How to grow tomatoes in a raised bed
Give each plant a sturdy cage or stake. Water deeply twice a week rather than a little every day.
Spacing1 plant per 2 × 2 ft
How to startStart seeds indoors 7 weeks before your last frost, or buy young plants
When to plantAbout 2 weeks after your last spring frost
Time to harvestAbout 70 days
Grows toAbout 5 ft tall
When to plant tomatoes in your zone
Dates are based on the average frost dates for each zone. Don't know your zone? Enter your ZIP code in the planner.
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the bed | Plant again for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Apr 1 | Jun 3 | — |
| Zone 3b | Mar 27 | May 29 | — |
| Zone 4a | Mar 24 | May 26 | — |
| Zone 4b | Mar 20 | May 22 | — |
| Zone 5a | Mar 16 | May 18 | — |
| Zone 5b | Mar 10 | May 12 | — |
| Zone 6a | Mar 4 | May 6 | — |
| Zone 6b | Feb 25 | Apr 29 | — |
| Zone 7a | Feb 18 | Apr 22 | — |
| Zone 7b | Feb 11 | Apr 15 | — |
| Zone 8a | Feb 4 | Apr 8 | — |
| Zone 8b | Jan 25 | Mar 29 | — |
| Zone 9a | Jan 11 | Mar 15 | — |
| Zone 9b | Dec 28 | Mar 1 | — |
| Zone 10a | Dec 13 | Feb 14 | — |
| Zone 10b | Nov 27 | Jan 29 | — |
Tips for raised beds
- Give each plant a 2 × 2 ft space in the bed.
- It grows tall, so put it on the north side of the bed where it will not shade shorter plants.
- Most vegetables and fruit need at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
Where to buy tomato seeds
Burpee · True Leaf Market · Botanical Interests
Plan where your tomatoes go. Pick your bed size and material, choose your plants, and get a printable plan with measurements, a shopping list and planting dates for your ZIP code. Free, no sign-up.
Open the free planner →