[Growster...]

For many years, I've grown greenhouse toms in big pots (about the size of a bucket), spaced about 15" apart, and placed in a watering tray, four to a tray, and found they crop just fine.

I've been given a couple of dozen 7" pots and can get eight in a tray, but reckon that's going to crowd them a bit too much, so may go for just six per tray, and have four trays going - should be enough - could go for seven perhaps...

So it all comes down to crop returns versus space versus cost in the end I suppose! I can easily make room for four trays in the greenhouse.

What does the team think about all this?

[mumofstig]

Thinking....will the plants struggle in 7 inch pots? that's only 3 litres of compost according to the charts, whereas there are 14/15 litres in the average bucket.
If you have to feed/water them hydroponic fashion so that they can grow in such small pots - won't they just taste like the supermarket ones? 

https://www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk/plant-pot-size-guide.html

[Notty1975]

Thinking....will the plants struggle in 7 inch pots? that's only 3 litres of compost according to the charts, whereas there are 14/15 litres in the average bucket.
If you have to feed/water them hydroponic fashion so that they can grow in such small pots - won't they just taste like the supermarket ones? 

https://www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk/plant-pot-size-guide.html

I tend to agree I think the 7” pots would be way to small and think watering would be a real problem and cause the fruit problems later the original pots you using for me would be the minimum but I personally would have more space in between for better air movement

[oldgrunge]

I agree also, 7" would be way to small, difficult to keep them evenly moist, so could lead to blossom end rot.
I grow mine in 10" buckets spaced 18" apart.

[Growster...]

Lovely to see the Welsh connections - 'Bore da'!

I think you're all right - and you also of course Mum (aren't Jacksons local? Paddock Wood?)

Somehow, this ol' grey head says 'Don't crowd them in', and I think I'll stick to the bigger buckets!

The buckets/pots get the bottom half filled with garden soil, and the top half with Jack's Magic, which we really rate here. That'll mean sixteen in the greenhouse, six by the conservatory, and six out the front, both the latter in big growbags and watering trays.

With several down on 'The Patch' (for their last year), we should have enough I reckon..;0)

[Notty1975]

I thought I was pushing it in my greenhouse with 15 plants what size greenhouse you got

[snowdrops]

I agree with everyone else but was going to suggest you cut the bottoms out & use them as ring culture but in to compost, maybe into grow bags. I have some reusable grow bags that I put jacks magic in to, about 3/4 inches then black flower buckets with the bottoms cut out, 3 or 4 to a bag on growbags drip trays, 6 or 7 trays

[Veg Plot 1B]

Don’t know if this is any help but Square foot Gardening says 1 plant per square foot for vine or 1 plant per 2 foot square for bush.