How to Grow TOMATOES in a CONTAINER or Pot

In this video Brian shows you how to plant tomatoes in containers. Growing a tomato in a container requires a few special tips to have success. How to grow tomatoes in pots differs slightly from growing tomatoes in the ground. Tomato Gardening 101.

MENTIONED VIDEOS

LINKS AND DISCOUNTS
Discount Code: NEXTLEVEL10
* note! on their website, $250 minimum order ONLY applies to CUSTOM MADE ORDERS

Giveaway Details
Enter 3 ways by May 7 2022
1. Be subscribed to Next Level Gardening on YouTube and comment on this video

2. Be subscribed to Next Level Gardening on YouTube and comment on tomorrow's video about growing tomatoes in containers

3. Follow me on Instagram and Comment on the post about today's video

Winners will be chosen at random and announced on a video after May 7.
Good Luck!!

[drramos]

66.5 year old lady gardener here from Hot, HOT, Humid San Antonio. Also growing on sloped land. Grow Bags are so helpful, but downside here is Definitely getting dry too fast.
Have discovered & ENJOY your channel. God has blessed you with the gift of Teacher along with your Artistry. Practical. Informative, and Beautiful.

[tinaberry]

I grow my entire garden in grow pots. Thanks to you, it's been a blast and a great harvest all the time.

[bettysuetoole]

I have just retired due to cancer. I am trying to learn all I can to help my son. Your videos have been great and has given me so much information.

[marycochran]

I had a massive heart attack three years ago. I gave up having a garden until I started watching you. Now I grow in pots and raised beds. Thank you so much for doing what you do. I also love your other youtube channel.

[NickiTipton]

Hello, I love this video, my husband and I are older and have knee and back issues and he is now in a wheelchair so we are converting from planting in the ground to planting in containers and just discovered the bags. You explained this perfectly and we would love to try these containers. thank you for all your videos and helpful information. we appreciate all you do

[nancybuzzard]

Only two things money can’t buy; true love and home grown tomatoes! 😊

[Kadeisbestmonths]

I'm going to grow tomatoes and peppers this way. I've been following you since the pandemic started and I can truly say that I've learned a lot. Keep bringing knowledge

[shaychristensen]

I use fabric pots all the time because I live on the side of a mountain and do not have much for soil depth. I am growing my garden because of these pots- and I LOVE them!

[crazysquirrel]

I use multiple 'potting' methods. My favorite is planting tomatoes in a 32 gal trash can. NO BENDING! Holds more water. I drilled multiple hols for drainage and air.
I think that when using Epsom salts you get too much magnesium buildup.
No one talks about the sulfur component of the Epsom salts.
I theorize that plants and microbes are consuming the sulfur and leaving most of the magnesium.

A simple bed sheet can work as a sun block/shade.

I took laundry baskets (dollar store ones).
Inverted one, covered with weed block, inverted the other and places it on top.
Then flip it over and trim the excess.
I just made a 7 gal air pruning pot.
I then take a clean, unused oil change pan, round one, and place that basket in it.
I just made a subirrigated air pruning pot. All for about $5.

I am using Fox Farms potting soil with chopped fall leaves mixed in.
I also add in some bone meal (1/4 cup), small handful of sulfur, and a spoonful of Azomite. I also mix in about 10% used coffee grounds and organic tomato fertilizer.
After a plant gets situated, I only water from below as needed.
I train them on cattle panel.
This works for Watermelons too but you need pantyhose to support the heavy melons on the panel.

That works with 5 gal buckets too (be sure of drainage).

I have several canvas grow bags. Yes they do dry out quickly.
So, I take a long neck GLASS wine bottle, fill with water, invert it, then shove it in the soil.
PLASTIC DOES NOT WORK FOR THIS.
Sun heats the bottle and forces water out. At night when it cools, the vacuum created draws air back in.


