Do you love growing fresh tomatoes in your yard? If your answer is yes, you’d love a compact yet suitable tomato planter.
A few years ago, I had the experience of working on an organic vegetable farm. There were early wake-ups and long days, but all I did was harvest tomatoes off vines and eat them standing in the sun. And those were some of the best days of my life!
When I was back home in Texas, I still wanted to experience growing fresh tomatoes and pick them just before eating or cooking.
So, I started looking for planters to grow juicy and red tomatoes for my home. Hi there! I’m Stacy Smith, and today, I have curated this list featuring the best planters for tomatoes. I have also developed a buyer’s guide to help you make the right pick.
Without further ado, let's dig right in!
Top 5 Planter For Tomatoes Reviews
1. Pri Gardens Upside Down Tomato Planter
Search no more if you want to grow fresh and juicy tomatoes in your garden without any hassle. This upside-down planter ensures adequate water and oxygen flow to the roots to promote healthy growth and harvest.
Product Highlights
The Pri gardens upside-down planter is one of the best options for growing your tomatoes. It’s made of fabric that uses air pruning technology, thereby increasing air circulation and allowing ample water flow to the roots so that they grow well and produce more root tips. The fabric material also discharges extra water and protects the plant from mold or fungi infestation.
In terms of design, it measures 15 inches high and has 8.5 inches of opening diameter, which makes it capable of holding 3.5 gallons of potting mix. Besides, it includes cup hooks, x-shaped sturdy sewing handles, and an unzipped bottom for easy hanging and better placement of roots.
Apart from that, growing tomatoes on this planter feels like child's play. Just place the root ball of the seedling, fill the space with prepared potting mix, and hang the planter for growing fresh garden tomatoes.
What's There To Like About It?
Well, this was my first attempt to grow tomatoes on a planter, and it didn’t disappoint me a bit. I grew cherry tomato plants, which turned out great. The air pruning technology ensures easy airflow into the roots, which is extremely important for their healthy development.
As a gardener, I’m well aware that too much water is not suitable for roots. And this planter helps deal with excess water and maintains the balance to prevent root rot from excess moisture deposits.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The only limitation with this product is that it may only be suitable for growing cherry tomatoes, as the larger varieties may be cramped for space. That said, its effective design and considerable potting soil holding capacity makes it almost perfect, especially for beginners.
Pros and Cons of Pri Gardens Upside Down Tomato Planter
Pros
Cons
- Easy Planting: No need to tie up vines or bend down for planting. Tomatoes and vegetables grow upright for easy access.
- Space Saving: Upside down design saves space and utilizes gravity to maximize nutrient supply to roots.
- Healthy Roots: Fabric material naturally prunes roots and allows maximum oxygen for healthy growth.
2. T4U Fabric Plant Grow Bags
T4U has committed to enhancing the quality of your life through the addition of more liveliness to your garden and home. As such, its 7-gallon tomato planter is made of a BFA-free premium fabric that ensures adequate airflow and keeps your plant cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Product Highlights
This T4U planter provides everything you need from a quality planter. Firstly, it’s made of BFA-free breathable and thickened non-woven fabric that maintains a suitable temperature for plants, making it apt for growing tomatoes.
Apart from tomatoes, you can use it to grow other plants like potatoes, chili, and most green vegetables. Its heavy-duty bag can bear more weight than many of its peers, supporting up to 7 gallons. Also, the planter comes with sturdy handles and X-shaped sewing on both sides, which prevents it from ripping off easily and makes it easy for you to lift it.
There’s more to it; the excellent drainage and air permeability prevent root rotting and circling, ensuring healthy growth. Plus, the automatic air prune feature minimizes punctures on the surface, keeping the bag usable for many years.
What's There To Like About It?
I’ve been using these planters for more than 3-4 years, during which I grew nearly 12-15 types of plants, such as potato, tomato, flowers, and even fruits. And I could savor the taste of organic homegrown vegetables!
