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Growing tomatoes in pots

The short answer

Grow one tomato plant in a 30 to 45cm pot, or two in a standard growing bag, in peat-free loam-based or multi-purpose compost. Once the first fruits swell, feed every 10 to 14 days with a high-potassium liquid feed, and water so the compost never swings between wet and dry: in hot weather that can mean every day.

RHS calls pots and growing bags ideal for tomatoes, indoors or out. What goes wrong in containers is almost always water: too little, or too uneven.

Pot size and compost

  • One plant per 30 to 45cm pot; two per standard growing bag.(RHS)
  • Peat-free loam-based or multi-purpose compost.(RHS)
  • Bigger is easier. RHS aims for containers at least 45cm deep and wide for vegetables in general; smaller ones run short of water and nutrients.(RHS)

Which tomatoes suit pots

  • Bush types are compact and ideal for large patio containers, troughs, windowboxes and even hanging baskets.(RHS)
  • Dwarf varieties for small containers; trailing ones for hanging baskets.(RHS)
  • Cordons grow well in large containers with a tall cane for support.(RHS)

Watering and feeding

  • Containers dry out quickly and may need watering daily in hot weather.(RHS)
  • Keep it even. Fluctuating moisture causes split fruit and blossom end rot.(RHS)
  • Curling leaves can mean the plant is short of water.(RHS)
  • Feed every 10 to 14 days with a high-potassium liquid feed once the first fruits start to swell.(RHS)

Position and support

  • Outdoors: warm, sunny and sheltered. Tomatoes are tender plants.(RHS)
  • Tall cordons can make a pot top-heavy, so stand it somewhere sheltered, ideally against a sunny wall.(RHS)
  • Bush types may need short canes when heavily laden, with the shoots tied in loosely.(RHS)
  • Blight is an outdoor problem, rarely seen in a greenhouse.(RHS)

When they are ready

Picking, and what to do with the green ones at the end of the season: when to pick tomatoes and how to ripen green tomatoes.

Pots and beds, on one plan

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Where this comes from

The growing advice on this page comes from the published sources below, each linked beside the point it supports. Where two good sources disagree, we show both rather than choosing the convenient one. Reviewed 19 September 2026.