How close should i plant my tomato plants

In many cases, there were no statistically significant differences in yield, maturity, or fruit size with in-row plant spacings ranging from 12" to 32" for tomatoes bred for processing. That's what research says, sure, but no one I know has grown a single tomato in my own garden.

If I want to pack them in and do it right, it helps to know a few things. The first of these is how tomatoes grow. A tomato is a tomato is a tomato, right? I'm not talking about the tomato's variety in itself so much as how that variety will grow. For planting density, a tomato plant's growth habit makes a big difference in how many you can fit in a small space.

Growth habits, either determinate or indeterminate should be marked clearly on the seed packet or seedling label. Otherwise, look up the variety by name online. Determinate tomatoes are sprawling bushy types with small, berry tomatoes. I have read that determinate tomatoes produce their entire crop of fruit all at the same time then die. In my experience, this is not necessarily true. Last year I planted way too many Blue and Golds and had berry tomatoes all the way until September when I pulled the plants.

You can stake determinate tomatoes any way you'd like, but the most common approach is a cage the plants will quickly outgrow. These are sprawling plants that produce an abundance of suckers—those side shoots that emerge from the base of new leaves—that give you even more tomatoes. Indeterminate tomatoes are the tall-growing kind, usually with large tomatoes. These are the ones you can tie to a tall stake every foot or two and watch as they snake up and up and up and never really stop climbing until the frost kills them.

With indeterminate tomato plants, you can manage their sprawl by pruning out its suckers. Be careful, though, that you don't pinch the flower cluster when you prune your tomato. You can tell the difference because the flower cluster doesn't emerge with leaves.

Last year I planted heirloom determinate and indeterminate tomato varieties anywhere I thought they might grow, anywhere they would fit. I didn't prune them. I tied them all to single stakes, which got fun when I tried to keep the determinate suckers from falling all over the ground with my fresh tomatoes.

When the plant does produce tomatoes, they may not ripen effectively. It is no secret that tomato plants need water and nutrients from the soil to grow. But when tomato plants are placed too closely together, they will have to fight to receive enough nutrients.

If the plants do not get enough nutrients from the soil, they will be weak, more susceptible to disease, and will not produce as much fruit. These plants will also be more susceptible to the effects of bug infestations. Plants that do not have enough water will wilt and eventually die. Spacing your tomato plants properly will ensure that each plant has enough access to the nutrients and water it needs to grow and thrive.

Overcrowding affects the fruit production of your tomatoes as well. If your plants are too close together, the leaves will be small and the stems will be scraggly and weak. Overcrowding can also reduce pollination, so even if there are enough flowers on your plants, the pollinators may not be able to find them, resulting in lower fruit set.

A very practical reason to space apart your tomato plants is simple accessibility. You need to be able to reach each tomato plant to check its health, look for bugs, remove suckers, prune, stake, and harvest the tomatoes. You run the risk of breaking or crushing the plants or fruit when you do try to reach in and harvest or stake the plant.

Determinate tomato plants are more compact and are can be grown in a cage or without any extra support because the plants are smaller and more compact. Planting determinate tomatoes means you will need about one and a half to two feet in between your tomato plants in each row. You will need to space your rows two to three feet apart. Indeterminate tomato plants tend to grow a little more slowly, but they need much more space.

These are the types of tomatoes that are staked because it is hard to tell just how big they will get. Although it takes longer for these plants to produce fruit, they will continue to grow and produce fruit until frost. They have a much longer growing season. When planting indeterminate varieties, if you grow them on a trellis, you can place them closer together because you are taking advantage of the vertical space available. If you are going to grow your indeterminate tomato plants in wire cages, place them two and a half to three feet apart.

According to P. Allen Smith, if you stake your indeterminate tomatoes, you will want to plant them about 24 inches apart in your rows. This will keep them growing in an upright habitat, so they take up less space in your garden. Space your rows four feet apart so you have room to walk between them, care for the plants, and be able to harvest your tomatoes easily. If you have plenty of space in your garden, you can allow them to sprawl out and wander. Anywhere the plant touches the ground, it will put out roots to gain extra nutrients from the soil.

For those who start in May or June, you will have plenty of time to plant and harvest the tomatoes before the weather gets too cold. On the other hand, if you wait until July or August, you will need to be a bit worried, especially if the frost is expected to come in early that year. Check online to see when the first expected frost is for your area. If you live up north, you may only have a small window to plant the tomato and get it harvested in time.

For those who live in the south, there is a little more leeway, and in warm years, you may be able to get two crops in one right after the other.

Each area is a little different, so you will need to consider when your spring starts, after the frost is gone for good, and when fall starts again and the frosts will come back. Your goal is to get the tomatoes planted and harvested between these two times for the best results. Naturally, if you purchase seeds to plant in the dirt, these will take longer to grow than purchasing a tomato that is already a little vine.

For those who live in colder temperatures without as long of a winter, going with a tomato plant that has already started growing may make the most sense to hurry along the growing process. This spacing allows for the roots to grow, adequate airflow between the plants to prevent disease, and more tomatoes per plant.

Naturally, for those heights, you will need to support them with stakes or trellises. Larger containers are ideal for indeterminate tomato plants as they have the depth for increased soil and have the space to include stakes within the container to support vertical growth. They produce reliable yields with the same results consistently. The only way that can happen is when two plants of different types are in bloom together.

Only planting the same variety is the best protection from cross-pollination. Another option is bagging using blossom bags, and another is to plant nectar and pollen-producing plants that will bloom at the same time as your tomatoes.