been dry/humid and hot but I water them everyday. Any suggestions as to why the leaves started turning?

    HI Lena
    There are many reason why leaves turn yellow. Lower yellow leaves can indicate lack of nitrogen. Since you transplanted them in fresh soil, that would not be the case. The plant is most likely responding to stress from having their roots disturbed and hot weather. You might want to move them to “less sun” for a few days until they recuperate. Be sure to fertilize every two weeks when grown in the container as nutrients are easily washed out with watering.

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14. aura - December 31, 2008 at 5:47 pm

    Sometimes the new growth on top of the tomato plant seems to be drying and taking a brownish color and then either its growth slows down or it dies. Another problem is, one day the plant is vigorously growing and then it suddenly wilts. Watering is consistent in both cases.

    Hi Aura
    Is this plant in a container or growing in the ground?

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15. aura - January 7, 2009 at 5:39 pm

    Answer: Growing in Containers.

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16. Growing Tomatoes Guide - May 5, 2009 at 3:50 am

    Planting short season varieties tomatoes in containers is a great idea to get you the very first available tomato of the season! Container gardening is an excellent choice for gardeners who live in an apartment or house without a yard. Get a few plants established and give them reasonable care, and soon you’ll have – great results! Most important is to choose large enough containers or pots (larger is better) and to water properly.

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17. hlm - July 9, 2009 at 11:53 am

    i have two tomatoes growing in containers. one is an heirloom variety, the other was a from a church sale, so i don’t know. the “church one” is very tall. both have done very well, but over a week that i was away (a friend watered) the leaves have turned yellow and spotty on the church one, and i see some yellowing and spotting on the heirloom. it seems to be working it’s way up the plant. the church one is already half way up. i can’t tell if the spots on the leaves are an external powedery substance, or discoloring on the leaves.
    I did introduce worms into the pots two weeks ago, accroding to a friend’s advice to help airate the soil, which seems to have become very compacted. What do you recommend? Are they too far along to repot?

    HI
    I don’t think the worms are harming your tomato plants. Tomatoes do get a leaf spot – Early blight or Septoria leaf spot. Both are caused by a fungus that is present in the soil and develop in warm, rainy and humid weather. Leaf spot starts from the bottom and works its way up the plant. To keep it from spreading, remove any infected leaves avoid splashing soil on the plants and spray with an approved fungicide to control the disease.

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18. jt - July 11, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    Watering is essential. You have to be careful watering moist roots because the leafs are curling in hot weather. I have unpotted many plants with dead dry tops but soggy roots.

    I mist my plants during the hottest part of the day (over 100) and hose down the outside of the pots to cool the roots but follow the at least 1 inch dry on top soil rule before watering roots. As long as the nighttime temps are below 80 degrees the plants will be OK. Watering too much in pots creates surface roots which do not perform well. Lots of leafs and little fruit. Planting down in the pots and adding soil as the plant progresses over several weeks seems to provide a deeper root system which is essential in a potted tomato plant. Like anything in life diversify types and locations to insure at least some crop for your tomato sauce. IMO.

    Thanks for the comment!

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19. Erin - July 16, 2009 at 8:27 am

    Hi, I have better boy plants. One each in 12 inch pots. They are tall, producing yellow flowers, no fruit. They appear healty, but bottom leaves are turning yellow. I see after reading that I need to fertilize them more. My question is, do I need to transfer them to larger pots or are they okay in this size as they appear to be healthy. Also, I may put small rocks on top of soil to keep them from drying out in the heat here in NC. Thanks for any info you can give!

    Hi Erin
    Do not repot the tomato. You will do more harm than good. Give it fertilizer that has a higher middle # so that it will produce more fruit. Wood chips would work better to place on top of the soil. Rocks can absorb heat and keep the roots even warmer.

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20. Erin - July 18, 2009 at 8:17 am

    OK, thanks for info. (I don’t think my last post went thru)

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21. Esther Fernandez - April 22, 2010 at 5:22 am

    my tomato plant is a upside, it has a lot of tomatoes
    The plant seem to be drying and taking brownish color
    What do you recommend?
    because in an a close container I cant not see if the soil is dry or wet

    Hi Esther
    Tomatoes do need a lot of water, especially in hot sunny weather.When you water make sure the soil is thoroughly soaked and then let it dry out. It’s hard to tell what the problem is, tomatoes also get a lot of diseases that have the same symptoms. Are you fertilizing the plant?

