Homegrown vegetables are better than those bought from the market. Some of the vegetables are very important for kitchen gardening and tomatoes are one of the main crops of every vegetable garden.
If you provide the right conditions then this productive crop will give you better results. You can grow it not only in the ground but also in raised beds or containers.
There are many benefits of growing plants in the raised bed. The first and most important advantage is that you can easily maintain the soil’s fertility, which is impossible in conventional gardening.
Tomato Varieties For Raised Garden Beds
There is no need to think too much when selecting the variety of tomatoes for the raised bed because any type of tomato can easily adjust to the raised bed.
But it is better to choose a determinate variety as it needs limited space. The selection of variety depends upon the flavor and texture you like.
DETERMINATE TOMATOES
These varieties are perfect for growing containers, pots, or even raised beds. Each tomato plant needs only 2 to 3 feet of space to grow taller. you can see the blooms at the tip of the branches.
INDETERMINATE TOMATOES
This is a taller variety of tomato as it can grow up to 12 feet. If you have limited space then it is not an ideal choice to choose an indeterminate variety of tomatoes for your vegetable garden.
This type of tomatoes will give you continuous harvest but they need proper space for their growth.
How Deep Should A Raised Bed Be For Tomatoes?
The ideal size of the raised bed for growing tomato plants is 324 feet. Now we will talk about the depth of the raised bed. It should be 12 inches.
This is the ideal depth. If you want to build your raised bed more deeply it will not harm the growth of tomato plants. If the raised bed is 2 inches deep then you have to use more soil.
Location Of Raised Bed
The location of the raised bed is very important to get a high yield of tomato crops. Tomatoes love to grow in sun exposure so the location of your raised bed in your garden must be sunny. Make it possible for your tomato crops to receive 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.
How To Prepare A Raised Bed For Tomato Plants?
For building a raised bed you must select the ground that is free from weeds. Make sure there are no trees, shrubs, or large plants near the raised bed to avoid competition for sunlight.
The ideal depth of the raised bed must be 12 inches. You can fill it with a high-quality potting mix as it contains all the essential nutrients that are needed by tomato plants. Avoid using garden soil because it may create problems for your plants. Tomatoes love to grow in slightly acidic and well-drained soil.
You can build your raised bed by using different materials such as wood, metal, concrete, brick, and stone. People prefer making raised beds with wood, which is a great option but other materials can also be used. It depends upon your choice.
Related Article: Best Raised Bed Gardening Soil Mix Recipe
How To Plant Tomatoes In Raised Bed?
Following are the simple steps of planting your favorite tomato crop in the raised bed.
CHOOSE SUNNY LOCATION
As it is mentioned tomatoes like to grow in full sun exposure. It means the location of your raised bed must be sunny. So the tomato crop will become more productive and you will get a higher yield throughout the growing season.
Sunlight helps to grow tomato plants taller and wider. Each plant must have 2 feet of space so its roots easily spread in the soil and not be disturbed by the nearest plant.
BUY SEEDS OR STORE-BOUGHT PLANTS
Now you have two options: either you can buy seeds or buy young plants from any local nursery or gardening store. If you decide to grow tomato plants from seeds then sow the seeds indoors and prepare your young seeds for transplanting.
The other option is buying young plants and directly transplanting them into your desired raised bed.
PREPARE THE SEEDLINGS
It is better to prepare the seedlings indoors in seedling trays.
- For this purpose, you need to fill these trays with potting mix.
- Now sow the seeds about a quarter of an inch deep. You can make the hole with the help of your finger drop at least 2 to 3 seeds in each hole.
- Now cover the holes with a light layer of potting mix.
- At this stage, your seeds need a little moisture. You can use a spray bottle to lightly sprinkle the water and avoid soaking the seeds.
- Now place these seedling trays in a warm spot to speed up the germination process. The ideal temperature is about 70 to 80 degrees for a height for the perfect environment for germination. You can also use a heat mat if you need it. One thing you should keep in mind is that seeds don’t need any light for germination. When they are brought it.
- Keep the soil moist. After 5 to 10 days you will see the seeds will germinate but it depends upon the suitable environment.
