Did you know that you can grow some of the best tasting and most productive tomatoes right on your porch, patio, or deck – without the need for a big garden space?
It’s true – even those without a traditional garden or raised beds can enjoy tasty tomatoes right off the vine – and at the peak of their freshness and flavor. That is, as long as you grow the tomato varieties that are best suited for growing in smaller spaces!
Tomatoes are one of the best and easiest plants to grow in pots. Not only can they be planted much sooner than in ground seedlings, but container growing also allows you to have fresh tomatoes anywhere – including just steps from your kitchen on your patio or porch.
Growing Tomatoes In Containers With Success
While larger beefsteak tomatoes can often be a challenge to grow in confined spaces, there are a whole slew of excellent slicing, paste, cherry and grape style tomato varieties that are a breeze to grow in containers.
The key to a big harvest is to simply find tomato types that grow in a compact fashion and perform well with a smaller overall root structure – and then give them just a bit of extra attention to make sure they get all of the light, water and nutrients they need for strong growth and big fruit production in their smaller space.
With tomato growing success in containers in mind – here is a look at three of the “best of the best” tomato varieties to grow in containers, whether you are looking for a paste style tomato, a cherry tomato, or even a great slicing tomato.
We’ve also included a few secret tips and tricks at the end of the article to help you get the most from your plants when growing in containers!
The Best Tomatoes To Grow On A Patio – Our Top 3 Picks!
Best Paste Tomato: San Marzano
The winner of the best paste tomato for growing on patio or porch settings goes to none other than the San Marzano tomato. This popular variety is a favorite among gardeners who love paste style varieties – and for good reason! Affiliate Link: San Marzano Tomato Seeds
San Marzano tomatoes are an heirloom variety that produces loads of 4-inch-sized fruit. The tomatoes feature a meaty texture and have a low water content, making them perfect for cooking and canning. The fruits are packed full of flavor and are great for fresh eating – and for turning into salsas, pasta sauces, pizza sauces and so much more.
As an indeterminate variety, San Marzano plants push out fruit all growing season long. Even better, they do so while reaching a max height of only around four feet, making them ideal for patios.
Best Cherry Tomato: Husky Cherry Red
If you are looking for an excellent cherry tomato variety for patio growing, the Husky Cherry Red is a must try! The Husky Cherry Red lives up to its namesake. It fills in thick and stout but only grows to a height of around 3 to 4 feet, making it perfect for container growing.
Just like the San Marzano, it also happens to be an indeterminate. That, of course, means you can be picking fresh tomatoes for salads and snacking all summer long right up until the first frost.
The one inch cherry tomatoes this plant produces are super sweet – and does it ever produce a lot of them! In addition to fresh eating, they are excellent for making juice or sauces. Affiliate Link: Bonnie Plants Husky Cherry Red Tomato Live Vegetable Plants – 4 Pack
Best Slicing Tomato: Mr. Stripey Tomato – Best Tomatoes To Grow On A Patio
Looking for a larger slicing tomato to grow on your patio, deck or balcony? You don’t have to be stuck with only growing cherry or paste tomatoes when you grow the Mr. Stripey tomato!
Although Mr. Stripey can perform well in a traditional garden or raised bed setting, its smaller, more compact roots and growing style transfer quite well to container growing.
The plants produce fruit that weighs around 14 ounces each. The fruit is sweeter than most tomato varieties with a low-acid flavor profile. This makes them perfect for eating fresh or topping your favorite sandwich or salad.
In addition to their sweet flavor, Mr. Stripey tomatoes have a beautiful look – both inside and out. Their skin has a combination of red, yellow, and orange stripes, while the flesh inside is a beautiful red and yellow color. Affiliate Link: Burpee ‘Mr. Stripy’ | Heirloom Beefsteak Slicing Tomato Seeds
Top Tips For Growing Tomatoes In Containers
Once you have your plants, now it’s time to plant and locate them for success. The first order of business is to make sure you have the right type of container for your tomatoes – and the right soil for them to grow in.
The size of your container will all depend on the size of your mature plants. Grape and cherry tomatoes can grow in smaller 12 to 14 inch pots. For paste and slicing varieties, however, you will need to select a larger vessel. See: How To Grow Tomatoes In Buckets & Containers
One of the best and cheapest containers for growing great patio tomatoes is a 5-gallon bucket. Five or 10-gallon grow bags are also a good choice for growing tomatoes on a patio, porch or deck.
As for the soil, since the tomato won’t be growing in a traditional in ground garden setting, it’s imperative to use high quality potting soil. You need soil that is well draining, lightweight, and packed full of the nutrients and resources the tomato plant needs for continuous production.
Before planting, adding additional power to the soil is always a good idea. Compost and worm castings are two of the best to mix in with your potting soil. Not only will they add extra nutrients to the soil, but they lighten it up in the process too. Even better, both help soil to retain moisture far more easily.
Giving Your Plants Sun & Water – The Best Tomatoes To Grow On A Patio
Tomato plants need plenty of sunlight in order to grow healthy and produce blooms. When locating containers, select a location that gets a minimum of six to eight hours of sunlight each day. If you set them in a location that gets morning sun, even better!
Early morning sunlight on tomato plants helps to dry off overnight dew. This can help keep issues such as mildew and mold from occurring. In addition, early morning sunlight gets the plant using the power of photosynthesis right from the start.
When it comes to container tomato plants, proper watering makes a huge difference in their success as well. Too much or too little water can cause devastating results in short order.
When you grow tomatoes in containers, there’s only so much soil and moisture available. Container plants also tend to dry out much faster than in traditional garden spaces. The key when growing in containers is to never let the soil dry completely out, but to also keep it from getting overly saturated at the root level.
Using an inexpensive moisture meter probe is the best way to do this. It takes the guesswork out of wondering if it’s time to water or not. A moisture meter can give a quick reading of the water in the soil right down at the root level. Affiliate Link: XLUX Soil Tester Meter, 3-in-1 Test Kit
Fertilizing – The Best Tomatoes To Grow On A Patio
Lastly, you will need to fertilize your container tomato plants on a consistent basis. Commercial liquid fertilizers, compost tea, or worm castings tea are all great options for this. But how and when you provide the nutrients is the real key to healthy plants and a big harvest.
For best success, give plants a small dose of nutrients every ten to fourteen days. If using a commercial liquid fertilizer, mix at half strength. This will keep from overpowering plants, but still keep a steady supply of power coming to the plant.
If using compost or worm casting tea, you can apply every ten to fourteen days at full strength. These all natural fertilizers do not pose the same risk as commercial fertilizers when it comes to burning plants with too much energy.
No matter which tomatoes you choose to grow on your porch, patio, or deck, you can’t go wrong with having fresh fruit right at your fingertips all summer long!
Follow Our Facebook Page For Even More Great Tomato Growing Tips! I Grow Tomatoes Facebook Page
I Grow Tomatoes is a website created for those who love all things about tomatoes – from planting and growing – to cooking and canning! We publish two articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email! This article may contain affiliate links.