do i need to mulch potted tomatoes

Growing tomatoes in containers is often a very good choice where you have limited garden space or where the garden soil is less than ideal for growing tomatoes. Potted tomatoes can easily be grown on a deck or patio, or in railing or window boxes. There are three keys to successfully growing tomatoes in a container: choosing the right tomato variety, proper planting, and ongoing care. Pay attention to these three areas, and youll be in tomato heaven in no time.

Tomatoes are warm-season, slow-growing vegetables that take as much as 150 days to mature from seed, so in all but the warmest climates, they are usually planted from well-developed nursery starts in the spring after the soil has fully warmed. If started from seed, they need to be sown indoors several weeks before the last frost of the spring.

When planting tomatoes in pots, keep the soil at least one inch below the pot rim, so you can add a layer of mulch to help keep soil moist. You can use traditional mulch materials, like straw, shredded bark, chopped leaves, or newspaper (minus the glossy circulars).
do i need to mulch potted tomatoes

Tomato Care

Tomatoes require a full day of sun in order to produce adequately. Six hours of full sun is considered a minimum.

Tomato Varieties for Containers

Indeterminate tomatoes are favorites for general gardening because they continue to produce fruit all season long, but most of these varieties are not great choices for containers because they tend to be sprawling, vining plants. Thus, compact bush types, with some exceptions, are often the best choice for growing in pots and other containers. There are exceptions, though, as there are some indeterminate types bred for container use.

  • Patio Princess reaches 2 feet tall with a continual stream of 2 1/2-inch tomatoes.
  • Bushsteak produces large, juicy tomatoes on plants that are only 20 to 24 inches tall.
  • Sweetheart of the Patio produces delicious 1-inch tomatoes, and plenty of them.
  • Marglobe is a vining plant that requires a large container, but the profuse harvest makes it worthwhile. Fruit is ripe within 73 days.
  • Baxters Bush Cherry produces a lot of fruit and is ideal for containers, as it wont need staking or caging.
  • Sweet Baby Girl is an indeterminate type, but it doesnt get too tall, making it excellent for containers.
  • Gardeners Delight is a wonderful heirloom cherry tomato with a taste that is both rich and sweet.
  • Balcony is a compact plant ideal for small containers. It produces a surprising number of 2- to 2 1/2-inch bright red tomatoes.
  • Stupice is known for early tomatoes, 2- to 3-inches in diameter.
  • Tumbling Tom Yellow bears lots of 1- to 2-inch yellow tomatoes. It works well in hanging baskets, railing boxes, and other containers.

What Is The Best Mulch For Tomatoes In Containers?

FAQ

Should you mulch potted tomato plants?

Mulching, while less important in a container than in a garden bed, is still a good idea — it keeps weeds from growing in the tomato pot and retains moisture so you won’t have to water quite as often. The best mulches are pebbles, bark mulch, and straw.

Should you mulch potted plants?

Absolutely, nothing dries out faster than a potted plant, especially one that has larger surface area. Mulching them in will help protect shallow roots from too much sunlight exposure, the soil from drying out too fast, and the poor little buggers getting cold feet.

What is the best mulch to put around tomatoes?

Mulch can help retain moisture, but it is important to use the right kind and not over-mulch. The best mulch for tomato plants is a loose material such as straw, shredded leaves, or wood chips. These materials allow air and water to pass through, helping to maintain the ideal moisture levels in the soil.

Do tomatoes do better in pots or ground?

Tomato plants do very well in rich, well-drained soil, which makes them suited to container growing, even on small balconies. A 60-litre container will be sufficient. Plants need to be sheltered from the wind in a location with lots of sunlight.

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