Growing tomatoes in a raised bed

[DCP]

Anyone Grow tomatoes in a raised bed.

How did they do?

How many plants in a 24 x 48 bed ?

Thanks

[Tatume]

Tomatoes do well in raised bed gardens. You should be able to raise two tomato plants, with good productivity if you use cages. My reason for abandoning raised beds in favor of Earthbox gardening was weeds. After the second year the raised bed gardens were thoroughly inoculated with wire grass roots. The only solution was to dig out the potting mix I had so carefully prepared and replace it. Even though I make my own with vermiculite, peat, and compost, it is still expensive. Earthbox gardening gives me much closer control of weed infestations.

https://bonnieplants.com/gardening/heirloom-tomato-4-x-4-foot-garden/

[Froogal]

24"x48" is not very much. If you plant the tomatos, one at each end, it should work, but no more than 2.

[rancher1913]

get determinate plants, not indeterminate to save space. put Epsom salt in the hole when planting for blossom rot. use weed control fabric with a hole cut out for the plant, will save a lot of back breaking weeding. drip irrigation works well and saves water.

[Tatume]

If you want to harvest almost all of your tomatoes over a two-week period, use a determinate variety of tomatoes. This is a good strategy for canning.

If you want to harvest tomatoes over the entire growing season, use an indeterminate variety. This is my preference. Some years I have had fresh tomatoes well into November, and one year, by way of a personal record, I picked tomatoes the first week of December.

Caged indeterminate tomatoes will take up no more space than caged determinate tomatoes. For cages I like 4' x 10' sheets of concrete reinforcing fence wire to make tomato cages. The rectangles are large enough to reach through and withdraw tomatoes, and they last for many years.

Use lime to combat blossom end rot.

[Tatume]

By the way, the Earthbox method cuts back on the expense of cages too. Each Earthbox uses one tomato cage for two tomato plants.

https://earthbox.com/gardening-systems/earthbox-container-gardening-system

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These are spaced so a 50" mower deck will pass between them.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

It depends on the variety, but I plant tomatoes 6 feet apart (social distancing, LOL) in the garden.
There are "patio" type tomato plants that might do OK closer together, maybe?

[Tatume]

Hi Jon,

You're talking about an in-earth garden. When I was still gardening this way I used a six-foot spacing as well, along with large hills for each plant. But intensive gardening techniques work by supplying more nutrients, mulch for weed and moisture control, and careful application of just the right amount of water. There are window-sill gardens in Japan that would feed a family! It's a whole new ball game.

Take care,Tom

[shtur]

I have 8' X 4' raised beds, the soil is approx 14 inches deep. We place tomato plants about 3 feet apart, and we get a lot. Every year I add cow manure that is very rich with worms, over 200 red wigglers per shovel. The only addition to the soil is fish fertilizer at planting and around the end of July.

[Tatume]

Shtur,

That sounds like a wonderful raised bed. Around here we have "crab waste" from the picking houses that works well. It has lots of crab shell, so is high in calcium.

I tried using composted herring one time, but the smell was awful. :-)

Take care,Tom

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Hi Jon,

You're talking about an in-earth garden. When I was still gardening this way I used a six-foot spacing as well, along with large hills for each plant. But intensive gardening techniques work by supplying more nutrients, mulch for weed and moisture control, and careful application of just the right amount of water. There are window-sill gardens in Japan that would feed a family! It's a whole new ball game.

Take care,Tom

The OP said Raised Bed...that could be in-earth or above earth. anyway, that's why I responded with what I did.

My garden is as you say, in-earth...but I have what I call raised rows, permenantly raised rows about 12" high, but no wood or Brick retaining it, it's just hilled up, 3 feet wide and the sides are planted in grass. It is likely different than you ever seen before. I could plant tomatoes closer, but my plants get so large, that it's difficult picking them if they are closer than 6 feet. I do plant a couple determinant varieties that make small plants (Rutgers and Taxi) and they get planted closer together (quite a bit closer actually). Also, with large indeterminant plants that I have 6 feet apart, I've found they blight and contain harbor bad insects if they are planted too close.

[DCP]

The OP said Raised Bed...that could be in-earth or above earth. anyway, that's why I responded with what I did.

