Tomato – Planting in Same Spot

Q: I’ve always heard that you shouldn’t plant tomatoes in the same spot two years in a row. I had a great, sunny spot for tomatoes last year and they were plentiful. I’m limited in space and would like to plant them in the same place this year. Is there anything that I can add to the soil to replenish it so that I can do this successfully?

A: You’re not supposed to plant tomatoes in the same spot but it isn’t the end of the world if you have to do it. Gardeners reason that diseases can build up in a spot if tomatoes and their kin are planted in the same spot year after year. I’ve grown tomatoes in the same raised bed for at least five years. I amend the soil religiously each year and mulch conscientiously to keep leaf diseases at bay. If one of the soil-borne wilt diseases eventually infests your soil you can simply excavate the area and replace it with “clean” rich soil from a spot where tomatoes haven’t grown.