I consider myself a fairly newbie to gardening, but have been doing it a couple of years now. We were renovating, so I grew absolutely everything in pots the 1st year. Tomatoes, cucumber, mange tout, courgettes, runner beans and a single, solitary butternut squash!
Tomatoes basically come in 2 varieties- a bush type also called a determinate. Once planted, you leave them to do their thing, they make a bush shape and product fruit all at once. Once they fruit, that is it.
The other type, is called a vine, also called a corden or indeterminate. It will produce a central stem, but will have suckers come out the sides. Its recommended that these are pinched off, so you are left with a tall, central stem. These will keep producing fruit until 1st frosts. They do require you to keep pinching out side shoots through the season. Lots of you tube videos on how to spot them and pinch them out though and once you get your eye in- its very quick to do.
For tomatoes, cucumbers and mange tout, you will need some canes in the pot. A single cane for vine tomatoes. And a wig wam shape with canes and string for cucumbers and mange tout.
The pic shows the plant clips I prefer to use- just like a peg. Easy to move up and plant stem as it grows and no faffing with strings, wires etc. Keep an eye at lidl/aldi because they do them, but poundland, B&Q, B&M etc also.
Starting off, I sound good value pots at home bargains, some at B&M, but also look at market place locally where you can often get them free. Larger is generally better. Less likely to dry out too.
I've joined gardeners corner online. A free, gardening blog website which can be handy.