What's the easiest way to grow container tomatoes in Tennessee????

Cindy Watson
by Cindy Watson
I get a few tomatoes and then the plant dies????
  2 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on May 25, 2017

    What principle have you used in the past?

  • Jennie Herrick Jennie Herrick on May 26, 2017

    It sounds to me like you may be missing the most important component to any container garden. DRAINAGE!! Especially for tomatoes. If the soul that they are in is not properly drained, then they will develop root rot and die. The simplest way to prevent this with all your container plants is to add a small layer of gravel to the bottom of the pot (or bucket or whatever you are using) and drill a few holes in the bottom (not necessarily in that order) so that the water has a place to escape when the soil has taken in as much of it as it can hold. Another trick I've used is to then place the container on top of another layer of fish gravel on the bottom of a cake pan or high sided cookie sheet. This way, the water that has drained from the container is caught in the cake pan or cookie sheet and is available for my plant to then reabsorb through the holes in the bottom. This way I don't have to water my plants every day, but rather every two or three days, which is important here in Southern Florida where we are having a horrible drought. Good Luck and I hope this Helps!!