Spacing for tomatoes in a square foot garden
torganic
14 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (11)
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
14 years agohomertherat
14 years agoRelated Discussions
First square foot garden... 2 squares left
Comments (2)Personally, I'd plant more spinach in one. The other, I'd try for something else leafy - even better if the roots are edible too! Nasturtium is fun, especially for a 2 yr old since you can eat the leaves and the flowers :) We can't get enough Chard in my house! Good luck and hope to hear that it goes so well you become addicted!...See MoreMy first garden - partially square foot
Comments (4)Thanks, marzy! I've changed my mind about trying the Florida weave. I'm concerned that it might take a lot more monitoring to make sure it all stays enclosed. So, my second idea was to get cattle panels, and use those as row trellises, and just keep on pushing the vines back and forth through the openings. But, then I thought about the size of the panels (four feet high), and thought about how big indeterminates can get, and thought I'd have to stack two panels to get them up to 8 feet, which means 10 foot t-posts and monster supports so it won't blow over. A 8x16 foot space presented to prairie winds... yeah, that sounds secure! So, here is my new plan. I'm going to put the tomatoes in two rows of 10. There will be 5 arched cattle panels, making a long tunnel of arches. There will be 4 plants per arch; two on each side. This will give the benefit of 8 feet of growing height per plant, while presenting only 4x8 feet of wind barrier per panel. I haven't managed to figure how much space I'll have underneath each arch. If there is enough room, I thought that might be the ideal location for lettuce, carrot, and spinach crops. The shade that will occur during the hottest part of the year might enlarge the growing season. It's been raining all weekend, and we're due for more rain all week. *sighs* So it's going to be a while before I can get all my arches set up in the garden. There are supposed to be a couple of clear days this week, so I'm hoping I can get the three melon panels set up, since those are going out in the field, and not in the tilled up garden....See MoreMy Square Foot Garden 'Tiny Farm'
Comments (7)Looks great. I'd really recommend a trellis arrangement instead of tomato cages. I used cages for years, I've used a trellis for one year, and will probably never go back to cages again. The nylon mesh material Mel recommends is very sturdy and allows you to grow your tomatoes further up while having them interfere less with the plants near them. 1) I put mine wherever I can fit them in, on the other hand I don't have such a big bed, so I guess I would try for a central location, or several squares in different places if I had that much space to work with. If you are worried about them being overshadowed, the big marigolds (1 per square foot) really are big, and tall, plants. 2)I would think the pepper would be fine. I am moving the peppers to the front (well the second row of squares back from the front) of my garden this year after they were overshadowed by my bush beans last year and didn't produce any peppers. 3) Never underestimate the space-hunger of the squash. Bush squash are BIG. Plant short-term crops like radishes around the edges of the squash area in spring, but expect that area to disappear rapidly. 4) Spreading out the plants (a square here, a square there) sure does make the garden prettier, and means that if there is a "problem" for one type of plant it may not wipe out your crop completely....See MoreSquare foot tomato gardening?
Comments (22)I do a variation on the square foot gardening. I've planted them anywhere from a foot to a foot and a half apart and, assuming you have good soil in your raised beds, I haven't seen much difference. Here's the thing, though. In either case you need to be pretty religious about pruning. I never let any of the stems (other than the main stem, of course) get more than 12" and keep the suckers clipped. The other thing I do is plant them in the trench method to get maximum root growth. The biggest issue you have with planting them close together isn't that there isn't enough space for root growth but rather the amount of light each will get. If you keep them pruned and only planted in a single row it's not a huge issue. This year, I will be elevating my tomato row by adding another tier to the bed for a 12" depth all along the back row. Not only will this allow me to plant them a bit deeper but I am hoping to do a row of shorter, bush types in front of them. Hopefully, they won't get very tall and obscure the ones in back. In either case, Ill be doing early/mid season determinates in the front row so I can yank those out for the second half of the season and plant something shorter in there if need be....See Moreengineeredgarden
14 years agojeremyjs
14 years agomirindas
14 years agobsntech
14 years agooasis_226
14 years agosnowmanaxp
14 years agon1111z
14 years agooasis_226
14 years ago
Related Stories
EDIBLE GARDENSSummer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes
Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNThe 100-Square-Foot Kitchen: Farm Style With More Storage and Counters
See how a smart layout, smaller refrigerator and recessed storage maximize this tight space
Full StoryCONTEMPORARY HOMESHouzz Tour: Split-Level Home Uses Every Square Foot
A staircase connects levels that share views and light. The result is separate rooms with an open-plan feeling
Full StorySMALL KITCHENSThe 100-Square-Foot Kitchen: One Woman’s $4,500 DIY Crusade
Teaching herself how to remodel, Allison Macdonald adds function, smarter storage and snazzier materials
Full StoryFARM YOUR YARDGrow a Kitchen Garden in 16 Square Feet
Got a sunny 4-by-4 space? You can make meals more interesting with your own vegetables and herbs
Full StorySMALL HOMESHouzz Tour: A Family of 4 Unwinds in 540 Square Feet
An extraordinarily scaled-down home and garden for a couple and their 2 kids fosters sustainability and togetherness
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNFlorida Carriage House Gains 900 Square Feet of Outdoor Living Space
Rich materials and tropical plantings enhance this relaxing vacation getaway in downtown Key West
Full StoryROOM OF THE DAYRoom of the Day: An 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom Gains Beauty and Space
Smart design details like niches and frameless glass help visually expand this average-size bathroom while adding character
Full StorySMALL HOMESHouzz Tour: Sustainable, Comfy Living in 196 Square Feet
Solar panels, ship-inspired features and minimal possessions make this tiny Washington home kind to the earth and cozy for the owners
Full StorySMALL SPACESLife Lessons From 10 Years of Living in 84 Square Feet
Dee Williams was looking for a richer life. She found it by moving into a very tiny house
Full StorySponsored
torganicOriginal Author