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I know that growing tomatoes in raised beds is a popular way to grow these tasty fruits in your backyard or garden. Raised beds are better than traditional garden beds in a number of ways, such as better drainage, better soil quality, and easier maintenance.
But for tomatoes to grow well in raised beds, you also need to use certain methods and think about certain things. In this article, I’ll talk about 7 of the best ways to grow raised bed tomatoes, including how to choose the right soil and keep diseases and pests away.
1. Build a Good Raised Bed
Growing tomatoes in raised beds necessitates first selecting the appropriate type of bed for your garden. You know there are different sizes, shapes, and materials, like wood, metal, or plastic, used to make garden beds.
When choosing a raised bed, you need to think about the size and space of your garden, the type of soil you will use, and how the bed will drain and breathe. But it depends on how many tomato plants you want to grow. A good rule of thumb is to choose a raised bed that is at least 6 to 12 inches deep, 4 to 6 feet wide, and 8 to 12 feet long.
2. Picking the right soil
Healthy and productive tomato plants depend on how good your soil is. You can change the type and make-up of the soil in raised beds, which is important for the success of your crop. You can use soil that has a mixture of organic matter, like compost, peat moss, and vermiculite.
Don’t use soil that is too heavy or packed down, because it can affect how well your plants drain water and how their roots grow. You can also add bone meal or fish emulsion, which are slow-release fertilizers or amendments, to give your plants the nutrients they need.
Important Things to Remember
- Use a good soil mixture that is full of organic matter and drains well.
- Check the soil’s pH level and change it if you need to (tomatoes prefer a slightly acidic pH of 6.0–6.8).
- Improve the texture and structure of the soil by adding compost, manure, or other organic amendments.
3. Starting the seeds or seedlings
Now, it’s time to start the seeds or seedlings after the soil and raised bed have been prepared. Six to eight weeks before the latest day of frost in your area, tomatoes can be started from seeds indoors.
As well, once the soil has warmed up and the weather is suitable, you can now purchase seedlings from a nursery or garden center and then transplant them into the raised bed. Because tomatoes can produce roots from their stems, it’s important to sow seeds or seedlings at least 18 to 24 inches apart, with the stem buried up to the first set of leaves.
Important Things to Remember
- Start with tomato seedlings that are strong and robust, or grow your own from seeds.
- Plant the tomatoes deeply, covering the lowest portion of the stem and only exposing the top leaves.
- Depending on their mature size and the size of your raised bed, space the plants appropriately.
4. Watering and fertilizing
Your tomato plants need to be watered and fertilized for them to grow and thrive. Raised beds need to be watered more often than gardens in the ground because the soil can dry out faster. When it’s hot and dry, you should water your plants often and deeply.
You can also use a drip irrigation system or a soaker hose to water your plants regularly and effectively. Fertilizing is also very important, especially when the plants are flowering and making fruit. Use a balanced fertilizer, like 10-10-10, or one made just for tomatoes, and apply it according to the package’s directions.
Important Things to Remember
- Water the tomatoes deeply and often, giving them about 1 to 2 inches of water each week.
- Put mulch around the plants to keep the soil moist and stop weeds from growing.
- Use a balanced fertiliser that is high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to feed the tomatoes, and follow the directions on the package.
5. Supporting the plants
Tomatoes are climbing plants that need to be held up so they don’t spread out on the ground. You can use things like cages, stakes, and trellises to help your tomato plants grow. Cages are a popular choice because they give the plants a strong, stable base and make it easy to prune and harvest.
Stakes also work, but they need more care and maintenance because you have to tie the plants to them every so often. Trellises are great for tomato plants that keep growing because they give the plants a large, vertical place to grow.
Important Things to Remember
- Set up stakes, cages, or trellises to help the tomato plants stay upright as they grow.
- Use soft twine or plant ties to tie the plants to the supports in a gentle way.
- Cut off any side shoots or branches that take energy away from the main stem of the tomato plant.
6. Keep diseases and pests away
Tomatoes are vulnerable to a number of diseases and pests that can stop them from growing and making as much food as they could. Common tomato pests include aphids, hornworms, and whiteflies. Common tomato diseases include blight, blossom-end rot, and leaf spot.
Several things can be done to avoid these problems, such as:
- Planting tomato varieties that are resistant to disease, like Roma or Celebrity.
- Changing your crops every year to avoid diseases that come from the soil.
- Getting rid of diseased or infected plants and throwing them away in the right way.
- Keeping the garden clean and free of weeds and other trash.
- As a last resort, use organic pesticides and fungicides and follow the directions carefully.
7. Harvesting and storage
When you grow tomatoes in raised beds, one of the best parts is getting to pick your crop. When tomatoes are perfectly ripe and firm, have a bright colour, and have a strong smell, they are ready for harvesting.
Now you can cut the fruit off the stem with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Be careful not to scratch or damage the skin as you manage the fruit. You can keep tomatoes for up to one or two weeks in a cool, dry place like a pantry or root cellar. To keep the tomatoes for longer, you can also freeze, can, or dry them.
Important Things to Remember
- Pick the tomatoes when they are fully ripe, firm, and have a strong smell.
- Store the picked tomatoes in a cool, dry place, like a pantry or root cellar, for up to a week or two.
- Preserve the tomatoes by freezing, canning, or drying them.
Conclusion
Growing tomatoes in raised beds can be fun and rewarding for gardeners of all skill levels. You can improve the quality and yield of your tomato crop and enjoy tasty, healthy tomatoes all season long by following these 7 best practices for growing tomatoes in raised beds. Happy gardening!
Read more: 7 Top-rated Techniques for Growing Tomatoes In Raised Beds
