5 Ways to Plant Tomatoes in Raised Beds

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.

Tomatoes are unique because they can grow roots directly from their stems. If you look closely at a tomato stem, you’ll often notice tiny fuzzy hairs or bumps. Those are actually potential root sites.

When part of the stem is buried, the plant develops additional roots. Creating additional roots is ideal because a larger root system has the following benefits:

• Absorb more water and nutrients 
• Handle heat and drought better 
• Grow larger and stronger plants
• Support more abundant harvests 

In this blog post I will cover “standard planting” for tomatoes and four other methods that can develop even stronger roots. Let’s get started!

1. Standard Planting

This is the most common and straightforward method. With standard planting, the tomato is planted at roughly the same depth it was growing in its nursery pot. Here’s how todo it:

1. Dig a hole about as deep as the container 
2. Remove the tomato from the pot 
3. Place it into the hole and backfill with soil 

Unlike several of the methods below, very little additional stem is buried underground. Healthy plants can still produce excellent harvests, but root systems are often smaller compared to deeper planting methods. If you are planting a whole field of tomatoes, this method may be preferable because of the ease. 

Pros	Cons
Fast and easy	Smaller root system
Works well in cold or wet soil	Potentially less drought tolerance and vigor
Simple for beginners

2. Deep Planting

Deep planting is the most common method to get additional root growth. Instead of planting at the same depth as the nursery pot, much of the stem is buried underground. Here’s how to do it:

1. Remove the lower leaves from the transplant 
2. Dig a deep hole 
3. Bury ½ to ⅔ of the plant vertically 
4. Leave only the upper portion above the soil 

The buried stem will eventually develop additional roots. Deep planting often leads to larger, stronger plants capable of supporting heavier harvests later in the season.

Pros	Cons
Excellent root development	Requires deeper raised beds
Better drought tolerance	Deep soil can often be quite cool in the early season
Stronger, more vigorous plants	Cold soil can slow early growth

3. Trench Planting

Trench planting works similarly to deep planting, but sideways instead of downward. This method is especially useful if your raised beds are not very deep or if your soil is still cold. Here’s how to do it:

1. Remove the lower leaves from the transplant 
2. Dig a shallow horizontal trench 
3. Lay the stem sideways in the trench 
4. Leave the top few inches of the plant exposed above the soil 

Within a few days, the top of the plant will naturally curve upward toward the sun. Trench planting can create vigorous root systems similar to deep planting and may encourage faster early growth in cool conditions.

Pros	Cons
Great for shallow raised beds	Uses more horizontal space
Easier than digging deep holes	Can make spacing more difficult
Excellent for tall or leggy seedlings

4. Mound Planting

Mound planting focuses more on drainage and soil warmth than maximizing buried stem roots. However, this method still allows for more buried roots than standard planting. Here’s how to do it:

1. Plant tomato with standard method.
2. Create a mount of soil around the tomato stem. Ideally 4-12 inches tall and gently sloping. 
3. Water thoroughly and add mulch if desired.

Elevated soil drains faster and warms more quickly in spring. Mounding can help maintain healthier plants in wet conditions, reducing stress that may limit production.

Pros	Cons
Improves drainage	Soil dries out faster
Helps prevent overly wet roots	May require more watering
Warms faster early in the season	Less practical on a large scale

5. Progressive Burying

Progressive burying starts shallow and gradually buries more stem as the plant grows. This is a great option if you regularly add compost or soil to your raised beds during the season anyway. Here’s how to do it:

1. Plant the tomato with the standard planting to start .
2. As the plant grows, gradually add soil, compost, or mulch around the lower stem.
3. Trim off branches that will become buried when adding more soil 
4. Continue burying more stem over time.

Tomatoes continue developing roots from newly buried stem sections throughout the growing season. Progressive burying can produce very strong late-season plants with excellent drought tolerance and sustained production.

Pros	Cons
Encourages continuous root growth	Requires ongoing effort
Great use for extra compost or soil	Harder once cages or trellises are fully installed
Helps avoid cold deep soil early in the season

Standard planting for tomatoes is simple and effective but some methods can promote even healthier plants and bigger harvests. Consider trying out deep planting, trench planting, mounding, and progressive burying take advantage of the tomato’s ability to grow roots from buried stems. The best method depends on your raised bed depth, soil conditions, climate, and gardening style. Best of luck this gardening season! As always, feel free to comment below with any questions!

If you enjoyed this blog post, be sure to check out my other gardening blog posts: