Great Tomatoes Plants Grown in Containers

If you live in an apartment, townhouse or have a large deck it's easy to grow tomatoes in containers to provide delicious tomatoes right outside your door!

1. Start off by picking out your tomato plants and containers. Cherry and patio tomatoes need at least a 3 gallon container, while the larger tomato plants needs a 5-7 gallon container. Make sure the containers have good drainage.
2. Pick up an all around potting soil. You want a potting soil as it isn't too heavy so the soil won't compact to the point extreme hardness.
3. Place rocks or broken ceramic pot pieces to cover the drainage holes.
4. Remove the bottom branches of the tomato plants, the small ones.
5. Fill the container with the potting soil about 3/4 full, place the plant in the container and fill in around the roots and bottom half of the stem. Firm into place.
   
6. Mix a good vegetable fertilizer with water and water the tomato plant well, but do not soak. You will need to fertilize weekly.
7. Water daily as your tomato plants are 95% water and will suffer if not enough water is supplied while growing.

You may need a to use a pest control as there are plenty of insects that love tomatoes! I use a simple "slightly soapy" solution in a spray bottle weekly to keep insects at bay but you can buy an organic or chemical spray.

You can also grow lettuce, beets, beans, zucchini or many other vegetables in containers right on your balcony or patio as long as you feed, water them and have plenty of sunlight!

I would love to hear from you! Drop me a line comments below.

Planting Flowers in Containers

"Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers." - Veronica A. Shoffstall





Container growing can be remarkably satisfying especially, but not exclusively, if you have limited space. I love to have potted flowers on my deck! If you pick the right flowers you will get the birds and the bees like hummingbirds and are able to see these wonderful birds up close.
So before you start picking containers decide where you want them to be. Just outside a kitchen window in a window box? Large wooden planters on a porch in the corners? Around the swimming pool deck?

Next we need to think about the container type.
You can plant your flowers in containers of mixed styles, shapes, material and height. Some containers make beautiful displays to brighten up a patio corner, against a bare wall or on either side of an outside stairway. There are so many pots in various shapes and sizes. There are clay, plastic, ceramic, wire pots, tubs and buckets. Containers you attach to the house (window box) and containers you hang off your railings or hang from posts. Containers that sit on the deck, patio or porch. You choose. You are the artist! Show your colours!
Ensure your containers have good drainage in them. Check to see if your containers have drain holes to prevent over watering and provide air circulation for healthy plants. If there are none put a layer of gravel or pebbles in the bottom of the pot.

Next is to choose the soil. Potting soil is rich in organic material. Added Vermiculite works to help the soil drain and keep it moist. Remember to add a slow release granular fertilizer to the soil to give your plants a great start.

Alright, so, you know where the containers are going, what type of containers you want and you have several bags of good potting soil. Off to the Garden Centre!!!!

No, not yet. Do a little research. You need a "planting plan". Select flowers and plants that compliment each other. Some flowers bloom pink, red, yellow or variegated, have huge blossoms or clusters of little tiny blossoms. Some are trailers, other uprights. You can talk to the gardener at your local Garden plant center. Look plants up online or if you are daring, just experiment with different kinds of plants. You can check out the labels for height, type, sun exposure and watering requirements.I like to add in plants that have showy foliage and trail down to the deck to go with my flowers, like Ipomea (Sweet Potato Plant). Gives the "overflowing look". I like to get height in a planter so often will put a tall grass in the middle.

I have listed a few options of flowering plants and foliage plants that work well in planters.
Annuals suitable for containers:
Alyssum, Begonia, Browallia, Coleus, Geraniums, Impatiens, Lantana, Lobellia, Marigolds,Periwinkle, Nasturtiums, Pansies, Salvia, Petunias, Sanvitalia, Snapdragons, Thunbergia, Zinnias

Some plants that are great for colourful foliage:
Hedera (English Ivy), Ipomea, Lamium, Pedilanthus, Pseuderanthemum, Strobilanthes(Persian Shield), Vinca

What ever you choose enjoy your containers. If you are not too fond of a plant this year, don't use it next year. You may just find your favorite types of plants or try different plants every year. Experiment! Enjoy!


Would not have been my choice in a container but to each their own!