Tomatoes love sun and warmth - so a classic layered raised bed in a sunny location is just the right planting place. While you cannot place the young plants in soil beds before mid to late May due to the cold soil, planting on a raised bed is possible two to three weeks earlier.
Tomatoes feel at home in the raised bed
Prepare raised bed for tomato culture
If you only want to occupy the raised bed with tomato plants or with tomatoes and other heavy feeders, you can provide it with a nutrient-supplying and warming manure pack. To do this, in the spring (in April or May at the latest!) fill in approx. 40 centimeters of fresh horse manure on the bottom layers, spread it loosely and evenly and then carefully tread down. Put a layer of compost or tomato soil about ten centimeters thick on top. Water the whole thing and cover it with a cold frame or foil - then the rotting process will start, so that you can plant the bed after another three to five days.
What is the maximum height of a raised tomato bed?
However, before you dare to plant or even build the raised bed, you should first think about suitable tomato varieties. High-growing pole and beefsteak tomatoes should preferably be grown in a low raised bed of no more than 50 centimeters in height, otherwise you will need a ladder later for care and harvesting. On the other hand, bush tomatoes that grow compactly and other short varieties also thrive very well in raised beds of a conventional height.
Protect tomatoes from moisture, even on the raised bed
Especially in summer it makes sense if the tomato plants are under a translucent cover - this serves to prevent the dreaded late blight. The simplest option is to use so-called tomato hoods, which you put over the individual plants. On the other hand, a roof or a complete covering, for example with a greenhouse attachment, is more durable. You can also build the bed from the start with extended corner posts to which you can attach a covering (e.g. foil).
What vegetables go well with tomatoes?
Not all vegetable plants get along well with each other - certain types and varieties hinder each other's growth. However, this also applies the other way around, some types fit together perfectly. For example, tomatoes harmonize wonderfully
- Herbs like basil and parsley
- Flowers like marigold and marigolds
- Tuberous vegetables such as kohlrabi, beetroot, celery and radishes
- Garlic and Leek (Leek)
- Beans (especially bush beans) and carrots
- as well as spinach and lettuce.
Under no circumstances should you grow tomatoes together with cucumbers, peas, broccoli and cauliflower in the raised bed.
tips
Artichokes, pumpkins, courgettes, cucumbers and aubergines also thrive best under the conditions described. The additional warmth of a raised bed allows the sun-loving vegetables to thrive extremely well.