My garden is as you say, in-earth...but I have what I call raised rows, permenantly raised rows about 12" high, but no wood or Brick retaining it, it's just hilled up, 3 feet wide and the sides are planted in grass. It is likely different than you ever seen before. I could plant tomatoes closer, but my plants get so large, that it's difficult picking them if they are closer than 6 feet. I do plant a couple determinant varieties that make small plants (Rutgers and Taxi) and they get planted closer together (quite a bit closer actually). Also, with large indeterminant plants that I have 6 feet apart, I've found they blight and contain harbor bad insects if they are planted too close.

That would be a raised as in you don't have to bend over to maintain it. Hope that helps

[Kev18]

I put 3 plants in a plastic 45 gallon barrel cut in half and they just keep producing all summer. Great little way to have a garden.

[jonp]

We use raised boxes because of the soil and weeds. 2ft apart should get you 24 plants depending on variety. The only thing to watch out for is the raised boxes dry out faster than in the ground
We have tomatoes on one plant already and everything else is up. Been eating carrots, radishes and onions for a few weeks

[super6]

I use 5 gallon buckets, I can move em around and put em were I want them, No crowding. No weeds, and watering is a snap with a one gallon milk jug with a 1/64 hole drilled in the cap. Hillbilly drip irrigation!

[OutHuntn84]

Rule of thumb for me is 3' apart in all directions. So you could get 2 going in opposite corners. Then maybe a pepper plant or something small in between them. You might look into companion planting and see what would do good in close quarters with the tomatoes.

[MaryB]

I do intensive square foot gardening, tomatoes rows are 4' apart so I have room to get between them but the plants go 18 inches apart! Takes more water and fertilizer but they produce very well! I use a section of fence to tie them up to instead of cages.

[MUSTANG]

The wife and I do "Raised Beds" for gardening in Montana (Plastic 15Gal Containers in Moapa). Tried a garden in Montana; but all I could grow was Boulders and Rocks. So, we now have 4 foot x 48 Foot Raised beds; soil is about 18 inches deep. Our Raised beds were constructed with 4x4 posts cut to 32 inches long. Walls are 2x8's - stacked 3 High. Top of post is on line with the top of the Top 2x8; so there is about 8inches plus in the ground, with concrete about 4" deep around the bottom of the post. We used standard wood painted with Deck Stain; read too many places about treated lumber killing earth worms so I avoided Treated Lumber in constructing the raised beds. Soil is screened native soil from the property, then we did a 30% to 40% mix of Horse manure that had been composted for 2 years - tilled together.

We plant Tomatoes in 2 rows; about 1 foot away from each wall (~24" separating each plant that directions); then we separate plants about 30 inches to 36 inches in two rows down the length of the Above Ground Planters - Tomatoes Cages on each. 6 to 10 plants give us more tomatoes and sauce than we can eat in a year. Cover with a light weight white tarp/cloth; or clear plastic tarp as we go onto fall which gives us another 30 to 45 days growing.

[Reverend Al]

https://i.imgur.com/M6KXLPL.jpg

[country gent]

Not sure how this would work for Tomatoes. Some around here with heavy clay set bales of straw out in the fall and layer with fertilizers letting set thru winter to saturate with water and start to decompose. In the spring they plant the carrots potatoes and other root crops in them. Saves digging them in the hard heavy ground, come fall just break the bale apart and harvest.

We used old fencing with a 4" square and formed 18"- 2' dia by 3-4' tall hoops for around the tomatoes, and even string beans. The plants grew up inside and climbed the hoops and the fruit was kept of the ground. Made picking much easier

[Walla2]

What is determinate and indeterminate mean?

[Texas by God]

https://i.imgur.com/M6KXLPL.jpgAnd damn happy about it no doubt[emoji41]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Budzilla 19]

With all that money you going to make, you can buy tomatoes!!! Bwaaaahhhaaaaa!!!!!



Sorry, that was to Reverend Al.

[robg]

my wife planted tumbling variety in hanging baskets we had a good crop and easy to pick.

[Smoke4320]

It depends on the variety, but I plant tomatoes 6 feet apart (social distancing, LOL) in the garden.


So 1 gator apart?

