[Lardman]

I've just put the pots in place at the 24" spacing I promised myself last year so as not to over crowd them and it looks so silly you could drive a bus between the plants.

Im tempted to squidge them up a little to 20" spacing and get another plant in. Straw poll - If you're growing in pots what spacing are you using.

[JayG]

I assume that's 24" between the centres of adjacent plants, rather than 24" between the rims of adjacent pots?

Also, what plants are you growing in them (if tomatoes, bush varieties need a lot more space than cordons, of course?)

Even so, I grow my toms in home-made planters, and the spacing is only about 15" between cordons, 2' between bush types - seems to work without too many problems as long as I'm careful about ventilation, not wetting leaves when watering, etc.

Never tried to grow straw polls so can't comment on spacing for them I'm afraid. 

[mumofstig]

5 plants down the side of an 8ft greenhouse, is what I do - whether in pots or in the ground.

[Lardman]

Yes - 24" centres, all cordon apart from the rio grande and I'll probably just run that as a double cordon.

I make that around 20" centres MoS, it's the ventilation thing which is bothering me - I seemed to be plagued with botrytis every year, no matter how careful I am.

Never tried to grow straw polls so can't comment on spacing for them I'm afraid. 

   You have to pack those in as tight as possible.

[mumofstig]

it's the ventilation thing which is bothering me - I seemed to be plagued with botrytis every year, no matter how careful I am.

It's weird, cos I use the same spacing in both greenhouses - I get botrytis in the polycarb but never in the glasshouse 

The only difference (apart from the obvious) is the auto window in the glasshouse - perhaps I'm not quick enough to open the manual one in the morning 

[jrko]

All plants in 12inch pots, 3inch between rims for toms and strict pruning of side shoots and manky leaves. 

Solar powered fans for air movement 

[Auntiemogs]

Trying mine (Charlottes) in Morrisons flower buckets this year, 1 per bucket.  Easy to move around, and I'm going to try lifting the individual plants and taking a few pots from each.   

[snowdrops]

I found reducing the amount of water was the key to beating botrytis. I grew my toms on the ring culture system, so they stood on trays of gravel & I kept them too wet. Plus my new greenhouse has 2 x 3 opening lights each side plus 2 x louvres, so lots of ventilation as they all have automatic openers on them. Mine is 8ft x 10 FT  so I have 2 trays each side of the path softly with 3/4 flower buckets in each tray & usually  12 trays in total with a couple of cucumbers along the end

[Growster...]

Sungold and Gardener's Delight all go in 10" pots,four to a tray, so that's 14 along one long wall. We also have long trays along the same wall, but on the outside.

Seems to work, and have always done this layout!

(In this pic, the far end had trays going acrossways, for Mrs Growster's chilli peps)!

I also tucked a few more toms in on the far left, and while they grew well, they were a bit cramped, and when the cucumbers got a bit aggressive, I had to use a machete to get in - and out!

[Lardman]

That's shockingly tidy in there Mr Growster   

By the looks and sounds of things you're all cramming things in much closer than I am  so what gives with the botrytis every year?

[snowdrops]

That's shockingly tidy in there Mr Growster   

By the looks and sounds of things you're all cramming things in much closer than I am  so what gives with the botrytis every year?

Too much water 

[Lardman]

Too much water 

I could understand me overwatering the pots in the bottom GH but the beds in the top GH are usually dust dry and keeping things watered is a problem.

I have 2 windows and a vent in the bottom GH but I do wonder about forcing some air movement with a fan as I have to keep the door closed because of cats.

[snowdrops]

Make a mesh screen to keep them out

[mumofstig]

Leave the door open and put wire mesh or netting across to stop the cats 

I also remove the top glass triangle at the end of mine 


snap snowdrops!

[Growster...]

So far, we've never had any botrytis, but humidity is a must in any greenhouse, so we just water the trays, and occasionally syringe the toms!

It was a bit crammed-in last year, and we'll do more planting on 'The Patch', as we still feel that soil-grown toms are tastier than greenhouse ones!

We've now got two auto-vents and anyway, we can open the door at any time if necessary!