- Young seedlings now need a little light so you can place them near a window. If they don’t receive sunlight they will become weak and leggy which is not good. Make sure the seedlings are receiving proper air circulation as it will reduce the diseases.
THINNING TOMATO SEEDLINGS
Now this is the time to decide which tomato seedlings you want to keep. As you sow 2 to 3 seeds in each hole then it is possible that all of the seeds sprouted and the seedlings are very thin.
You must select the strongest seedlings and discard the thin ones with the help of a pair of scissors or a sharp knife.
HARDEN OFF YOUNG SEEDLINGS
Before transplanting the tomato seedlings into the raised bed, you must harden them off. This is a simple process through which seedlings prepare themselves for tolerating heat, sun, and harsh weather.
You have to keep your seedlings in a protected shaded area for some time on the first day. on the second day, you should increase the time so they can experience the sunlight. Slowly they are ready to tolerate the outside environment within one week.
TRANSPLANTING IN THE RAISED BED
Now the final step is transplanting the tomato young seedlings to a permanent location. You have prepared your raised bed already. Now dig holes according to the size of your seedlings.
After putting the seedlings in the holes filled with a layer of potting mix. The young plants need moisture to adjust to the new environment.
How Many Tomato Plants You Can Grow In A Raised Bed?
Limited space is not a big problem, you can get a fresh supply of juicy tomatoes from a raised bed. But the question is how many tomato plants you can grow in our raised bed.
It depends upon the size of the raised bed you build. There must be an 18 to 24-inch gap between tomato plants.
- If the size of your raised bed is 2×4 then you can grow 4 tomato plants.
- In a 3×5 raised bed you can grow seven tomato plants.
- Nine tomato plants can be grown in a 3×6 raised bed.
- You can easily grow 16 tomato plants in a 4×4 raised bed.
- In a 4×12 raised bed you can grow 24 tomato plants.
- 32 tomato plants can be grown in an 8 by 8 raised bed.
Related Article: How Many Tomato Plants In A 4×4 Raised Bed?
How Much Does A Tomato Plant Yield?
This question comes to your mind: how many tomato plants produce fruit for your kitchen? It is not easy to tell about the yield of a tomato plant. But if you provide proper, full sun exposure and regular watering then it will help in the production of higher yield.
You must prefer to use a tomato cage or trellis to make your tomato plants more productive. If you use stakes then a plant produces 8 Pounds of fruit. But if you use a trellis or cage then you will get 12 to 20 Pounds of fruit from the plant.
Related Article:
- How To Grow Tomatoes From Seeds In Containers
- How To Grow Cherry Tomatoes From Slices
- How To Grow Tomatoes In A Vertical Garden?
Tips For Growing Tomatoes In Raised Beds
If you have limited space then growing your favorite crops in a raised bed is a good option. In this article, we are discussing growing tomatoes so here are some useful tips that you must follow.
STAKE THEM EARLY AND CAREFULLY
Proper support is very important for your tomato crops. It is better to use tomato cages or stake them to support the fruit. Installing the support before planting or transplanting the tomato plants is better. When seedlings turn into young plants and you try to install a cage it will disturb the roots of the plant which is not good for the health of the plant. As the plant starts to grow then staking or installing the support can damage the plant.
NEVER WATER FROM ABOVE
Water is an important factor in the growth of any plant. You should maintain the frequency of water to prevent your plants from wilt. You must avoid spraying with water over the tomato plants.
It is better to water at the base of the plant and avoid splashing the leaves as it can spread soil-borne diseases. When you water at the base then the roots will get enough water from the soil and the leaves will be safe.
If you have a big garden and your budget allows then you can install an irrigation system that will help to deliver water to the base of tomato plants.
PICK THE FRUIT ON TIME
When you see the fruit is ready to pick then don’t waste your time and pinch it with your fingers. It will also help to encourage the plant to produce more fruit for you. Picking fruit on time will support the new growth.
ROTATE TOMATO CROPS
When you grow tomato crops in the same place for many years, this will deplete the soil and shortage of certain nutrients. The soil becomes less fertile that’s why it affects the growth of tomato crops.
In such cases, the population of pests also becomes hard to control. This practice helps too many mice test for diseases and maintain nutrients in the soil. Changing crops makes the soil rich because not all the same nutrients are used in each growing season.