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22. Chelle - May 5, 2010 at 3:08 pm

    Hot tomatoes
    I bought a green house this spring and have it all up and going and everything I have planted so far has been wonderful at sprouting and growing strong. I have both a garden bed in my yard and have also been doing a lot of container gardening. This year I decided to try 18 gallon totes as my pots. They were 3.00 at home depot and for that kind of price and them being so much roomier than pots I figured it would be a good move. So far so good and I do not have too much a problem with the soil getting too hot. In 3 of these totes I have tomato plants that look great, I do of course have the battle of making sure to keep them hydrated. I live in Louisiana and we already have 90 degree day time temps. My main question is, should I go ahead and move my tomato plants out of the green house, or would they be just fine in there? It is SIGNIFICANTLY hotter in the green house, I would say on average between 100-110 on average according to my thermometer.
    I also have potatoes, onion, garlic, corn, carrots, and bell peppers growing in the green house in totes. I also have another round of seedlings going for the tomatoes which just started sprouting.
    I know I need to move out and so on with the plants, otherwise I would have no room in my green house it is only 6’X 8′. I am sure these totes will be super heavy considering each tote takes 80lbs of top soil and compos mixture.
    Sorry so long.

    Hi Chelle
    Move your tomato plant out of the greenhouse otherwise they will start to decline from heat stress.The plants will start to turn purple and leaves develop dry margins. Temperatures of 100-110 is too hot for any plant. You need to find a way to cool the greenhouse.

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    1. Chelle - May 5, 2010 at 7:52 pm

       Thank you very much for your advice. I will do so tomorrow. I have began opening the door during the day time hours due to the heat in there. I personally do not enjoy being in those hot of temperatures. A person quickly become dizzy in there. Louisiana is one hot sauna, I have 2 windows and a door in my green house, when I open the door it does become much cooler. I have been watering the tomato plants twice a day due to the heat and making sure that the soil is not soppy, but just moist. I am new to container gardening, but have really grown to enjoy it. I also believe I may have started a neighborhood trend with the storage tote gardening.

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23. Karen Karr - May 9, 2010 at 11:53 am

    Basil insect repellent
    I have a friend who swears by the organic practice of planting basil at the bottom of her tomato plants to keep the ugly green tomato worms from attacking. She claims that she hasn’t had a problem with them since she starting pairing the two plants. Does this work?

    Hi Karen
    I don’t know if basil will deter tomato hornworms, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it does. Basil is used as a companion plant to enhance the flavor of tomatoes. Studies have shown that basil has the ability to certain repel insects such as flies and mosquitoes, so there is some credance to what your friend says.

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24. Alexia - May 10, 2010 at 10:11 am

    I just began planting my tomato plants and would like to know if “planting” them 2/3 in the pots makes for a stronger plant later in the summer? And what can I use for mulch for container plants? Thank you.

    Hi Alexia
    I’m not sure what you’re asking. Planting a tomato plant deeper in the soil or container will help counter any leggy. weak stems that the plant may have developed. Roots will form along the buried part of the stem. In the hot days of summer, place a few inches of an organic mulch such as compost, straw, fine wood chips to keep the plants evenly moist and cool .

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25. katherine - May 12, 2010 at 8:19 am

    i have a cherry tomato plant in a pot on my patio, it has borne fruit but not a massive amount,so far anyway,like they usually do when i plant in the ground. i have put organic fert, green sand, and organic potting mix and epsom salt. the pot is large but not massive. could it be too small, and if so, could i transplant it at this point? thanks.

    Hi Katherine
    Give the plant some time and it will fill in with roots. I would not transplant it at this time, as it will really stress the whole plant. Make sure that excess water can drain from the bottom of the pot. Container grown plants require a bit more fertilizer because the nutrients will leach out when watering, so make you continue to feed the plant with a balanced fertilizer during the growing season.

