5 Tips for Growing Tomatoes in Raised Beds

Every year, I have to make sure there are plenty of places to grow tomatoes in raised beds. I love planting a variety of varieties, from small cherry tomatoes that can pop into your mouth like chocolate to large juicy ones that you can cut for summer burgers.

Although tomatoes are one of my favorite crops, late summer garden fatigue makes me lazy. Last year I allowed some of my plants to show a little too much and eventually it affected the fruit. Here are some tips I should follow when planting your seedlings and during the growing season.

Tips for growing tomatoes in raised beds

1. Record them quickly and carefully

Depending on how high your raised beds are, the soil below will not be very forgiving. I bent several tomato cages by trying to carelessly shake the soil around a new plant. Instead, carefully press each “leg” of soil into the cage, one at a time, until you are working at full depth. Speaking of new plants, your seedlings may be too small and it would seem silly to put a cage around them immediately. It is better not to wait. Once the plants start to grow, you run the risk of inadvertently cutting off an organ or damaging the plant.

2. Do not water from above

Just like your high beds are full of plants, take the garden hose and avoid spraying everything, hoping the roots will get wet. This can be time-consuming, but it is worth watering without spraying the leaves at the base of each plant (which can spread soil-borne diseases) and ensuring that each plant gets a good drink. To save time and water, install an irrigation system like this that will supply water directly to the base of your plants.

3. Pinch, pinch, pinch!

Remove those suckers (new growth coming between the stem and the branch) quickly. Pinch them with your fingers. You don’t want to cut the unruly branch later. This allows the plant to focus more on the fruit.

4. Rotate your tomato crop

Raised beds make crop rotation easier because you can keep track of where everything is from year to year. For two or three years it is best to rotate the planting area for a few reasons. First, different plants take different nutrients from the soil. Also, some pests and diseases can overwhelm the soil. Colorado potato beetles, for example, enjoy the leaves of nightshade vegetables, prefer to wait until spring, and wait for your tender new plants.

It is best to move the entire plant family, so when it comes time to move your tomatoes to a new garden, it is best to avoid planting other nightshade vegetables in the same area.

5. Be neat at the end of the season

When you pull out the plants you spent in the fall, throw unripe or already rotten tomatoes in the compost so they don’t rot in the garden. You can pull the stud tomato seedlings in the spring!