ORGANIC GROW
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G
rowing tomatoes in pots and containers is not just
for those with balconies or back gardens paved with
concrete. Even if you have a good-sized garden, you
might grow tomatoes in pots to help with crop rotation or
to have them close to the house for easy access.
Also, many gardens, like my own, have shade from
established trees or adjoining buildings, so pots allow a
degree of control over this, as you can use sunny pockets.
I also find more tomato growing space by attaching
hanging baskets to my vegetable garden fences,
boundary fences, and the garage wall.
There are two major tomato types. Indeterminate (also
called staking or vining) are vigorous plants that will often
grow to 2m or more, with many side branches, or laterals.
These plants keep growing until stopped by disease or cold
weather, and keep producing fruit as they grow.
Determinate tomatoes (also called bush tomatoes)
are quite different. When they reach their final height,
which can vary between 30cm and 1m, all their fruits
ripen at once and the plant dies off. So make sure to
choose plants that have varying ripening times, or
stagger your planting times for a longer harvest.
Dwarf tomatoes (also called tree tomatoes because
of their thick trunks) are usually indeterminate orsemi-determinate, which means they keep growing and
producing fruit, but stay as much smaller plants than
true indeterminates. They are essentially long-producing
smaller plants so are ideal for pot culture.
Cultivars of both indeterminate and determinate
plants can produce a range of fruit sizes, including
small, medium or large. Dwarf tomato cultivars
generally grow medium-to-large fruit. Dwarf cherry
fruits are not yet available in Australia but may be
in the next couple of years.
You can grow indeterminate tomatoes in containers
if large enough, but when starting out, and for easier
management if space is limited, the bush and dwarf
tomatoes are a better choice, which we focus on in
this article. All the cultivars mentioned can also be
planted directly into garden beds as space-savers.What type of pot?
Plastic pots are lighter to move around to catch early
sun or move out of hot afternoon sun. Black plastic
pots are great for catching early season heat, but in
the middle of summer, paler colours that deflect heat
are better (or you can line the outside of a black pot
with something reflective).tomatoes
in pots
Karen Sutherland says growing smaller tomato cultivars in containers allows
you to take advantage of limited space and sunshine, and helps reduce disease.Growing
PHOTO: GAP PHOTOS