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26. Yassir Sanchez - May 16, 2010 at 6:46 pm

    Every website that I go to says you must have big containers; half whiskey barrels, 15-20 gallon, etc…

    This is a myth. I grow tomatoes until I am sick of looking at them every season using 3-5 gallon containers.

    Granted you have to give them plenty of TLC. Top notch compost is what I like best, good make that GREAT cages, plenty of good mulch, and a consistent fertilization and watering plan.

    Everything is important but if I had to stress one thing it is a good cage. The typical three ring types you see at the landscape supply houses are not effective. I make my own out of rolled wire.

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27. Heidi Hopkins - June 27, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    Thanks for all the posts and replies! My first tomato garden in containers just might survive the summer our hot patio thanks to you! Fertilizer, compost, mulch and basil here I come! 🙂

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28. Mary - July 1, 2010 at 11:20 am

    No flowers
    My young tomato plants have lost their flowers. Do I have a problem?

    Hi Mary
    No, Tomatoes are sensitive to weather conditions especially when the flowers need to be pollinated. If its too hot, too cold or the air is just too calm for pollen distribution, it can cause the flower to abort. If too calm you can try to hand pollinate the flowers in the morning by tapping on the flower cluster to distribute the pollen to the pistil. During the dry season be sure it gets 1 inch of water per week and when fruit is set, side dress with a balanced fertilizer.

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29. Kelly - July 18, 2010 at 7:10 am

    Blossom end rot
    I am growing container tomatoes. There are plenty of tomatoes on the vine but when they start to turn, the bottoms are turning brown. What do you think is causing this. Can you still eat the tomatoe and can this problem be fixed?

    Hi Kelly
    It sounds like your tomatoes have blossom-end rot which start as wateter-soaked spots on the bottom end of the tomato. It is usually caused by fluctuating moisture from overwatering (heavy rainfall) and underwatering(extensive dry spell). In addition, root damage and excess of soluble salts can also contribute to the problem.
    Blosson-end rot develops when calcuim is not easily translocated from old tissue to new tissue due to uneven moisture supply to the plant. The lack of calcium during fruit formation causes blossom-end rot. Some varieties are more susceptible to it than others. Provide uniform moisture throughout the season and mulch around the plant. If you have a major problem, you can apply calcium chloride(de-icing salt) by way of a spray on the leaves. Mix 1 tbsp. to 1 gallon of water and spray 2-3 x a week.

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30. Donna - July 28, 2010 at 9:42 am

    Hi,I have my plants in hanging bags. They started off doing great, but I am noticing some yellowing leaves and less flowers are coming. I don’t know how to fertilize the bags. They have a water reservoir on the top, that would be the easiest, but I don’t know what kind and the numbers for the fertilizer to use. Also, I’ve read to remove some of the non producing leaves, but I don’t know how to judge which ones will not produce flowers.
    I’m new to all of this, so any advice is welcome.

    Hi Donna
    Feed your tomato plants with either a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer or a fertilizer specially formulated for tomatoes (higher middle number). I would leave the leaves as they help shade the tomatoes when they are ripening.

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31. Mary - August 2, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    Leaf roll
    I unfortunately, used garden soil (they need to label the bags better). I am just now getting tomato’s planted in a 5 gallon pail, pot shards used in the bottom, watering daily and letting it run through the bottom and they are on my deck My two plants were the Early Girl Variety. His two were the Better Boy Variety. Some of the leaves on his plants are curled with a wilted look. My husband planted these two first. All are getting the same treatment. Just started fertilizing. My two Early Girls’ look to be great. Just started turning Red. Some cracking at the top. This is my 1st year planting them! I hope to get enough to can. Am I going to be OK?

    Hi Mary
    Sounds like off to a good start. Tomatoes can get a lot of diseases, leaf Roll can indicate environmental factors such as uneven watering , prolonged wet soil, drought, high temperatures. Be sure to water enough so that it drains out from the bottom of the container. In hot weather you may have to water twice a day.

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32. Chana - August 11, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    Tiny tomatoes
    I’m doing container growing for the first time, on my apartment terrace. My grape tomato plant has given great fruit until the past couple of weeks. I water every morning, have good drainage, and rotate the container for even light exposure. The plant is about 7 feet tall and continues to sprout new branches/vines that flower quickly, but the tomatoes now are miniscule. Also, one of the main, thicker vines is split in places. I’m in NY, where temperatures have been in the upper 80s and 90s by day.

