How Many Tomatoes Can You Plant in a Container?

Space

• One tomato plant can be grown easily in a 6-inch pot. If the pot is bigger, you can plant up to two plants. If you overcrowd the plants, they will not have enough room to develop a healthy root system and may suffer from lack of nutrients and water. Growing fewer tomato plants ensures the plants grow larger and produce more fruit.

Planting

• Choose tomato plants that come in containers or that have been started indoors from seed. Use pots and other containers that have excellent drainage. Larger containers that are 16 to 24 inches in diameter will give the plants more room to grow. Drill holes in the bottom of the containers, if needed. Fill the container with rich potting soil or a soilless growing medium that contains a fertilizer. Water well.

Varieties

• You can grow any kind of tomato plant in a container. Cherry tomatoes, ornamental varieties and larger types such as Better Boy will all grow fine in a container. Bush varieties that grow in a compact shape are best suited to containers, but tomato plants that tend to grow large will need to be staked. You can plant fast-growing vegetables such as radish and lettuce around your tomato plants to make use of space. Herbs and flowers can also be tucked into the soil around the tomatoes.

Care

• Set your tomato containers near a window where it can receive at least six hours of light each day. If the container will be outdoors, place it in the sunniest area of a porch or deck. Fertilize the plants every three weeks with a standard vegetable fertilizer such as liquid or fertilizer granules that can be sprinkled along the soil. The soil in containers will tend to dry out more quickly than soil in a garden, so water your container garden regularly.