The Grass Doctor

Oxheart Tomato Plant Questions?!?

Today 6/6/09 picked up some FREE :) oxheart tomato plants approx 3 inches tall. We live in an apartment complex, patio has good lighting. We want to pot the plants tomorrow, and have some basic questions. 1) Is outside Indiana dirt OR store bought dirt better? 2) How big should the pot be to produce best quality tomato? 3) Can we simply water them OR should we add any fertilizer? 4) Are tomatos better when grown with an upside down pot OR regular pot? 5) Can we plant more than one starter plant into a pot? 6) Is adding stakes to the pot for stability necessary OR can the plant hold it's own weight? THANK YOU!!!!

Public Comments

1. 1) potting soil is better than soil from the ground. Lighter in texture, fewer pathogens. 2) as big as you can manage. 2' by 2' deep would be good. You could get away with a little smaller, though. 3) Use some fertilizer - unless the potting soil you buy already has fertilizer in it. 4) either way is fine. 5) I would put one per pot. They will get big. 6) You'll need a stake, pole, or cage. Large tomato plants don't hold themselves up on their own - especially when they are heavy with big tomatoes.