You don't need a huge garden to grow tomatoes. You can also harvest tomatoes in the city, on a balcony or terrace. What's more, give them a sunny spot and they will grow perfectly well in a pot. But how do you do that? What should you take into account? And what about mold, can tomatoes grow outside? We share our tips below.
Can tomatoes grow outside?
The question on everyone's lips: can tomatoes grow outside? Twenty years ago we would have said no. Or at least, very dependent on the weather . Nowadays we still say that, dependent on the weather, but with a greater chance of success. Our summers have longer dry periods and therefore tomato cultivation outside succeeds much faster than before. So you don't always need a greenhouse or hothouse to be able to harvest tomatoes. That offers possibilities.
Which pot is suitable for tomatoes?
But not all tomatoes are suitable for growing outdoors. There are varieties that ripen late and need time. Time that they do not get outdoors, because it gets damp faster outside, for example. But there are alternatives. You have small tomatoes that do well in a pot, ripen early and can therefore grow well outdoors. But you can also keep a strong climber in a pot. It then needs more support, but that is easily solved with a sturdy bamboo stick. The ideal pot has a capacity of at least 10 L. We do not recommend smaller for tomatoes , because there is simply not enough space for the plant to grow. Anything bigger is a bonus, that goes without saying. The pot must also definitely have a hole in the bottom , so that excess water can drain away.
How do you plant tomatoes in a pot?
Fill the pot with potting soil, preferably peat-free. Standard organic fertilizers were added to it for about 60 to 100 days and it contains sufficient nutrients for the tastiest tomatoes. Fill the pot and stay about 5 to 10 centimeters below the watering edge, so that soil can never wash away when you water.
1. Make a hole in the center of the potting soil, choose your favorite variety and place the plant in the hole.
2. Remove the lower leaves of the plant and feel free to plant them a little deeper. Tomatoes have the ability to form roots on any part of the stem.
3. Press firmly so that the plant is firmly in the ground.
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In this video, Angelo shows step-by-step how to plant tomatoes in a pot , and which varieties are suitable.
Watering tomatoes and mulching the soil
Tomatoes that grow in a pot can be watered with a watering can. Because that also needs to be done outside. If it is cloudy and rains a lot, then you will of course have to water less than when it is sunny and dry for a long time. During warm and dry periods it is important to water daily. The pot is subject to drying out by sun and wind. In addition, cover the soil with a layer of mulch , small bark for example, or hemp fibres. This prevents extra drying out and weed formation in tomatoes (and by extension many other plants). Give them the sunniest spot, possibly against a south-facing wall, and enjoy the tastiest tomatoes this summer.
Should small tomatoes be harvested?
Depending on the variety, it is important whether or not to pinch out. This means that you regularly remove the axillary shoots that the plant produces. Especially with climbing tomatoes, which can easily grow to a height of two metres, it is important to restrain the plant somewhat. Otherwise, the axillary shoots will go in all directions. And that is not what you want from tomatoes that grow in a pot . Small dwarf varieties are of course a different story. Such varieties remain small, at 15 to 20 centimetres, and do not need to be pinched out. You can simply let them do their thing. Even easier.
