The secret to growing tomatoes in pots with lots of fruit

Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, carotene and lycopene, which have the effect of cooling, detoxifying, anti-oxidizing and lowering blood pressure. This fruit is present in many dishes, from salads to stir-fries, stews, sauces...

Tomatoes are widely sold in markets and supermarkets, at quite cheap prices, however, concerns about food safety make more and more people want to grow their own to control quality. In addition to their food uses, tomato plants with red ripe fruit on branches also have a great decorative effect for urban houses.

Instead of buying, you can grow tomatoes in pots and enjoy watching the tomatoes grow every day. This is an easy-going plant, if well cared for, it can still produce many large fruits even if only grown in pots.

Choose the right breed

To grow tomatoes in pots, you should choose dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties, which are both space-saving and easy to grow. Dwarf yellow tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, black tomatoes, etc. are all small varieties suitable for growing in pots. If you like large tomatoes, you can choose varieties that are disease-resistant, set fruit early, and have high yields.

Prepare the pot

The size, material, and drainage of the pot all affect the growth and fruiting of tomatoes. You should choose a pot with a diameter of 30-40 cm and a depth of 25-35 cm to ensure enough soil volume and air circulation. The bottom of the pot must have enough drainage holes, lined with a layer of gravel or ceramic to prevent water accumulation and root rot.

Prepare high quality soil

Tomato soil needs to be loose, soft, airy and well-drained. You can mix peat soil, coconut soil and perlite in a ratio of 1:1:0.3. You should add some organic fertilizers as basic fertilizers such as vermicompost, bean dregs, plant ash... or some slow-release fertilizers to ensure long-term nutrient supply.

Growing tomatoes

Choose a healthy, pest-free seedling with 4-5 leaves. Dig a suitable sized hole in the flower pot, place the seedling in, cover with soil and water thoroughly.

After planting, move the pot to a cool place. After a few days the plant has adapted, move it to a sunny place.

Water properly

Water in the morning or evening to avoid evaporation or leaf burn due to the strong midday sun. Water the plant evenly, do not just water the surface or part of it.

Watering frequency depends on soil moisture and weather changes. In general, you should water when the soil surface is dry, not wait until the soil is completely dry or the plant is wilted. Water more in summer, less in winter, and pay attention to drainage on rainy days.

Fertilize properly

Fertilization ensures the growth of tomatoes, it is necessary to provide a balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements.

Fertilizer should be applied in the morning or evening after watering, avoid direct contact of fertilizer with the roots, causing root burn. Use diluted liquid fertilizer or water-soluble fertilizer, avoid using unfermented or undecomposed organic matter.

The frequency of fertilization depends on the growth stage of the plant. You can use a multi-element fertilizer with balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content, applied once a week during flowering and fruiting. Fertilizer with high potassium content is applied once a week when the fruit is growing.

Tree pruning

Topping and pruning are methods of controlling growth and increasing the quality of tomatoes. It is necessary to choose the right time and location to promote large, ripe fruit.

Topping is cutting off the highest growing point of the tomato to control the height of the plant, concentrating nutrients on the fruit. Potted tomatoes should have 5-6 flower stems left. After topping, the plant will grow side shoots, which must be removed promptly.

Make a stand for the tree

This is an important step when growing tomatoes in pots, helping the tomato plant not to fall over but always stand upright. When the tomato plant grows to a certain height, it must have a timely support frame so that the fruit does not bend the stem or come into contact with the soil.

You can use bamboo stakes, wooden sticks, iron wires or plastic bars… to make a support frame. During the tomato growing process, you need to constantly adjust and reinforce the stem.

Pest control

Common diseases and pests on tomatoes include powdery mildew, gray mold, early blight, late blight, navel rot, fruit cracking, aphids, red spider mites, leaf-cutting insects... To prevent and control these pests and diseases, you need to pay attention to the following points:

- Choose varieties with strong disease resistance and good adaptability.

- Keep the soil well-aerated and drained to avoid waterlogging and drought.

- Keep plants well ventilated and well lit, avoid high temperatures, humidity and overcrowding.

- Fertilize and water properly, avoid fertilizing too much or too little, causing the plant to grow excessively or not have enough nutrients, causing dryness or waterlogging.

- Timely cut off tops, flowers, and secondary buds to remove diseased leaves and fruits to reduce the source of infection and transmission routes.

- Use physical or biological methods to kill insects such as using yellow sticky boards to trap aphids, using vinegar spray to prevent red spiders... Try to avoid using chemical pesticides.

Pollination of tomato plants

Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants. However, if you grow tomatoes in pots, due to the lack of pollinators such as wind and insects, natural pollination will be less effective, leading to flower drop or stunted fruit. To improve the rate and quality of pollination, use your finger or a cotton swab to gently tap the flower or stem to let the pollen fall from the stamen to the pistil, repeat 2-3 times for each flower.

Pollination should be done between 10 and 14 hours on the second day after flowering. Pollen is most active during this time.

With good care, you can harvest the fruit after 2 months of growing tomatoes in pots. When the fruit crop is finished, to avoid aging, you can prune and repot the plant to grow and produce fruit again.