[Gregorious]

What is determinate and indeterminate mean?

https://www.tomatofest.com/tomato_questions_s/128.htm

https://bonnieplants.com/gardening/learn-tomato-growing-terms/

Determinate include bush and reach a certain size and stop growing

Indeterminate continue to grow until killed by frost. They need staked and are probably the one most people think of.

[Wisest.fool]

i cut a hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. plant them in it upside-down hanging from the holes. no stakes required. just need a sturdy place to hang them. note: does not work with all varieties. see example:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gardeningknowhow.com%2Fedibl e%2Fvegetables%2Ftomato%2Fgrowing-tomatoes-upside-down.htm&psig=AOvVaw2iacZQ-rQjJyHH-3npcy0B&ust=1588384286806000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKiwxNzGkekCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

So 1 gator apart?

Yep,
but for reference, this is the only Gator you'll find in my area :razz:

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[IHuntDragons]

By the way, the Earthbox method cuts back on the expense of cages too. Each Earthbox uses one tomato cage for two tomato plants.

https://earthbox.com/gardening-systems/earthbox-container-gardening-system

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These are spaced so a 50" mower deck will pass between them.

I like this setup. I've seen some earth boxes for sale locally on the FB pages and wondered who was having any success with them. What's your typical yield in pounds per box each season?

[bmortell]

im failing to see the fundamental difference between an earth box and a raised bed

[jonp]

Not sure how this would work for Tomatoes. Some around here with heavy clay set bales of straw out in the fall and layer with fertilizers letting set thru winter to saturate with water and start to decompose. In the spring they plant the carrots potatoes and other root crops in them. Saves digging them in the hard heavy ground, come fall just break the bale apart and harvest.

We used old fencing with a 4" square and formed 18"- 2' dia by 3-4' tall hoops for around the tomatoes, and even string beans. The plants grew up inside and climbed the hoops and the fruit was kept of the ground. Made picking much easier

There was a thread on here a few years ago about haybale planting. I thought about trying it but forgot about it. I'm going to give it a shot this year or next by now it's too late to get it started. I don't remember any fertilizer being used but it can't hurt.

[jonp]

I like this setup. I've seen some earth boxes for sale locally on the FB pages and wondered who was having any success with them. What's your typical yield in pounds per box each season?

Interesting but it would seem that a plastic bin from Wally's and a hose would be about the same thing for less money. Great for patio gardeners.

im failing to see the fundamental difference between an earth box and a raised bed

Hard to do a raised bed on a patio or a balcony.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

im failing to see the fundamental difference between an earth box and a raised bed

https://earthbox.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtLT1BRD9ARIsAMH3BtVVxrpQBTFnb6AQgAW-HV0Jb6FGv2fFMNhspJmhlbTYKFbTlbnhNe4aAl7WEALw_wcB

The Earthbox is self watering....the way I see it, it's a Hybrid between hydroponic and container gardening.

[725]

I made a "flower box" of three 2x8's, planted tomatoes and fertilized them with Miracle Grow. Holy cow! I had more tomatoes than you could shake a stick at. Watering was the key. Too much and they would split. Other than that they were fantastic. Better than ever growing them in the ground.

[wgr]

get determinate plants, not indeterminate to save space. put Epsom salt in the hole when planting for blossom rot. use weed control fabric with a hole cut out for the plant, will save a lot of back breaking weeding. drip irrigation works well and saves water.does it matter what kind of epsom salt

[Gobeyond]

I plant mine two feet apart in baskets. It’s the French intensive method. Sometimes it’s dug two shovels deep. You should get about 48 plants in two by 96 feet.

[Freightman]

Best tomatoes I ever grew was in old hay bales that were moldy and unfit for animal's. dig a hole three times as big as the plant ball fill with potting soil and keep wet and fertilize every three weeks. Drip irrigation works well. I moved and have no room to do this now, such is the cost of getting old and crippled up.

[DougGuy]

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I was given two Better Boy (indeterminate) plants, and I have two unused recycle bins laying around doing nothing, they already have drain holes, they are about 16" x 24" and maybe 15" deep. I plan to set them a couple feet apart on a grassy part of my yard, drive 1/2" rebar into the ground on each side straddling the bins, and tie wire some heavy duty cages to the rebar. This setup will hold the heaviest plant when it is loaded with tomatoes.

They will sorta resemble the pic that tatume posted.

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