SF gardening and tomato

[obsessed]

So how may squares does a tomato get? I was thinking of 4. But maybe that is too much and wasted space. I have read that they can get 1 square and then pruning it to keep it in line. What do you guys think?

all i know is my cherry got really big this year.... and 1 square feels tight!

 

[lesa]

I think 4 is way too much, unless you have unlimited space....I plant mine about one foot apart. Sometimes it does get crowded, but I don't think it hurts. Once, fruit is set, you can keep them trimmed up, if they get out of hand. There is no point in my plants flowering in August- they won't have time to develop, here in zone 4. I like my garden to be really full- I am sure that is not proper technique, but it makes me happy!!

 

[obsessed]

So then you trim the tops. I have a really long growing season so I am not sure how much room. I did have one cherry which sprawled over a 4 foot wide bed. It got huge!

 

[HiDelight]

I put one tomato in a SF they got HUGE this year!!!

 

[obsessed]

HiD - that is what I was thinking. Of course I didn't do much pruning. But they easily overtook my cages and I would be positive if I measured them they could have been like 7-8 feet.

 

[HiDelight]

prune from the bottom up keep the bottom leaves off the dirt and then if you want to espiliar them (I hope I spelled that right)

it helps produce a nice big strong crop I got 9 plants in my square foot beds

 

[journey11]

I give mine 3' apart both directions and train them to a stake. I never let the vine's height exceed 5' tall and pinch them back. I also am very rigorous in keeping them pruned, taking out all suckers and only allowing a single main vine. I think you get larger tomatoes this way. And another advantage to it is that if they have enough distance between themselves it slows down the spread of disease and pests, lots of air circulation and full sun without allowing them to shade each other. I also like a lot of room to move around and work on them so I don't get completely stained in green!

You can get by on less space, especially if you have good, rich soil. Commercial growers do. But they also don't hold onto their plants as long as most home gardeners do, and the longer you let them go, the more chance for disease develops, especially into the Fall.

(ETA: Let me add, I aim to not spray my tomatoes at all, which is why I give them the preventative space. Usually I end up spraying once in midsummer for stinkbugs. Some years (like this past year) I have gotten away with no spraying. It is also very important to rotate your tomato planting section of the garden. I use a 3 year rotation.)

 

[herbfan1]

Great bald eagle pictures. In re to tomatoes - a while back I discovered that planting basil plants near the tomato plants make the tomatoes taste better. I have become a dedicated herb gardener.

 

[lesa]

I agree herbfan- I planted a few different kinds of basil in between my tomatoes, and really enjoyed it. I am absolutely addicted to basil!! If I could only grow one thing, I think that would be my choice. I also planted marigolds and borage with my tomatoes, which worked out real well.