Also, I absolutely loved its robust handles and how easy it was for me to carry the planter around due to its X-shaped sewing pattern.
What's There Not To Like About It?
Although the product description states it holds more weight than some of the average planters, it is much smaller in reality. So, you might not be able to grow plants that need a more extensive area to grow or grow multiple small flower plants, which I intended to do.
Pros and Cons of T4U Fabric Plant Grow Bags
Pros
Cons
- 【Breathable Fabric】 - Made of thickened and breathable non-woven fabric, environment friendly and BPA-free. Keep plants warmer in winter and cooler in summer, ideal for plant growing.
- 【Reinforced Handles】 - The sturdy handles with X shape sewing on both sides of the bag make lifting and moving more convenient and easier without any worry of handle ripped off.
- 【Heavy Duty Plant Bag】- Durable smart fabric pot with thickened bottom ensures more weights bearing, supporting full bag of soil and plants. Perfect for growing potato, tomato, chilli and most greens.
3. Self Watering Vegetable Planter Box
The next product on my list is this self-watering vegetable planter box by the Lakeside Collection. This mobile garden can be conveniently shifted from one place to another to make room for other plants in the garden or maximize sun exposure for light-hungry herbs.
Product Highlights
First and foremost, this mobile garden planter can well be one of the best boxes for growing eggplants, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Unlike other plastic planters, it’s made of polypropylene thermoplastic, which protects it from the harsh weather conditions.
With a ⅝-inch depth and 58-inch opening diameter, it can easily hold up to 10-gallon of potting mix. In hindsight, it's deep enough for planting tomatoes.
What’s more, it comes with an extra 3-gallon water storage and a self-watering functionality. So, you don’t have to worry about over or underwatering the plants.
Other than that, it’s integrated with a strong trellis, which keeps the plants from falling in case of heavy yield. Overall, this is one of the best mobile planter options, especially for small backyards.
What's There To Like About It?
If you’re a gardening enthusiast like me but worried about the small space, this thing is for you! Living in a house with a small patio makes it difficult for me to have big planting arrangements, so I bought this mobile planter. And its 10-gallon capacity was sufficient for me to grow 2-3 plants at a time. Additionally, the wheeled bottom allowed me to transport it almost anywhere in my yard and garden.
Lastly, depending on the weather, I could water from the top and bottom every day without stressing about overwatering my plants.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The only limitation I found with this product is its trellis, which cannot hold the plants when full of fruits and vegetables. Hence, I had to tie some of the plants with strings to make them stay in their place. Other than that, it's a value-for-money product for growing vegetables.
Pros and Cons of Self Watering Vegetable Planter Box
Pros
Cons
- Add convenience and space to your home garden or community garden plots with this self-watering planter box. Move it around for maximizing space in a busy garden or to catch the most sun.
- The planter with trellis has two wheels and a handle, making it easy to move in and out of the sun as needed. Or you can move it to maximize sun exposure for the more light-hungry herbs.
- An extra-large 3-gallon water storage zone with a self-watering pot makes growing plants easy. Sectional trellis panels can be added as plants grow and will support plant growth up to 3 feet high.
4. Allstar Innovations TRTD9325
Allstar tomato and herb planters can help you grow all kinds of tomatoes, yellow, cherry, and beefsteak. It can also be used to grow different greens like bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, etc. simultaneously. Plus, if you’re a novice, setting it up won't strain your nerves.
Product Highlights
Do you want to grow vegetables without bending down? If yes, then this upside-down tomato and herb planter is the perfect choice for you.
Thanks to its plastic and plastic fiber body, the planter weighs merely 3.05 pounds. And it can hold around 3 gallons of pottmix, which allows the growth of almost any variety of tomato.
Damages caused to the ground tomatoes by worms, insects, and birds can be a significant problem for any gardener. But these upside-down planters will shield them effectively. Moreover, you can easily harvest the tomatoes while standing on your yard or patio.
