I bought a “compact” variety of tomato specifically for pots. I have a sunny place to put it, and the potting soil. I don’t have the pot yet, but I can find one for sure.
What are some tips to keep it from dying? All I want is for it to produce some fruit. I know there are LOTS of successful vegetable gardeners on C&F, so that’s why I’m asking here. 
is it self pollenating? If not, you need two of them.
Make sure the pots drain well - put gravel in the bottom.
Tomatos “set” fruit best when the temps get above 75 at night. While they’ll do so below that, you get the best growth then.
Even with a determinant variety, you’ll probably get a 4 - 5 foot tall plant. You need something to stake it or tie it up with.
Only water it when the sun is NOT shining on it (this actually goes for all plants). The water droplets can act like little magnifying glasses and concentrate the light and actually burn the plant. And be prepared to water daily.
But it’s well worth the effort. I don’t eat tomatos during the winter, I think there’s nothing like the taste of a tomato fresh off the vine.
If its a compact it may be a “bush” variety, in which case you may not need to stake it. Tomatoes really need full sun for as many hours in the day as possible. However, this dries them out, so you need to keep them watered, and if you are going to go the pot route, this means it will dry out even faster, so you will probably be checking/watering every day - evenings or early mornings as missy described.
djm
Go HERE Cran-
http://www.youbetyourgarden.org/
This guy was the grand poo-bah of organic gardening mag and his radio show is great. He just did a bit on tomatoes so just search them and you’ll find out everything you need to know.
I do remember that he is adamant that you use half light potting mix and half compost in a planter as large as you can get. All of his suggestions are organic too so that’s a good thing.
Rather than a clay pot, you might want to try drilling a few holes in a large plastic bucket (like the ones bird seed comes in) and using that as a pot.
I once grew cherry tomatoes in a plastic bushel basket lined with a garbage bag and filled with a mixture of straw and dog poop that I’d collected from the yard the winter before. It was quite a compost!
In the garden I never stake my tomato plants if I have enough room not to. I like to garden using the Ruth Stout Method when possible, with lots of straw mulch.
This year I bought each of my grandchildren a “tomato success kit”. In addition to a large pot with water reservoir and soil that had moisture containing things built into it, the kit came with red plastic mulch.
Apparently tomatoes grow better in the light reflected off a red surface.
Cranberry, do be very careful about touching your tomato plants. Always wash your hands immediately after touching them if you must, especially before you touch your face or any other sensitive area of your body.
The leaves and stems contain a rather high alkaloid level.
One should not, as a rule, use the feces from carnivious animals for compost. because of the possibility of passing pathogens up the food chain. Horses, cows, sheep etc only.
Thanks all. The variety is called “Compact” and it’s by a company called Bonnie. The little piece of plastic says it gets 2-2.5 feet tall. It says nothing about self-pollination. How do I know?
What size of pot do I use? The pot I had in mind is about 4 gallons-ish. Is that too small?
Actually, I was wrong. It’s called “Patio.” This is it. How do I tell if it’s self-pollinating?
http://www.bonnieplants.com/Vegetables/Tomatoes/PatioF/tabid/110/Default.aspx
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I do this right!
Gee, I never thought of that. It makes sense. Thank you so much!
The feces were from my dog, who had every immunization and deworming available and was never (to my knowledge) fed raw food.
What pathogens did you have in mind?
good sunlight, good fertilizer(organic is best), plenty of water(not too much, you dont want to drown them with mud), and some love(the loved to be sung or talked to). when the get older, you will need a thing for them to hold on to, i forgot the name of it, i will get it to you when i remember. it is pretty simple though. 
Stick, stake, pole, rod?
Actually tomatoes have flowers designed so that they self-pollinate pretty effectively. If you only had one someplace where breezes couldn’t stir it, you could ensure pollination by shaking the flower clusters gently. Insects are known to cross-pollinate different varieties of tomato that are within 30 to 50’ of on another, but that’s only a concern if you are trying to save pure seed from more than one non-hybrid variety to grow the following year.
CountryKitty (also to be found on the farm…er…forums at www.organicgardening.com …also a great place for information)
Oh, and walks, they love to be taken for walks. Just put the pot in a little red wagon and give them a tow around the block once or twice, walking slowly so they can take in the scenery. If it gets particularly hot, a little lime sherbet can go a long ways to giving them relief. I always like to tie a ribbon with a big bow around my tomato pots. Chiffon is nice, but silk will do in a pinch.
djm
How do you give them the ice cream? Do you bury it in the dirt, or rub it on the leaves, or what?
The pot I had in mind is about 4 gallons-ish. Is that too small?
Waaaayyyyy too small- and don’t use clay pots- get a big cheap plastic pot.
I was thinking…I have a big reddish brown lidless (lost the lid) tupperware container that might work. I think its around 15ish gallons.
here ya go- read this and you will have your answers- all about gardening in containers-
http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=452
this one is specifically about tomatoes-