Growing Tomatoes on a Patio or Balcony

While almost everyone would say that they love growing their own vegetables, and in particular tomatoes, there is the need for some type of garden area for them to grow. And these days many people are in a situation where they just don’t have access to the space for a garden. Or in some cases, we would like to have them growing closer to the house, making them available without a trek to the garden.

For apartment or condominium dwellers, it may be that a balcony is the only place that is outside and receives some sunlight that they have. Or a patio might be the place where you just want to keep a handy supply of fresh tomatoes.

Some type of container or planter is the obvious solution. There are many that people use for growing tomatoes. The best choice will depend on a handful of factors.

Make sure your growing area is going to get enough sun, at least six hours a day. Without that you are probably not going to have much success.

Floor space – If you have the room on the floor or the ground, you can use a simple floor planter. This is probably the cheapest, but it will need some type of support for the tomatoes unless you grow a very small variety like Patio. You may find you want a self watering planter to reduce the need to water daily in hot weather.

Hanging planters – These work well because they eliminate the need for any stakes or cages for support, and they can be cared for without the stooping and bending of a floor planter. The fruit is clean and has fewer problems with pests since the tomato hangs down away from the soil. And there is no need to use your precious floor space.

And of course, there is the middle ground, which includes planters that have a built in stand, but let the tomatoes grow hanging to the ground. These are great because they will usually hold more plants than the single hanging planter, and some models will let you grow other crops in the same stand as well. This uses a minimum of floor space, but gives the greatest yield.