So, if you’re well-versed with an upside-down planter, it can be a viable option for you to grow insect and damage-free tomatoes. Also, it can be used easily by just placing it, filling it with a suitable potting mix, and hanging it anywhere you want.
What's There To Like About It?
I’ve used this product for 3-4 months and I absolutely loved it. Firstly, its upside-down design doesn’t strain my back when planting and taking care of tomatoes, which makes for a painless experience. I was also able to easily set it up and grow my tomatoes and pepper seedlings.
Plus, my red and juicy tomatoes remain protected from pests and birds, which in turn provides me with a better quality harvest.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The planter isn’t designed to regulate the flow of water, as is the case with most planters on my list. So, this might not be suitable for beginners. You need to be an experienced gardener who knows how much water the plant requires to grow correctly or read the instructions thoroughly to use it the right way.
Pros and Cons of Allstar Innovations TRTD9325
Pros
Cons
- Includes: 2 Topsy Turvy Deluxe
- Grows all varieties of tomatoes, including beefsteak, yellow and cherry. Also grows other vegetables including green bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant and more
- Grow delicious and juicy tomatoes all season long (up to 30 lbs of tomatoes with normal care, feeding and sunlight). Hang in direct sunlight, on deck, balcony or patio. No bending, caging, staking or weeding.
5. GROWNEER Assembled Tomato Garden Cages
Tomatoes need support to grow, and this unit has built-in trellis skates so you can keep your plants upright and not worry about breaking their stem. It has a sturdy and robust frame that can hold heavy tomato varieties like beefsteak.
Product Highlights
These Growneer cages encourage the vertical growth of tomatoes by providing them with adequate support. It is instrumental when growing heavy varieties of tomato plants, which tends to bend as they grow. Moreover, this planter comes with a bag that holds up to 10 gallons of a pottmix and has dimensions of 12" x 16".
Each steel cage is made of a durable steel core and is covered with a heavy-duty plastic coating. This means that you can grow tomatoes and other plants year after year.
The most appealing feature of this unit is that it allows the constant healthy growth of plants and hassle-free transportability, as it can be easily attached to the skates. Rest assured that the leaves and fruits won’t weigh down the stems.
Lastly, it’s assembly takes only a few minutes, that too without any tools.
What's There To Like About It?
This vertical cage has many things to love about. Firstly, it fosters the vertical growth of plants, and the steel cores support heavy tomatoes and leaves. Secondly, it promotes air circulation and allows foliage to naturally shade the ripening fruits.
I found it to be a practical choice for growing my beefsteak tomatoes, as they tend to weigh down the stems. However, this planter provides adequate support to the growing tomatoes.
What's There Not To Like About It?
At my age, I want planters that are light enough to be transported from one place to another to make space for my other plant babies. However, this uint didn’t really meet that requirement, meaning it can be difficult for people of my age to carry it around.
Pros and Cons of GROWNEER Assembled Tomato Garden Cages
Pros
Cons
- ENCOURAGE VERTICAL GROWTH -- The cage supports tomato or other plants, and encourages them to grow vertically. 10 gallon grow bag: 12" x 16"(Height x Diameter); Material: environmental non-woven fabrics; waterproof, air permeability, drainage.
- STRONG AND STURDY -- Inside each stake is durable steel core. These stakes are covered with a heavy-duty plastic coating. It means long-lasting performance spanning several seasons.
- CONTINUOUS SUPPORT -- This tomato barrel allows constant healthy growth with the placement and movement of the snap-on arms as they easily attach to the stakes. The fruit and leaves don't weigh down the stems.
Buyers Guide
Those were my top five recommendations for the best tomato planters. But were you able to decide which one fits your needs?
Using a planter is an efficient way to grow tomatoes in your small yard but I understand that selecting an ideal one can be overwhelming. So, I have added this buyer’s guide to help you make the right pick. I’ll cover some of the important points that should be kept in mind before making the purchase decision.
1. Planter Size
A planter is available in various shapes and sizes, and you should select one depending on the gardening area. Also, the size of a planter varies according to the number of tomatoes it can help grow. Greater the size, the more tomatoes you have.
