Tomatoes - Growing distances

[freddy]

Hi folks. This year for the first time I'll be growing my toms in the greenhouse border as opposed to using growbags. What I'd like to know is, how far apart should the plants be ? I've seen a recommendation of 18", but that seems a bit close to me. Any thoughts ?

Cheers...freddy.

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Freddy, hope you're keeping well.

Regarding the spacing of the Tomato plants, 18'' will do, but 24'' is far better, especially if you are going to have a double row. It also makes the picking a lot easier as well. But at the end of the day, a lot will have to do with how much room you have.

[Geoff]

I grow them alternate years on opposite sides of a big cold greenhouse that has two 5' beds and a 2' concrete path. I grow three rows of six plants with 2' between the plants each way and that seems to work.

[Elaine]

Hi Freddy. My greenhouse is 10'x8' and I grow tomatoes in the border. I usually have 7 plants in a single row, 2 in the gable end and have no problems with this spacing.....so far! I never have many green tomatoes and they are all easily accessible for harvesting etc.
Cheers.

[Primrose]

I disobey all the rules as I'm quite greedy about wanting my limited growing area to be as productive as possible. I grow mine in a well manured/composted outdoors border and usually plant them about 15 inches apart. If the foliage starts intruding on its neighbour too much I've been known occasionally to snip off a couple of inches from the ends of the leaves.

I've been growing my tomatoes this close for many years and haven't noticed any deterioration in crop yield. Last year I also grew additional tomatoes in another area where they were dotted about in between other plants, where they were more than two feet apart. They didn't seem to yield any better than the ones crammed together. I suspect it's primarily the quality of the soil and amount of nutrition available to the roots which counts, rather than how close together they are.

[Geoff]

I grow my outdoor ones in a single row at roughly the same spacing as Primrose does. I think the difference in a greenhouse is that you are not usually growing in a single row, you need to be able to get at them and you need the air circulation.

[alan refail]

I too grow mine like Primrose and Geoff.

About 15 inches apart in double rows in the polytunnel. I grow them in double rows at right angles to the path, with a bit more than 15 inches between the two rows and about 2 foot six between each set of double rows.

[freddy]

Hi again folks, thanks for all the replies!

Hi 'Herby', thanks for asking. Feeling a LOT better now that I can smell/detect a hint of spring, I'm sure I get that SAD thingy. I hope all is well with you too.
My greenhouse is a 13x10 and the border is down one side, around 3ft wide.
If I were to go with 18" spacings, by my reckoning I should be able to grow around 18 plants. Thing is, we get through LOTS of toms, so the more the better. Of course, I understand that there comes a point of diminishing returns. Not enough light, more spindly plants, more spindly plants, fewer trusses etc. Decisions decisions
I think I'll go with 18" and see how it turns out. Thanks again.

Cheers...freddy.

[Nature's Babe]

Hi Freddy, like Primrose I think the quality of soil is more important than spacing, good soil makes for better production and flavour, I don't dig, top with compost and mulch, seaweed promotes good flavour too. Not digging and avoiding compacting the soil allows the bacteria worms and mycelium to aid natural soil structure and benefits root development and health.

[freddy]

Hi Natures Babe.
What I've done is put in some retaining timber, dug over the soil and added 50/50 graded loam and composted manure so that the bed is raised around 6". I'm a great believer in raised beds and I reckon this SHOULD produce some healthy plants and tasty fruits, yummy
Cheers...freddy.