I'm using netting this season for tomatoes and itÂs plenty strong. Two trellis are 4' wide by 7' tall with four plants total and they are very crowded. The cherry has turned into a monster and is crowding the beefsteak and roma. The rest of the tomatoes are on netting that is 15' wide, 5' tall with metal stakes every 4 feet. I spaced the plants every 4-5 feet and these plants are not crowded. Although they're getting taller than the trellis, it's easy to "weave" new growth to the side. The exceptions are the Brandywine that aren't as flexible as the others. I've supported these with an additional bamboo stick here and there. Tomato spacing really depends on what kind you want to grow. Cherry need LOTS of space. Some, like Black Krim, are short and squat. I think my Brandywine could have been put closer together because they didnÂt branch out but are very tall.

I don't know about others, but I do not lump them all together. With "peppers" and tomatoes, you have got at least 10.000 varieties of each. Growing tomatoes and bell peppers in one setup and with one nutrient isn't the worst you can grow together, though. Bell- and hot peppers (generally speaking) are not unlike tomatoes, best grown with high Potassium and relatively low Nitrogen formulas. Well, tall bell pepper plants are often growing fast and can use more Nitrogen than their smaller relatives. And, most hot peppers (c. chinense, c. baccatum, frutescens and pubescens are much happier with lower nutrient concentration but don't mind somewhat more Nitrogen (in respect of lower concentration) as tomatoes. PH is compatible anyways, all in all - no big deal to grow them together, as long as you follow these rules that aren't a big secret anyway. ;-) Btw: your Cajun Tabascos should be capsicum frutescens, and in case, they grow slowly and build up quite a structure before going to blooming and fruiting stage (what you aim for in fact) - and hence they will take several month to mature and grow best with low nutrien concentration and high potassium content (as seen earlier). The good thing about them is that they are quite robust and forgiving, if treated decently... Btw: Capsicum frutescens is what grows best here in Thailand and in this "rough" climate.

I'm supporting mine this year using the single twine method. Both indeterminate and determinate varieties... They've held well so far yet, but are only starting to produce so time will tell! Sorry I can't offer any more than that as of yet

I tried a zuch that way once. It didn't work out. The weight of the leaves would bend the hollow stems down over the wire of the tomatoe cage and that cut off circulation to the leaf, which then died. This caused the plant to struggle and I got like 2 zuch's total from it all summer. Bad plan. Abort, Abort! I plant my summer squash in the center of 4 square feet (2x2)and let them trail over the side of the raised bed. Snibb, a poster to this sight has had luck training them up a single stake. I believe a metal fence post is used and a jump rope or equivelent thickness cord is used to tie up the central stem of the squash plant as it grows, knotting every 8 inches up or so. With this method, Snibb only gives it one square foot of space, but I think other shorter plants are located in the surrounding squares. Hope that helps! Susan