How To: Grow tomatoes in a container

Nothing says fresh and delicious like a ripe tomato from your home garden. This horticultural how-to will walk you through the fundamentals of container tomato gardening and present you with a list of the basic materials you'll need to get started growing your very own tomatoes.

If you have an area that receives at least 6-8 hours of sun a day during the summer, such as a patio, deck, or small backyard, you can grow tomatoes in containers. Any pot roughly the size of a six-gallon bucket will work, as long as it has drainage holes in the bottom. Use a good-quality potting mix because soil from the ground won't drain well and may rot the plants' roots. Watch as nursery manager Barbara Pierson tips a young tomato seedling out of its pot and plants it into a large container. She discusses potting mix and amendments, how deep to plant, when to stake, and the best way to find out if your plant needs water.