Growing tomatoes in raised garden beds

There are several advantages to growing tomatoes in raised beds, many of which are similar to growing tomatoes in containers.

In many ways a raised bed is a form of container, it is just a container on a slightly grander scale.

The main advantages of growing tomatoes in raised beds

• It is easier to control the mix of the soil and utilize compost specifically suited to growing tomatoes
• The plants are generally easier to access for staking, weeding, watering, pruning and pest control
• The soil tends to warm up more quickly than non-raised beds
• It is easier to apply a mulch to prevent contamination, supplement feeding and keep weeds down
• You can avoid standing on the soil which can cause it to compact
• Raised beds tend to be free draining and do not easily become saturated
• The soil is easier to dig out and replace should any contamination occur. Ideally this should be done on an annual or bi-annual basis
• Feeding the tomato plants is much more targeted and effective, follow the instructions on the feed of choice or as a rule of thumb you can apply a high nitrogen liquid tomato feed around once a fortnight
• Pests are less likely to infiltrate a raised bed but when they do they are easier to deal with

If growing tomatoes in raised beds doesn’t appeal then you might want to take a look at how you can create a layered garden which is another option for growing tomatoes.