Start Planting

Now that you have decided what types of tomatoes you'd like to grow and have gathered your supplies, it's time to start planting. Follow the 6 steps below to plant, maintain, and harvest your tomatoes.

No matter what type of container you are using, spend some time getting it ready before you plant your tomatoes: 

• Place the container where you planned for it to go. 

• Combine your soil and fertilizer.

• Fill your container a little more than halfway full with soil. 

• Moisten the soil with water and make sure there are no dry spots.

If you are starting with tomato plants:

• Carefully transplant your tomato plant from it's original container and set it in the container you chose. Be careful not to break the roots.

• Add moist soil around the tomato plant until the container is mostly full and the roots are covered.

Watch the 15 minute video below to see an example of how to prepare your container and transplant a tomato plant. 

If you are starting with tomato seeds:

• Carefully push 2 seeds into the soil. 

• Cover the seeds with about half an inch of soil.

Watch the 13 minute video below to see an example of how to plant tomato seeds. 

The amount of water tomato plants need varies based on their maturity and the growing climate. 

• Seedlings need enough water for the soil to stay moist, but not soaked.

• Young tomato plants need water daily for the first 10 days, then need about 1-2 inches of water per week.

• Mature tomato plants continue to need 1-2 inches of water per week, spread across 3-4 separate waterings. 

• Fruiting tomato plants initially need the same amount of water as mature tomato plants, but as the tomatoes ripen, they need less water at each watering.

Weather and climate can impact a tomato plant's watering needs, so it's important to recognize if your tomato plant is getting too dry. If you notice wilting or curled leaves, cracking soil, or a lack of plant growth, give your tomato plant more water.

To learn more about watering tomato plants, read How Often to Water Tomato Plants for Maximum Growth.

Pruning means to cut off certain parts of the tomato plant as it grows. There are 3 main reasons to prune:

1. Tomato plant leaves or stems are touching the ground.

2. Tomato plant leaves or stems are growing beyond your support structure.

3. Blooming tomatoes need more oxygen and sunlight.

Watch the 3 minute video below to learn more about pruning tomato plants. 

Harvesting tomatoes means to remove them from the plant when they are ready. Unripe tomatoes are green. When they begin to ripen, they start turning yellow or orange. 

Harvest tomatoes when:

1. They start changing colors. Let them ripen further indoors. 

2. When they are completely ripe and ready to eat.

3. When the growing environment gets too hot or too cold. 

To remove them from the plant, use your pruner to cut the stem just above where the stem attaches to the tomato. 

Watch the 4 minute video below to learn more about harvesting tomatoes. 

You now know all the steps to grow tomatoes in containers.

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