How close to plant toms?

[Jenegade]

How close can you plant tomatoes together? I've read that they should be 30 cm apart, but in some peolpes' photos they have them planted closer together.

Same question for cucumbers as well, how far apart do you plant them, looking at Sewer rats cucumber photo they seemed to be fairly close together and growing/ fruiting well!

Thanks for your advice!

[SlugLobber]

Mine are either about 25cm apart, but in a very deep tub, or in their own patio containers. I might be wrong, but I thought you could get away with closer together if you have a deeper pot and very sunny position. Still learning, though!

[marathon]

I'd like tom know this too.

The planting area of the bed that I'm going to use is 12ft x 3ft and it's undercover if that makes a difference. I was thinking about 16 plants planted in a domino effect.

[Jenegade]

I was hoping that someone would say they could be grown 20 cm or so apart and not 30 as the books say, if the soil's good enough do you think it would work?

[Two_Sheds]

Depends - are you growing in the ground or in pots?

Pots only hold so much soil, and will need frequent watering (twice a day in summer). The more room a plant has, and the less competition from other plants, the happier it will be.

If you are prepared to do the extra watering, then put them a bit closer together.

[teakdesk]

Many years ago when I started to use grow bags the bag said 3 plants per 3 foot bag - ie plants 1 foot apart (30cm).

I found the roots took over the bag and watering became difficult later in the season and the crop was disappointing so I tried (on advice of others) only planting two plants per bag - 1.5 foot apart or 45cms. The crop was much better.

Now I split one bag into two large containers and keep them at 1 foot (30cm) spacing. I'm very happy with the crop from this method. IE I am happy using 30cm spacing but only with a deeper container.

The containers go down the length of the greenhouse and I still use two grow bags across the end of the greenhouse and plant either 2 or 3 plants in each depending on my mood that year. With three plants the crop is always disappointing.

So, in my experience, the closer they are planted the worse the crop. 1 foot (30cm) is the closest I would go and even then only with a deep container.

[Jenegade]

Thanks Teakdesk, thats quite interesting, 30 cm seemes the minimum in containers then.

Depends - are you growing in the ground or in pots?

I was planning to put some in the soil and was hoping that they can be planted closer.

[DaveInBraknell]

I read an old book on the tomatoes, I suppose it depends on the type.

I am experimenting this year, I have used a system they used way back when.

Each tom is 18" apart, I then put a cane in the raised bed in my greenhouse and attach a wire from the cane to the roof of the greenhouse..

So I have put 4 Tom's in a 1mx2m bed.

I have an 8ftx6ft greenhouse..

Dave

[j r hilton]

I always use 12" pots and put one tomato plant in each pot. I find that I get good crops this way. Much better than grow bags anyway.

[divvy]

I found I was getting poor crops in grow bags , so now I buy multi purpose compost and put it into troughs 2 1/2 ft x 1 ft . I plant 3 tomato plants in each they have about 8 in depth. I find I get a much better crop now .