What to plant
Growing Tomatoes in Raised Beds
Set tomato transplants out 1–2 weeks after your last frost, 18–36 in apart in a bed at least 12 in deep with full sun. Bury the stems deep, support every plant, and water deeply and evenly.
| Determinate (bush) | Indeterminate (vining) | |
|---|---|---|
| Spacing in the bed | 18–24 in | 24–36 in |
| Support | Cage, 3–4 ft | Stake or tall cage, 5–7 ft |
| Plants in a 4x8 bed | 4–6 | 2–4 |
| Harvest window | 2–4 weeks, mostly at once | Until frost |
| Days to harvest from transplant | About 60–80 | About 65–90 |
| Soil temperature to plant | 60°F or warmer | 60°F or warmer |
When to plant
Tomatoes are frost-tender and stall in cold soil. Set transplants out 1–2 weeks after your average last frost, when nighttime lows hold above 50°F and the soil 4 in down reads at least 60°F. Raised beds warm faster than ground soil, which gives you a small head start.
If you grow from seed, start indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost. Harden seedlings off outdoors for about a week before planting.
For more timing across crops, see what to plant in a raised garden bed. In short-season areas, choose varieties that ripen in 70 days or less. In hot southern climates, an early spring planting and a second planting in late summer both work, since fruit set slows when days top about 90°F.
Spacing and depth
Give each plant room for air to move. Crowded tomatoes stay damp and get more leaf disease.
- Determinate (bush) types: 18–24 in apart.
- Indeterminate (vining) types: 24–36 in apart, or about 24 in if pruned to one or two main stems on stakes.
Tomato roots run 18–24 in deep in loose soil, so a bed with at least 12 in of mix works and 18 in is better, especially over clay or hard ground. Our bed depth guide explains the trade-offs.
Plant deep. Strip the leaves off the lower two-thirds of the stem and bury it up to the remaining leaves. The buried stem grows roots, giving a sturdier plant. If the bed is shallow, lay the stem sideways in a trench 3–4 in deep and bend the top gently upright.
Put tomatoes on the north side of the bed so they don't shade shorter crops. Basil fits well underneath; see our herb guide.
Soil and feeding
Tomatoes are heavy feeders but don't want too much nitrogen, which grows leaves instead of fruit. A raised bed mix of about 60% topsoil, 30% compost and 10% aeration is a good base; the raised garden bed soil mix guide has the details. Aim for a pH of about 6.2–6.8.
- At planting: mix a handful of compost and a balanced or tomato fertilizer into each hole, following the label rate.
- When the first fruits are about the size of a marble: side-dress with compost or a light dose of fertilizer, then repeat every 3–4 weeks.
- Each year: add 1–2 in of fresh compost and rotate tomatoes to a spot where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplant didn't grow last year.
Watering
Aim for 1–2 in of water a week once plants are fruiting, more in heat. Raised beds drain fast, so check the soil every couple of days: if it's dry 2 in down, water.
Water at the base, not over the leaves, and water deeply so the whole root zone gets wet. Drip tubing or a soaker hose run by a timer keeps moisture even. Mulch 2–3 in deep with straw or shredded leaves once the soil has warmed to hold that moisture in.
Staking, caging and blossom end rot
Support. Put cages or stakes in at planting so you don't damage roots later. Bush types do fine in standard 3–4 ft cages. Vining types need sturdy 5–7 ft stakes or tall, heavy-gauge cages. Tie stems loosely with soft ties every 8–12 in as they grow. On staked plants, pinch out side shoots (suckers) to keep one or two main stems.
Deep watering. Shallow daily sprinkling keeps roots near the surface, where a hot afternoon dries them out. A long soak two or three times a week sends roots deeper and steadies growth.
Blossom end rot. This sunken, dark patch on the bottom of the fruit is a calcium problem, but in most gardens the soil has enough calcium. The usual cause is uneven watering that stops the plant moving calcium into the fruit. Keep moisture steady, mulch, and remove affected fruit. Adding calcium rarely helps unless a soil test shows a shortage.
Harvest
Pick when fruit is fully colored and gives slightly to a gentle squeeze. You can also pick at the first blush of color and let it finish ripening indoors at room temperature; flavor is nearly as good, and it saves fruit from cracking after heavy rain or from birds.
At the end of the season, pick all mature green fruit before the first frost and ripen it indoors. Clear spent plants and bin any diseased leaves.
Common problems
Blossom end rot
Dark, sunken spots on the fruit bottom. Water evenly and mulch; the plant usually recovers.
Cracked fruit
Splits after heavy rain following dry spells. Steady watering and picking at first color help.
Yellow, spotted lower leaves
Often early blight or septoria leaf spot. Remove affected leaves, mulch and avoid wetting foliage.
Flowers but no fruit
Heat above about 90°F by day or 75°F at night stops fruit set. It resumes when weather cools.
Tomato hornworms
Large green caterpillars that strip leaves fast. Look for dark droppings and pick them off by hand.
Tall, leafy plants with little fruit
Usually too much nitrogen or too little sun. Cut back on fertilizer and check for 8 hours of light.