For inground, I use a 5 gal plastic refillable water bottle, the EXPENSIVE kind you pay to refill for a dispenser.
I toss in 2 orange ping pong balls, fill with water, invert, and shove int he ground about 12" away from the tomato plant.
I can also mix in water soluble fertilizer if needed.
Reason for the orange ping pong balls is that 1: much easier to see water level from a distance, 2 less algae issues.

This year I am trying a custom made sub irrigation planter. No idea how well that will work.

People might want to look up garden Ollas. Those can help with some plants but not thirsty ones.

Fun fact: crawling insects usually cannot swim.
Most flying insects will not cross open water.
Epsom Salts deter Raccoons. Bothers their lungs from what I hear.
Coffee grounds can help deter cats.
I shiny pinwheel can deter birds from pecking or eating your produce (strawberries in particular).

[mswsamrazik]

I already watched it twice and realized that I need to take notes in my Garden folder. So much useful information I want to store for the future. Thanks, Brian 👏

[daviddunagan]

Started the string and trellis method last year after finding your videos. 75 year old Georgia gardener and still learning. Thanks for all your info.

[melissalovesvintage]

My seedlings are sprouting! Here in Upstate NY we are still experiencing uncertain weather from frost to a light dusting of snow. I'm determined to do a great container garden. My tomatoes failed in plastic buckets last year and these tips are so helpful! Thank you for sharing! I'm hoping I can get some growing bags since I live in a mobile home park with limited space to grow food, I'd like to see if they would definitely do better growing in them this year and would like to try using these grow bags. I have indeterminate and determinate seedlings started. I love your Goonies T-shirt, one of the best movies I never get tired of watching!

[andreaf]

I have learned so much from you. This is my 3rd year trying to garden. I live in an apt and can only grow in containers so I really appreciate all of the videos you've shared on container gardening. I would love to win these containers to extend my garden. I would grow either a tomato or pumpkin plant in them.

[loisprice]

My husband and I live in Maryland, where it's still really chilly this Spring. We are following your tips on starting tomato plants from seeds. We are also growing jalapenos from seed. I went to Walmart got 5 gallon buckets for free from the bakery today. That was so exciting. I can't wait till we get tomatoes. I really don't have a green thumb, but I'm trying to follow all of your advice. Thank you so much!

[menolly]

YESSS! Sorry you had to re tape this, but I'm so glad you did! I'm growing an armada of indeterminate tomatoes in 20 gallon fabric bags AND quite a few determinate and even dwarf tomatoes in plastic containers this summer. This is EXACTLY the kind of info I needed! Thank you!

You are SO right about supermarket tomatoes! No flavor. No smell. Nothing. They should be called red cucumbers.

PS: your book is beautiful!

[pinksouthern-girl]

Thanks Brian, Started my 1st garden this year... and due to limited space on this mobile home lot everything is in buckets. I've learned so much watching your channel, thanks for the encouragement, you make it so I feel I can do it. Grow bags would be a real treat, being disabled and on a limited budget... buckets have been had to come by. Goodluck everyone!

[robwilli]

I am using garden bags for the first time this year. Right now I have 6 filled with potato’s. They’ve just started breaking the surface of the soil! So excited!! I am expanding my garden into my lawn and plan to use all bags in that area. Thank you for being a trusted source of information!

[tammyinwv]

I dont have any fabric pots, so making due with large containers that I can find at reasonable price. So my one pot topples over easy. I put my stake in the ground then pushed the pot with tomato cage beside the steak and fastened the cage to the stake. This is keeping it upright pretty well. Love your videos. I think I have watched most of them. I binge watch every few days.

[HollyLynnMissHolly]

I have started so many tomato seed this year, I got carried away, I'm really over run, but I want every one of them to succeed. I will be planting tomatoes everywhere I can. These pots seam like a great thing and I am excited to try them. I love your videos and learn so much from them. Thanks for all the great into and helping everyone to be successful.

[lynettewinterton]

Never heard of air pruning. Makes perfect sense that fabric would deter the root bound growth. Thanks!