Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Markjp on May 15, 2011, 11:59

Title: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: Markjp on May 15, 2011, 11:59
Having previously grown tomatoes in growbags, this year I have a new greenhouse and borders to plant in.

My border is 9' 2" x 2' 7" and I was wondering how many tomatoes I can get in the border without overcrowding. I was thinking of maybe zigzaging them front to back to make best use of the space.

Any advice welcome on how you plant up your greenhouse borders. I plan to plant 2 cucumbers at one end also.

Thanks

Mark
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: GrannieAnnie on May 15, 2011, 12:48
We had a similar question the other week Mark.  If I'm short of space, I zigzag them, and plant them with 18 inches between.  then when they get bigger and its difficult to reach through the foliage, I chop a lot of the leaves off the bottom half of the tom plants.

But mine were 3 deep in the polytunnel.  In a 2ft 7in width, you'd have 2 deep like I do in the greenhouse.
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: LivvyW on May 15, 2011, 12:53
I had a very similar set up in my greenhouse, i also used to zig zag, 2 deep about 18" apart. It definitely makes it easier to snip of excess leaves, tie up trusses getting big, and of course harvesting. I also used to have a couple of cucs at the end of the row.

I do find different varieties of toms need different amount of space. I had  a yellow tom that would always grow very tall and slender and took much less room than for instance the moneymaker, which is a big fat plant.
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: mumofstig on May 15, 2011, 13:45
Sometimes I do just one row 18in apart  at the back of the border and plant peppers aubergines and chillis nearer the path, because they don't usually grow that tall :)
and don't forget the french marigolds as path edging because they really do seem to discourage whitefly :)
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: Markjp on May 16, 2011, 20:50
Looks like its 18" apart then  :)

Thanks
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: Kristen on May 18, 2011, 08:37
Sometimes I do just one row 18in apart  at the back of the border and plant peppers aubergines and chillis nearer the path, because they don't usually grow that tall :)
I do it the other way round MoS !!

I put my Toms along the path so they have more height to the ridge (than they would have to the eaves)

Then a row of Aubergines / Peppers

Then Melons along the glass

Nightmare to get to the Peppers / Aubergines to pick them, let alone the Melons!
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: mumofstig on May 18, 2011, 09:10
I just let my toms take on the angle of the eaves, via strings from the cane tops to the ridge.........no probs :lol: ............each to their own :)
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: Kristen on May 20, 2011, 13:51
That would give mine more growing "height" for sure.

Does it cast much shade once the Toms have made it up the roof to the ridge?
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: mumofstig on May 20, 2011, 15:01
everything still seems to grow ok, so I guess not too much  :D Though towards the end of the season I have to duck, but I think your g/house is taller than mine?

They are 18 in apart and all growth under the current truss is usually pruned off, so it's only the top few feet that are casting any shade.
Title: Re: Tomato Spacing in Greenhouse Border
Post by: Kristen on May 20, 2011, 19:08
My cropping greenhouse is not very tall (I would describe it as "squat")

So if the Toms went along the "walls", do you think the Melons would be happy along the path?  I'm thinking it might be a bit harder to train them along some horizontal wires ... (they are currently grown against the "walls")

But height-wise it would be much easier to pick the crops nearer the path.

At present, when i plant the Toms along the edge of the path, I leave a slightly larger gap every 6 plants so that I can squeeze through to get to the rows behind once everything has grown up a bit. But if I bend down to attend to something my bum usually murders something else behind me!

I'm reluctant to change, yet happy to consider alternatives.

The Toms need picking most days - when along the path they are easily reached.

The Aubergines and Peppers (next row, away from the path) only produce one fruit a fortnight? so less need to get to them.  And the Melons produce probably less - but maybe that is because they are so hard to get to that I can never properly hand-pollinate them?!!