With spacing Tomato Plants there are two different distances to consider:
- The distance between each plant in a row.
- The distance between each row.
There are also some differences to consider between Cordon (Indeterminate) and Bush (Determinate). Bush tomatoes sprawl further sideways and will require an additional 6 to 12 inches between them .
However it’s difficult to find a standard recommendation as the starting point.
For the spacing between each plant in a row the minimum distance is 16 inches whilst some recommendations are for up to 4ft. The most frequently recommended distance though is 24 inches (2ft).
Again the recommended spacings between rows varies between 2ft and 5ft. There must be some tomato lovers with a lot of garden ! The most frequently recommended distance is 30 to 36 inches.
Recommended spacings are made for the grower planting their tomatoes directly into the ground, either outdoors or in a greenhouse border, in mind.
Getting the spacing right between plants is about making sure that each plant will have enough access to water and nutrients and that there is room between plants for air to circulate.
For plants in pots (one plant per pot ) sharing water and nutrients does not have the same consideration. However air circulation and therefore how far apart the pots should be placed does need to be thought through.
Grow bags are in that hybrid ground in the middle ! Sharing resources and by the nature of the container they will be at a set space from each other. However that space doesn’t look like enough.
I measured how far apart the tomato plants are in the giant tomato planter. It is 12 inches.
It will be interesting to see what the impact on their productivity is. I have a feeling I know the answer and I don’t like it!
Have you arrived through trial and error at your own spacing ?
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For what it’s worth, I think the spacing depends on two things in particular: first, if the soil is very good with lots of nutrients, the plants can be closer; second, if you keep pruning off the leaves of cordon varieties (leaving about the top three big ones) once the first truss has set, there is plenty of air and light around the plants and the energy goes into the fruits and further upward growth. Tumblers in hanging baskets don’t need this. Few leaves = bigger crops and reduced risk of whitefly infestation / diseases. Lots of light and air = happy plants and ecstatic tomato lovers. Try it if you don’t believe and compare with plants that you don’t deal with like this. All is hunky-dunky in the Pennines. Great weather for toms.
P.S. My red alerts are twelve inches apart.
I’m going to give this a go. Lots of foliage near the bottom of the plant also makes watering more difficult. I enjoy pinching out so I think I am ready to move on to a bit more drastic action in pruning. I will do some and leave others to see the difference and will post some pictures next week of the ‘shorn’ plants.