How to Grow Roma Tomatoes in Buckets

Roma tomatoes are determinate plants that mature in 75 days, produce 2-oz. fruit and die back. Roma tomatoes are resistant to verticillium and fusarium wilt. The plant is more compact than other tomato varieties that grow to 8 feet tall, so potting the Roma in a bucket will not require staking for upright growth. However, you do need to prepare the container and soil for growing healthy tomatoes. Place containers outdoors after the last frost of the spring.

Things You'll Need

• 5 gallon bucket
• Drill
• 1/2-inch drill bit
• Roma tomato plant
• Compost
• Sphagnum peat moss
• Perlite
• Topsoil
• Fertilizer (slow releasing)

Instructions

1. Drill four holes in the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket using a 1/2-inch drill bit. These holes are for drainage for a well drained soil.

2. Mix the medium for the tomato plant. Use 1 part compost, sphagnum peat moss, perlite and topsoil. Add 1 tbsp. of 10-10-10 (nitrogen-phosphate-potassium) slow-release fertilizer to the medium and mix together. Place the medium in the 5 gallon bucket.

3. Make a hole in the center of the medium in the bucket. Place the Roma seedling in the hole and bury the roots with the medium. Tamp down the medium to secure the seedling in place.

4. Water the plant thoroughly until the water runs out the bottom drainage holes. Place the bucket in a location that will have at least six hours of sunlight a day.

5. Check the medium each day to see if the plant needs watering. When the top 2 inches of soil is dry, the plant needs water. Insert your finger into the medium to test the soil.

References

• University of Illinois: Tomato
• Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Growing Cucumbers, Peppers, Squash and Tomatoes in Containers