how many tomato plants in square foot gardening

[smom1976]

How many tomato plants per square foot do you put for a square foot gardening ..

 

[Reinbeau]

I keep three feet between each plant. I only plant in two rows, also, so there's no part of the plant I can't get at.

 

[smom1976]

is that from the square foot gardening system?

 

[Beekissed]

1 plant per 1 square foot of space. I have 6 doz plants in a 4ft. x 35 ft. raised bed. I staggered planted them along the outside border of the space and planted onions, melons and pumpkins on the inside of the space. The onions are planted 6 in. apart, the melons and pumpkins are at least 4 ft. apart. I imagine I will have a vining problem when the melons and pumpkins reach maturity but the tomatoes are on a trellis, were planted about the second week of May and are half way up the 6 ft. trellis. They will probably present a problem with seeing all the fruit the way I planted them, but I just wanted to try to maximize at least one bed and see how it fared. The onions were planted at the same time as the tomatoes and are quite large now, so maybe won't need too much sunlight when those maters reach the top of my trellis! It probably wasn't wise to put the melons and pumpkins in this space but I hated to see at least a foot of space bare in the middle of the bed for about 25 ft.! I also planted pole beans on the ends of this bed! As well as nasturtiums and marigolds in all spaces not occupied by vegetables. Incidentally, this bed is the most lush and productive bed in my garden!

So, a foot of space per plant should do it, if my maters can thrive in these crowded conditions! BTW, a foot is recommended by the book!

 

[smom1976]

GREAT!!

I am thinking that I am going to have to come up with a way to train them up...

I have tomato cages but I havent read anywhere you can use them with square foot gardening ..

Thank you sooo much Beekissed

 

[Beekissed]

You're quite welcome! The reason I chose trellis is that the feet of the trellis can be located at the outside of the bed, leaving space for other things in between....all the things I planted in there will be harvested pretty late in the season, but it will still be something getting to them! Not wise, I'm sure, but this is my year to try new things in a new place....its been fun!

 

[luckyducky]

I planted a SFG this year also, and put WAY TOO much stuff in it, I am going to find out how it does, but, at harvest time, I will let you know how my tomatoes fared, needless to say, I planted more than 1 per sq foot. ( umm, didn't read the web site, just looked at the pictures... ).
I am trying to tie up my cabbage leaves because they are so big and I am also tying my potatoes and sunflowers together so some of their neighbors can get some light, I just want to mention, my garden right now looks terrific! But, I think it is REALLY going to be crowded later this summer.

 

[smom1976]

this is my first year too..

I have one 4x8 bed up and planteed..

well not entirely.. I have one foot by eight foot that I have to put a low growing plant in.

any suggestions of a sun loving low growing veggie??

I have two more beds that I still have to put dirt in.

 

[Cassandra]

I did a raised bed. Not so much square foot gardening. But I have one bed of tomatoes and they are really crammed in there. Some of them probably 8-10 inches apart. They are dripping with fruits. The most problem I have had is reaching them all. The ones in the middle... well, you know, there's bugs and spiders way in there. My 4 year old has been pretty brave about fetching them out for me.

I don't recommend this--I'm just sayin'. :/

Also, on the east side and west side of the same bed, I planted a row of bell peppers. The ones on the east side are not producing as well. They are two different kinds of plants, so that may have something to do with it. But it's more than likely because they don't get near enough sun. Any time I go out there, it looks like the tomato plants are shading them.

Cassandra

 

[Dace]

Beekissed, Can you tell us more about your trellis? Got a photo?? is it made of Lattice?

I need a different method next year, I built a little wood structure (two poles and a cross bar) and hung a string down at intervals for my tomatoes to vine up....well so many of my vines have multiple branches that this system is just not working!