Hence, consider the number of tomatoes that you plant to grow at a time. Personally, I find medium-sized planters with a 5-gallon capacity sufficient to produce the number of tomatoes or other vegetables needed.
Remember that growing too many plants in a small planter will invariably lead to overcrowding and block the proper supply of water and air.
2. Assembly
A lot of planters meant for hobby gardening arrive in parts, which users need to assemble on their own. If you’re a DIY expert, I’d recommend purchasing any suitable option, as assembling it will not be a problem for you. Otherwise, for people like me who don’t prefer to make any extra effort, the easy-to-assemble planters will be more viable.
Most planters that I’ve included in the list can be assembled in minutes so that you can quickly start your gardening and grow fresh vegetables.
Apart from assembling, beginners prefer planters that make it easy to plant seedlings. I’d also suggest reading the product description and customer reviews to gain more information about the assembly and usage.
3. Self Watering Design
The best planter is one that can keep your plants hydrated for days. Although the water capacity will vary from one design to another, some planters can dispose of excess water on their own.
This feature is vital for beginners, as they may not have the right knowledge about how much water the plant needs to grow properly. And these self-watering planters ensure that the plants are not over-watered.
4. Handles
While purchasing a planter, I always make sure to select one that has handles, which will make it easier for me to move it from one place to another. And considering my age, you can say that it’s an imperative feature to have!
The one I am using currently is a self-watering planter with wheels, which has made my gardening job much easier and more effective. Hence, I don’t have to strain my back for lifting heavy pots.
5. Material
A planter should be made of high-quality material, which can be determined on the basis of two aspects. Firstly, plastic bags get damaged easily and are not appropriate for prolonged use. In this regard, planets made of polypropylene plastic are more durable and can be used for years.
The second factor that I always consider is the amount of air that can flow from outside to the soil mix and vice versa. Proper air circulation is always crucial for the healthy growth of roots, so make sure that the material doesn’t hamper it.
6. Warranty Period
Your tomato planter must have a minimum warranty period of 1-2 years. This will help you avail after-sales service from the company without any extra cost if there’s any problem during that period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Growing tomatoes in a planter can be an incredibly rewarding adventure or an absolute disaster. Some failures are beyond my control, like ridiculously cold or wet summer or a tomato blight. But some common errors can easily be avoided to increase my chances of better harvesting.
These errors include selecting small containers, using too much or too little water under-fertilizing the plants, and not providing enough exposure to sunlight. The larger the size of a container, the better your tomatoes will be, so select your planter accordingly.
With regards to water, I always check the moisture levels of the soil before watering to ensure that I don’t overwater or underwater the plants. Also, make sure not to overcrowd a planter by planting many of them at a place.
Lastly, keep the planter in a place where it receives adequate sun all through the day. Avoiding these errors will help you grow tomatoes successfully.
Tomato plants need to be spaced at least 2-3 feet apart, or you can plant just a single plant in a planter. Both these techniques will prevent overcrowding, as each plant will have its own space to grow.
When I am using tomato cages or self-watering planters, I always take utmost care while planting.
For instance, after placing the cage securely around a young plant, I make it a point to guide the tomato vines gently towards the cage as they grow. Aside from that, I secure their vines and foliage by using the bars without removing any small tomatoes or blooms.
My Final Recommendation
On that note I have reached the end of this guide on the best planter for tomatoes. But before I bid wrap up, I would like to mention some of my favorites to help you make a purchase decision.
My top pick is the Pri Gardens Upside Down Tomato Planter, as it has the right size to help grow your tomatoes without much fuss. Plus, its pruning technology helps adjust the level of water and air, which is important for growing healthy plants.
Aside from that, I loved the T4U Fabric Plant Grow Bags, as they are easy to use and can be reused for years to come.
That’s it for today. I will soon be back with more such guides. So stay keep an eye on this space for more such reads. Till the next time, goodbye!