Tomato Row Spacing

[AlittleSalt]

Last year we had a chicken snake in the garden. It had to be at least 6' long and it couldn't care less that I was near it. I looked down at the dog and told him to go play with the snake. He looked up at me and his eyes told me - ain't gonna happen'.

We always have a lot of snakes here. We planted a large Ivy bed that takes up 30' or so under and in two huge oak trees. This attracts mice which attracts snakes. The ivy bed is near the garden.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Last year we had a chicken snake in the garden. It had to be at least 6' long and it couldn't care less that I was near it. I looked down at the dog and told him to go play with the snake. He looked up at me and his eyes told me - ain't gonna happen'.

We always have a lot of snakes here. We planted a large Ivy bed that takes up 30' or so under and in two huge oak trees. This attracts mice which attracts snakes. The ivy bed is near the garden.

What kind of Ivy is it?
I started English Ivy for a ground cover and it is doing great.
I know it is invasive to a lot of areas but here invasive means it can survive without a lot of water sometimes.
To keep it out of the tree tops is easy just prune it.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Worth1

What kind of Ivy is it?
I started English Ivy for a ground cover and it is doing great.
I know it is invasive to a lot of areas but here invasive means it can survive without a lot of water sometimes.
To keep it out of the tree tops is easy just prune it.

Worth

It is English Ivy. It did lose some leaves during the drought years. This year's rains have really made for a big growth spike. It really looks nice.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

It is English Ivy. It did lose some leaves during the drought years. This year's rains have really made for a big growth spike. It really looks nice.

It does look nice.
I am about ready to cut some of mine and replant it farther in the yard.
I love the stuff.
Worth

[Fusion_power]

I have a black snake that catches mice in my greenhouse each spring and summer. A few times, I've had to ask a customer to walk to one side so they don't step on him. Most understand the importance of snakes in our ecosystem. Without them, rats and mice would overrun the world.

This is pretty far off topic, we should get back to discussing plant spacing.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

I have a black snake that catches mice in my greenhouse each spring and summer. A few times, I've had to ask a customer to walk to one side so they don't step on him. Most understand the importance of snakes in our ecosystem. Without them, rats and mice would overrun the world.

This is pretty far off topic, we should get back to discussing plant spacing.

Row spacing is important so you can get away from snakes.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

I started looking at the tomato varieties I have on a list of 2-10 oz. size tomatoes. I'm hoping to find a few varieties that can be planted 18" apart in the row. I know Lime Green Salad and Pinky Blast are ones that could easily be planted every 18". The reason for 18" is the drip irrigation has emitters every 18". The larger tomato plants will be planted every 3' like I've always planted tomatoes in the past.

[Worth1]

Salt here are three invasive plants all growing together along with box wood and cast iron plants.
English ivy.
Nadina.
Cape honeysuckle.
All are as happy as a clam.
I planted all of this stuff less than two years ago dry stacked the stone and hauled in the soil.
Worth
IMG_20151114_40631.jpg

[AlittleSalt]

It looks really good together. The stacked rock bed is in style. It has been for at least 10 years. Laid with hidden mortar on the back costs a lot to have it done.

I found another 18" tall/wide tomato variety that I have seeds for - Silvery Fir Tree

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

It looks really good together. The stacked rock bed is in style. It has been for at least 10 years. Laid with hidden mortar on the back costs a lot to have it done.

I found another 18" tall/wide tomato variety that I have seeds for - Silvery Fir Tree

Thanks the bottom stones are huge it was laid in a trench and then the other ones on top.
The back side is ragged and the soil has it locked in and you can tell but they are all leaning inwards.
I cant kick it over.

Sivery fir tree is cute but that is about it not even worth the trouble to grow in my opinion but you might like it.
Few do.

Do you have Oregon Spring or 406 bush in your collection?

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

No, I don't have those.

[Fusion_power]

Worth! Do you realize you planted invasives beside a Water Meter? They will crawl down the side of your rock bed and into the soil and down beside the pipe until they find that Water Pipe and then they will chew through the pipe and get all the water they want which will make them grow like gangbusters and take over the world!

Did you by chance mean 506 Bush? http://www.tomatogrowers.com/506-BUSH/productinfo/2205/

[Gardeneer]

Plant Spacing:
I plant all my tomatoes in raised beds @ 18" to 24" spacing. So that is like one plant gets 3 sq-ft of land. Three sq-ft at about 14" depth will hold about 24 gallons of soil. That is plenty for the root system. But the challenge is to manage the top over that air space. So beside staking I make a structure from wood, that is like a giant wooden cage of 3ft by 6ft and 6 to 8 ft tall. Then I do combination of tying and weaving.
Now that my plants are dead you can get a view of what I am talking about.
The shorter structures are for determinants.
So the answer is "YES" you can plant at 18" spacing.
Gardenee

[AlittleSalt]

Gardeneer, I've been thinking of growing some of our tomatoes different than I have in the past. I've always just let them grow without much trimming and provide some support. Most of our tomatoes will be grown in-ground in our large garden - along with Squash, Black eyed Peas, and Okra. Maybe some potatoes in there too. Other veges including cherry tomatoes will be grown in raised beds.

We've got the Epic Tomatoes book coming in the mail next Tuesday. I want to read it before making up my mind on how to grow next Spring's tomatoes.

[crazyoldgooseman]

I did rows 4 ft apart this year. After a while I could not get in there to spray and pick and foliage disease was probably bad due to that. I recommend 5 ft apart especially for indeterminates.