how big a pot for my tomato plant?

tensandunits_2 · 20 April 2017 at 11:45AM

I bought a tomato plant last weekend. I've never grown them before, though I keep meaning to. I'm sure the tomatoes will taste better than shop bought ones, which always look a bit anaemic to me.

However, being a bit inexperienced when it comes to growing things at home, I wanted to ask for some advice. Firstly I am really surprised at the speed which the tomato plant is growing, I think it must have more than doubled in height since I bought it! I am now wondering if I will need to plant it in a bigger pot.

Can anyone tell me what size pot you'd typically use to grow a tomato plant. I think the variety is Sweet Million, if that makes a difference? The pot it's in at the moment is about 6 inches diameter and 6 or 7 inches deep, will this be big enough, do you think?

Also, it says on the label that it might need a support, what sort of thing should I be looking to buy?

I am growing it indoors, as I don't have a garden, and my window sill is South facing, so it gets a lot of sunlight.

If anyone has any other tips they can share I would be most grateful.

Niv · 20 April 2017 at 2:24PM

I tend to grow 2 or 3 in a growbag. To support it I use bamboo canes.

Sorry I cant advise more specifically regarding pot size for growing one plant inside, but would guess anything about the third of the size of a growbag would be suitable.

tensandunits_2 · 20 April 2017 at 4:55PM

Thankyou. Sadly I don't have space for growbags. It sounds like I will need to get a larger or wider pot.

malebolge · 20 April 2017 at 6:19PM

I grow tomatoes in pots in my greenhouse. I use ones that I got years ago from a supermarket - the ones used to put flowers in, to give you an idea of size. I like these as they have extra depth. Sweet Millions can be grown as a cordon or bush, and can be grown outside. I've grown them - mainly in the greenhouse but have had a couple outside near the door for if I wanted a few quickly. By far, the greenhouse ones produced earlier, and more, fruit. (I'm in NW England) You'll not be able to grow one fully on a windowsill - it's ok at the moment but where do you intend the full grown plant to be situated?
I always use a bamboo stake in my plants - in the greenhouse I also have wire running horizontally so that I can train the plants. Just remember that tomatoes need feeding when they set their second truss. If you've very little space outside - why not try it in a hanging basket? I've seen good results.

Fruittea · 20 April 2017 at 6:24PM

Hi there, Sweet Millions is a lovely tomato but you will have to give it plenty of room. It has a potential to grow to 2 metres high and 50cm wide. It needs to be in a pot that is 25cm wide. So a very big pot. You will also need to support it with a 150cm cane.
It's not really meant to be grown on a window sill OP. But as you now have it suggest you get the biggest pot you can and pinch out the growing tip as soon as it gets too high.
You might also support it with a string attached to the curtain rail or something like that.
Next time you get tomatoes go for something small like Sweet and Neat or a tumbler.
Good luck and don't forget to feed it regularly.

Badrick · 20 April 2017 at 7:15PM

http://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/vegetable/tomato-outdoor/variety-sweet-million.php

tensandunits_2 · 20 April 2017 at 7:15PM

2 metres high?? Oh my goodness. I think I've bought the wrong variety for a windowsill. I'd better look around for a different sort.

We do have a communal garden, I suppose I could ask the gardener if I could plant it in there!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted · 20 April 2017 at 9:00PM

tensandunits wrote: »

2 metres high?? Oh my goodness. I think I've bought the wrong variety for a windowsill. I'd better look around for a different sort.

We do have a communal garden, I suppose I could ask the gardener if I could plant it in there!

I'd use a plastic wastepaper bin once the roots are filling the current pot and let it get to no more than about 2 and a half foot high.

They need pollinators (bees - or you with a soft paintbrush) to fruit best.

It's worth a go.

LessImpecunious · 21 April 2017 at 9:53AM

Hi there - don't think you should panic about the pot size or height as you should be able to control the height and growth by restricting the plant to a small pot, and a bit of pinching out! I remember seeing an item on Gardener's World about tomato growing - in biggish pots but only c 1/4 full - and I found an article with a link to the item at http://www.tomatogrowing.co.uk/newsletter/growing-tomatoes-in-small-pots/
A bigger pot with more compost is likely to encourage the plant to grow big, whereas what you want is not too much green growth but good flowers and fruit (so maybe feed with a tomato feed (which encourages these) once the plant starts flowering). A 6x7" pot might still be a bit on the small side, but you might get away with it! Biggest problem will be keeping it from drying out on a sunny windowsill, but you could stand in a long (windowsill-shaped) tray rather than a saucer and keep this topped up. Will need support as others suggested; also probably advisable to grow as a cordon, i.e., pinching out all the side shoots, rather than a bush (see http://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/vegetable/tomato-outdoor/variety-sweet-million.php) Good luck!

tensandunits_2 · 21 April 2017 at 11:27AM

Lots to think about there, thank you. I'll have a read of the links. I do have a bigger plant pot but the window, while quite large, is soon going to be too small for the plant unless I lop the top off it. I'd say the window is roughly 68-70 inches high.

no1catman · 21 April 2017 at 12:17PM

tensandunits wrote: »

2 metres high?? Oh my goodness. I think I've bought the wrong variety for a windowsill. I'd better look around for a different sort.

We do have a communal garden, I suppose I could ask the gardener if I could plant it in there!

That height is not unusual. You could look for one used for hanging baskets.

how big a pot for my tomato plant?

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