Variety is the spice of life, so why not spice up your tomato garden with a selection of heirloom tomato varieties? Heirlooms are known for their unique colors and flavors. Plant this garden in late spring after your last frost date, and choose the heirloom varieties that are available and grow best in your area. The finished plan below shows the planted bed—the plants are pictured small to make the illustration simpler. The four tomatoes are planted near each corner, while four herbs are planted along the center of each side.
For excellent results, fill your bed with premium quality raised bed soil, such as Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Raised Bed Mix—which is just the right weight and texture for raised bed growing—and feed plants with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Raised Bed Plant Nutrition Granules to ensure they get all the nutrition they need. And third, be sure to choose Bonnie Plants® for your Heirloom Tomato Garden. Bonnie has been around for over 100 years, so you know you're getting strong young plants of the highest quality.
If you want to expand your garden, place two 4 x 4 beds symmetrical on either side of a 3 to 4-foot path, wide enough for you and your tools. Try the Gourmets' Mediterranean Garden or Fast & Fresh Pizza Garden for the second bed.
Planting the 4 x 4 – foot Bed
Take inspiration from these planting options. The plan allows for some interpretation depending on your taste. These plants are pictured small to make the illustration simpler, but your bed will be spilling over as the plants grow! Following spacing on the plant labels, add a few more plants than we have pictured if the spacing allows.
Area 1: Tomatoes
Choose one heirloom tomato from each category. Plant one near each corner.
- 1 large to extra-large fruited (Brandywine, German Johnson, Mister Stripey, German Johnson, Cherokee Purple, Mortgage Lifter)
- 1 black fruited (Cherokee Purple, Black Prince, Black Krim, Black Cherry)
- 1 bite-sized (Black Cherry, Yellow Pear)
- 1 small to medium fruited (Black Prince, Arkansas Traveler, Rutgers, Black Krim, Bradley, Marion, Marglobe, Homestead, Bradley, Seattle's Best, San Francisco Fog)
Area 2: Herbs
Choose four plants from the following low-growing herbs. Plant one along each side.
- Chives
- Spicy Globe basil
- Curled parsley
- Greek or Hot and Spicy oregano