Tomato Dirt Newsletter
Volume 14, Number 21

Dear Tomato Dirt reader,

Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! A couple times a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.

Get the Dirt on Raised Beds

Even if you don't have a lot of time for gardening, you can still have a productive vegetable garden, no matter the size.

How? Start with a raised bed. It's the shortcut to a plentiful harvest, even in the first year.

Our good friends at Gardener’s Supply have put together oodles of helpful information and products for growing tomatoes, edibles, and flowers in raised beds .

You can also learn about how to put together raised beds and take a look at these tips and plans if you decide to build raised beds yourself.

And you can browse different kinds of raised beds and kits to choose one that’s best for you. Have fun!

Check for tomato growing tips each day on our Facebook page

Here’s the dirt: Tomato Dirt’s long-standing Facebook page was hacked last year. For your safety and privacy, we closed it. But never fear! We’ve started a new page with good security.

You’re invited to like the page and get plenty of tomato growing tips. And please share the new page with other gardeners you know!

Hop on over to Facebook and click “Like” right now, while you’re thinking about it.

FEATURE: 8 Ways to DIY Low Cost Raised Beds

Image: Tomato Dirt

Fall is a perfect time to build raised garden beds.

And creating low cost raised garden beds can be simple and affordable.

You can make them with materials you already have or can find cheaply.

Plus, you can design a low cost raised garden bed to fit your space, specific dimensions, and aesthetic preferences.

When you DIY raised beds, you have control over the materials. You can make sure your garden beds are safe for growing edible plants – say, when you use untreated wood or natural stone – and suited to your climate.

The trick to building low cost raised garden beds is to use readily available or recycled materials. The rest is just sweat equity.

Here are some budget-friendly options for building raised beds. Keep Reading …

Best Tips for Growing Tomatoes: Bestseller in 89 Countries

You’ll be able to diagnose pest and disease problems using step by step priceless information, illustrated with 260 full color photos.

Get the book and you’ll also get 6 free bonuses, including the Family Tomato Cookbook and a database of 1300 varieties of tomatoes. More details here.

Tomato Growing Tip: Use straw bales for raised garden beds

Image: Tomato Dirt

Get more tips for growing tomatoes on our Tomato Growing Tips Pinterest board.

Start a compost bin this fall

And you don’t need to pay top dollar for this amazing soil enricher. You can create your own compost right in your backyard using simple kitchen and garden refuse.

The best way to do that is by using a compost bin.

Building and maintaining a compost pile is the surest, easiest way to become a better gardener. And it’s great for the environment.

Not only will you be producing the best possible food for your garden, but by watching leaves, eggshells, orange rinds, and grass clippings become transformed into rich compost filled with earthworms and other soil creatures, you'll help re-use resources that you might otherwise throw away. Check out dozens of different kinds of compost bin models offered to Tomato Dirt readers from our friends at Gardener’s Supply – and choose the one that works best for you.

More on Raised Garden Beds