    Hi Chana
    It sounds as if the tomato plant is pot bound and running out of nutrients. Try feeding the plant and continuously pick the ripening fruit so the developing fruit gets more water and nutrients. Also, to get larger fruit, limit the amount of tomatoes clusters so that more nutrients are directed to the tomato.

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33. emommom - November 12, 2010 at 1:24 pm

    I’ve experienced the first time pleasure of growing a small container planter with Roma tomatoes and herbs together, this past summer. Although, it’s early November and I live in the Northeast, we’ve had such a relatively mild transition between the summer and fall seasons I’m surprised to see that I’m still getting vigorous growth, especially with the tomatoes. Do I need to “winterize” my container? How/should I keep the container safe from completely dying off for the year?

    Hi Emommon
    Lucky for you, the mild fall season has extended the growing season. It’s great to still have tomatoes in November. Tomatoes are cold sensitive so you’ll have to bring the container indoors and place it in a sunny window for continued growth. Because of diminished light, the growth will slow down indoors.

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34. Kathryn dunbar - May 29, 2011 at 2:54 am

    Hi, I just wondered if you could tell me when to start feeding container grown tomatoes. I just repotted them last week, there are no signs of any flowers yet. Thanks so much. Kathryn

    Hi Kathryn
    You can feed them when your tomato plants are starting to put on new vigorous growth. There should be plenty of nutrients in the soil right now.

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35. Jan o - July 15, 2011 at 10:06 am

    I’ve got my first ever tomato plant, a patio tomato in a large container which has set 4 tomatoes. The upper leaves have developed browning around the outer edges. After reading the above I suspect the soil is getting too warm and perhaps it’s time to feed again. I don’t have any wood chips available, could I use dry grass clippings?

    Hi jan
    You can use dry grass clippings, compost, coffee grounds ,even shredded wet newspaper. If temperaturs are hot- browning tips can also be a sign of heat stress. Make sure the tomatoes plants get enough water and the soil stays moist.

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36. Sandr Ryan - July 22, 2011 at 12:35 pm

    Tomatoes splitting/cracking
    I am growing my tomatoes in 5 gal. containers. I made my pots sort of like the topsey turvey on stands. I planted 4 to 6 plants per container. I water them every day and I water them until the water comes out the bottom of the container. I feed them with Vigoro 12-10-5 which is to be done every 3 mo. I also feed them once a month with another food that I don’t happen to have with me to give you the name of but it is tomato food that I purchased at the local nursery. My plants do very well and produce a lot of tomatoes however I have a slight problem with cracking or splitting tomatoes. It seem to happen with some of the larger tomatoes not the smaller ones. I also have one plant that the leaves curl inward at times. I have read several comments on both subjects as well as the responses however I am still not clear on how to solve the problem. Most responses refer to a watering porblem and stress that the plants be watered evenly and regularly. This may sound crazy but what is “even regular watering”? I water the same every day and I feed regulary but your idea of regularly might not be the same as mine. Please explain exactly how much to water and feed. I think I may be watering or feeding to excess. I don’t want to change to much about what I am doing because I have wonderful tomatoes for the most part. Only the two problems that I mentioned above and neither problem is to the extreme, I just don’t want it to get to the extreme either! Thank you in advance for your suggestions. Your help is very much appreciated!

    Hi Sandr
    Even regular watering is keeping the soil slightly moist and not letting it dry out. During hot heather, you might have to water twice a day to maintain even moisture. Sometimes that’s not possible. As the plants get larger, they fill up the pot with roots and there is less soil to hold the moisture in. It’s important to keep the soil moisture uniform when tomatoes are developing. Add a couple inches of mulch on top of the soil to help the problem.
    Are you taking into account rain? You may be watering regularily but you have no control, when it rains. Some varieties of tomatoes esp. the larger ones are prone to cracking/spliting.

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37. debbie - June 23, 2012 at 7:31 am

    Grow tomatoes in containers
    I need to send a picture so you can HELP ME with my jet set tomatoes !!!!! This is my first time ever to grow anything and I have them in container . There’s about five in there,I have them staked with twine tied around them. They’re at least 3 feet tall and I’ve got 6 tomatoes that are hopefully going to turn red if I can keep the plants going. There’s a couple of new ones that are trying! I’ve got holes at the bottom so it will drain. The leaves are wilty and curling and Browning. When I give the leaves a little squeeze I get moisture off them, so my little brain thinks that there’s to much moisture o__0 . I fed them some miracle grow plant food was that a nono? Do I need to transplant or just add mulch and soil to the container ? Thanks,green tomatoes behind the ears. Oh I live in east fort worth,tx. IT’S HOT!!

    Hi Debbie
    There’s a first time for everything. First off, it sounds like you have too many tomato plants in one pot. It’s best to grow one in the largest pot you have. The fertilizer is good. They need to be fed on a regular basis. Plants grown in containers loose a lot of nutrients when they are watered. It sounds like the plants are too large to separate or transplant at this time. Add some mulch on top of the soil to help keep the soil moist and cool. Leaves will curl and brown in hot weather and dry conditions. In really hot temperatures move the pot to a slightly shaded area.Good luck. enjoy your tomatoes.

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38. kim - July 14, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    Blossom end rot
    Have a big boy tomato plant in a container, we put the plant in the yard to get 6-8hours pf sunlight. Our plant has 13green tomatoes growing so far.My question is some of the bottom of tomatoes are spotted different shades of green, then turns brown, what causes this to happen?It gets water b4 it gets put in the sun &again after sun goes down.

    Hi Kim
    The brown spots may be due to uneven moisture which can cause blossom end rot. Irregular watering can cause a lack of calcium which the tomato needs when its forming. You can correct the problem by making sure the soil stays evenly moist (not wet). You can also use a calcium suppliment foliage spray (Rot stop) after a heavy rain.

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39. Dan A. - July 24, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    too many small tomatoes
    Hi. I planted early girls in a 5 gallon pot on my deck. I have about 25 small green tomatoes starting. A couple of them have started to turn red and are no bigger than a grape tomato. I thought they would be bigger.

    Hi Dan
    Early girl tomatoes are usually 4-8 oz. They are indeterminate plants and can get leggy in a container. Pruning the plant will help increase the size of the tomato but will decrease the number of tomatoes.

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40. Mark - September 20, 2012 at 7:24 am

    Hi,

    I have a few problems going on and I was wondering if you could help. I have a live in SW FL and we are having rather nice temperatures this time of year. I planted a bush goliath in a 5 gallon bucket. I used miracle grow potting soil mix, a cup of dolomite lime and some organic fertilizer (Moving in the organic direction, had to use up the miracle grow soil first though). My plant was doing fine till we had lots of rain. I’m now getting yellow leaves on the bottom of the plant with brown specks? Also, blossom end drop on a few. The plant gets sunlight all day! I have not had to water at all in 3 weeks and the soil is still very moist! Contrary to the issue that most have with the soil drying out! Not sure where I could upload a picture on here but any advice would help.

    Thanks =)

    send the pic to Kris@hortchat.com

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41. Unknown - September 24, 2012 at 11:48 pm

    Leaf spot disease
    Here are two pictures, same plant. I am not having any
    problems with insects and I lost a few flowers the past few days.
    I also started treating them with blossom end rot spray and moved
    them on to my patio since we have been having bad rain. What
    are your thoughts?

    Hi Mark
    Thanks for the pics.
    It looks like a leaf spot disease- possibly Septoria leaf spot which is a fungal disease that favors moist conditions (rainy days).
    It is an airborne disease that can be easily spread by wind,rain, splashing water. You can use a fungicide to help control the spread of the disease. Apply every 7-10 days.

    There are other tomato diseases such as Cercospora leaf spot which will require the same treatment. Try an orgnic copper spray or a biofungicide like Serenade or a fungicide like Daconil or Fungonil. Make sure you follow label directions.

    Be sure to remove any diseased leaves so it doesn’t affect the plants next season. Here’s some more detailed info. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/450/450-711/450-711.html
    Hope this helps.
    Kris@hortchat.com

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