One of the most exciting trends in gardening around the world is vertical gardening, especially for those who have limited or no horizontal space.
Vertical gardens don’t just beautify a boring fence or wall; Some vegetables and fruits, including the smaller tomato varieties, do well and give urban dwellers the opportunity to grow their own food. Yes, they are a relatively high maintenance plant, but when you savor the flavor of home grown tomatoes, the effort is well worth it.
Here are 6 important steps to growing tomatoes “vertically.”
STEP 1 – Choose a sunny place
Tomatoes require at least 6 hours of sun, so choose a warm spot like a sunny balcony or wall that gets plenty of sunlight. As many small urban spaces are often shadowed by surrounding buildings, the first thing to check is that you get enough sun.
Grow Tomatoes in a Hanging Planter or Wall Mounted Pocket
STEP 2 – Choose containers
The basic rule of thumb is that the larger the pot, the more variety of tomato you can plant. If you are planting a cherry tomato variety, you can use smaller hanging pots, window boxes, or fabric pockets for a vertical wall-mounted structure. If the container does not have drainage holes, drill small holes in the bottom of the container before filling it with soil.
To help satiate the tomato’s desire for food and water, it is best to grow all but the smallest varieties in decent sized pots – 10 liters or larger. A container with a water reservoir is a good investment for tomatoes. Make irrigation easier and you will get higher yields.
STEP 3 – Install a vertical support system
If it is growing, you will need to place your tomato branch on a sturdy trellis, a tripod, a pyramid, wire cages, a ladder, or even an arbor. Place the support system in your garden or on your patio before planting vegetables. This prevents you from damaging the plants.
If you’re growing downwards (using hanging baskets) then you won’t need a vertical support structure. But pick the biggest basket you can find.
STEP 4 – Choose the right variety
If you live in an environment that doesn’t have a long, hot summer that lasts about 3 months, look for “early maturing” varieties, as they mature faster.
For hanging baskets or pockets, choose a variety of dwarf shrubs such as the TDwarf atura, Tumbling Tom Hybrid Prayed small fry lessons
For upward growth, choose any one of thousands of vine varieties. You just need to make sure they are well supported, as the stems can easily break from the weight of the fruit if they are not well supported. The best vining cherry tomato varieties for pots include Black Cherry, Gardeners Delight, Sungold, Y Blondkopfchen. Grow all four and you will have an amazing mix of yellow, red, and black tomatoes that will look beautiful together in any bowl.
STEP 5 – Provide a nurturing environment
Tomatoes need rich soil and plenty of food and water. Tomatoes are best grown in a very good quality potting or all-purpose compost, and add worm compost if available.
In hanging baskets, line the inside of the basket with plastic with drainage holes and cover the top with mulch to reduce evaporation.
Add a slow-release, high-nitrogen fertilizer to the potting mix at planting. In the flowering stage, you should intensify feeding using a suitable liquid fertilizer.
STEP 6 – Water frequently
Tomatoes need regular watering, especially when grown in pots.
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Uneven watering will cause fruit to split.
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Complete lack of water will cause the plant to curl up and die pretty quickly.
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Too much water could lead to fungal diseases, so getting the balance right is very important.
If you’re going to be away and won’t be able to water your plants for a day or so, you can try inserting a plastic bottle upside down, with a hole punched in the top and the bottom cut out. Fill it up and the water will gently flow into the pot during the day.
THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP
Just do it! Organize your vertical garden now, follow these steps and in no time you can have beautiful and tasty tomatoes waiting to be picked.