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How Far Apart to Plant Tomatoes for Better Growth?
Working on your small garden growing tomatoes can always be rewarding when you end up with the best harvest in the end. The best part about growing the tomatoes is that you will not to do a lot when it comes to maintenance. However, the spacing between the tomatoes is quite important if you want them to grow well.
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The tomatoes are often described as sun-loving plants, so you might find them trying so hard to get the exposure. It is a simple reason why you would want to give it enough room to get the sun exposure. The close spacing sometimes also interferes with the production of fruits and spread of some diseases from one stalk to another.
The Correct Spacing to Use for Growing Tomatoes
Now that you know the importance of growing tomatoes, the question of how far apart to plant tomatoes is what you will be thinking next. Do not worry, we have that covered in this guide. The spacing is quite different depending on the different methods of planting the tomatoes. Check them out below.
1. Spacing for Staked Indeterminate Tomatoes
For this type, you will be using stakes to support the tomatoes at some point as they grow. For such a type of planting, the tomatoes have to be spaced from 24 to 30 inches and from 30 to 42 inches between the rows in the garden.
The stakes too have to be strong to handle the weight of the tomatoes once the fruits start to show up. The wooden stakes should be 6 feet long and about 2 inches in width. Keep the stakes at about 4 inches from the plant stem. The plant will only need the stake when it is long enough to start crawling around it.
Get yourself the Seeds of Change organic tomato seeds to enjoy the best harvest there is when farming tomatoes.
2. Spacing for Caged Indeterminate Tomatoes
Caged in this case means that the tomatoes will be planted in a cylinder or a rectangular cage. The cage will allow the plants to easily grow naturally and offer you an easy time to maintain its growth.
Whenever they grow too long, you can always tie them to the side of the cage as part of the stake. Such a method provides the right support you need for the tomatoes.
"Aside from the support it provides, caging can also protect your tomatoes from roaming pets that may get their hands (or paws) into the fruits. Not only will your tomatoes be ruined, eating them can sometimes be harmful and toxic to pets as well (e.g. Green tomatoes, its leaves, and stem, are bad for cats and dogs! But that’s for a different story)."
When planting in a cage, spacing can be from 24 to 30 inches between the different plants and also give it 30 inches between the plant rows.
3. Spacing for Tomatoes that Sprawl
The tomatoes sometimes can be allowed to sprawl on the ground rather than being caged or staked for support.
Commonly you will find such method being done for the determinate tomatoes. Using this method for the indeterminate tomatoes might make it hard later on to harvest the fruits.
For the sprawling tomatoes, you need to give them enough space of 3 to 4 feet between the plants and about 5 feet for the rows. Having mulch applied on the ground should help in protecting the tomatoes from unnecessary decay.
This YouTube video should give you additional tips on spacing the tomatoes
Caring for the Newly Planted Tomatoes
Just spacing them correctly without the right care will not help at all. You need to make sure that they get the best care that will help them grow better just after transplanting.
1. Provide Enough Mulch
Mulch is quite important for all plants, not just the tomatoes. The work of the mulch normally is to help conserve the soil moisture and suppress the growth of weed from the ground. Such a method ensures that your tomatoes will have an easy time growing and not dealing with weed competition.
You still get to prevent soil splashing when using the mulch in your garden. Soil splashing during heavy rains sometimes leads to soil-born diseases.
2. Give the Tomatoes Support
Although the support can come later on, you still have to provide the best support for these plants. The support helps the tomatoes to grow with strong stems that should be able to hold the weight of the fruits later on.
You can buy the Bond 425 Bamboo stakes for additional support today for the tomatoes.
3. Do Not Use A Lot of Fertilizer
Sometimes people would want to see their tomato grow bigger and faster. As much as fertilizer is good for the tomatoes, too much of it would not help at all. The plant will only absorb what is enough and leave the rest to be washed away.
- You May Also Like: How to Can Tomatoes Without A Pressure Cooker
Time to Plant Now...
If you love the idea of growing tomatoes, that should be some great news. The tomatoes are easy to farm, as they do not need additional care all the time. With the right seeds, the farming of tomatoes should be easy for the farmer. Stick to the spacing as described if you are looking to end up with great produce. Share your thoughts about the spacing of the tomatoes in the comment section below.
About the Author Laura Bennett
Hello, I’m Laura Bennett. I love nature especially when it comes to flowers and different kinds of plants. I started a very small garden behind my house and I named it Humid Garden. So, I created this blog to provide aspiring and inspiring thoughts about gardening for gardeners and anyone who has the intention of keeping a garden.
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