Picking fresh tomatoes from your garden to add to a homemade salad is a wonderful feeling. There’s nothing quite as fresh as a freshly grown tomato and it’s no wonder so many Australians are discovering the beauty of growing produce in their own backyards. But how do you grow tomatoes in a raised garden bed? You can improve your tomato success by following our simple tips.

Opt for big containers

You will need big containers to grow tomatoes – think about at least one, if not two, pods according to your family’s needs. Make sure you fill these pods with very good quality soil, and remember that the Vegepod requires less than half the potting mix recommended for a corrugated steel bed or raised timber bed of the same dimensions!

Don’t over-water your tomatoes

Keep the soil in your containers moist but not too wet. Why? Because the roots of the plants will begin to rot if too much water is allowed to build up. Rot can cause your plants to become weak, which can lead to the tomatoes dying. Also, ensure you water your tomatoes consistently with the wicking system in mind. With a Vegepod it is important to water seeds and seedlings daily for a week or more. However, after that the reservoir will have enough water to keep the tomatoes healthy.

Be sure to feed your tomatoes!

Even high-quality soils may not come with nutrients. This means your tomatoes might be starved of food, which can cause them to suffer. Ensure you fertilise and feed your tomato plants so they can stay healthy and strong.

Plenty of sunlight is key

Tomatoes need a lot of sunshine to thrive. To keep them happy, make sure they have about eight hours of sun a day and move the containers until you’re satisfied they are getting enough UV rays. However, if your seedlings are in the early stages of life, try not to give them too much sunlight at first, otherwise, it could damage them. Try to keep the temperature steady and ensure the plants don’t get too hot or too cold. With a Vegepod stand you have the opportunity to move the pod around to gain optimal sunlight exposure for your tomatoes.

Do I Need to Stake My Tomatoes?  

Let’s remember Mother Nature doesn’t stake her tomatoes. Sure, it does have some advantages for the bigger fruit so they don’t have trouble when connecting with the soil and improving air flow, however small varieties like Cherries and Romas can do well just left to go wild and crazy. And for the large varieties you don’t have to create sky scraping trellises to do the job either. So even within a Vegepod canopy for example you can use the many dwarf varieties available these days or simply train your standard varieties to the height and directions required. Staking is only limited by your imagination! There are so many tomato varieties to choose from and you’re sure to find some that you love. So buy your seedlings and get planting – you’ll have some deliciously fresh tomatoes in your salads before long. Good luck! Do you have any more tomato tips to add? Let us know!