Distance between plants...??

huntsman · October 28, 2009

I'm sure I have read this already but cannot find it now...

What distance is a fair rule of thumb to leave between plants? Sure, it will depend on variety, but just to get me going??

Thanks!

dipchip2000 · October 28, 2009

Huntsman, Im sure that you will get many different measurements so read them and then make up your own mind. For me I plant determinates a minimum of three
feet apart and indeterminates mininum of four feet apart.. If you have lots of room
farther apart if you like. I prune lower branches but not upper branches on both to keep leaves from touching soil or mulch. Dcarch plants very close and who can argue with his results. Just try to leave yourself enough room to attend each plant.

just an ole mans thoughts
dipchip2000

Blueaussi · October 28, 2009

I plant two feet apart in rows three feet apart. Very crowded, but I'm limited on space.

b54red · October 28, 2009

I planted my indeterminates 6 ft apart on a large trellis this year and they still needed more room. The one thing I can count on down here is if my plants become too bushy the diseases follow. I would rather have occasional sunscald than a dead plant. I would love to have lower humidity and be able to plant closer because I would have room for more varieties.

pete · October 28, 2009

4-5' apart for indeterminents in rows 6-7' apart. Sungold is always the largest plant and it gets planted 6' from every thing, by itself so the kids can 'have at it'.

creister · October 28, 2009

I usually put 6 plants in 48 sq. ft. beds. Still gets crowded later in the year, but I just prune some. 8 sq. ft./plant seems to be just about right if you have the room.

camochef · October 28, 2009

I like a minimum of 4 ft between plants and 5 ft between rows. I keep all plants in cages and it still gets difficult to manuever between towards end of season. If you can increase each measurement an additional ft each way, so much the better.
Good airflow helps to prevent disease and I still prune the bottoms of my plants to allow good airflow at those distances.
Good Luck!
Camo

huntsman · October 29, 2009

Wow, am I glad I asked that question?!

I would have definitely planted them too close together in my desire to have more plants...!

Not to figure out what to do with the peppers.

Thanks, y'all!

Farmer Matt · October 29, 2009

2 ft got determinate and 4ft for interdeterminate. That's how I plant mine, and thet still grow crazy.

icelord · October 29, 2009

I plant 2 feet apart 3 between rows, it is tight but I put 100 plants in a row and support with wire. I use cages for my cherries, I build them out of untreated scrap wood.

Dean

Aussiemark · October 29, 2009

I plant 60 cm between plants, 80cm between rows when space is tight.

When space is amble I plant 90-120cm between plants 80cm between rows.

I let then plants intertwine and eventually support each other, but I live in a very low humidity area so don't have the disease problems crowded plants in high humidity areas have.

All plants indeterminate.

Also be mindful that some of the plants, cherry tomato in particular, can be very vigorous and take over the space of the near by plants, in these cases you just need to trim it back to keep it under control.

Mark

huntsman · October 29, 2009

Good advice, thanks!

I'm actually starting off with Cherry Sweetie, so I'll heed your suggestion, Mark.

Blueaussi · October 29, 2009

Huntsman, peppers vary wildly in both height and how much they spread. Part of my pepper plotting is to put the large plants towards the back, and keep the short ones near the edges so they don't get shaded out. Some , like the cherry chocolates or Almapaprika plants are very small, and I can put two or even three in the space I would put one Lemon Drop plant. So, know your varieties!

BigdaddyJ · October 29, 2009

I am same as camo. Minimum 4 feet and 5 is even better for indet. Remember there are roots involved here too! I cage and never prune and the plants still grow into each other by September. Big plants need big roots.

AZRuss · November 1, 2009

Here in the Arizona desert I deliberately plant densely--no more than 2 feet apart. Though it seems that this might reduce my harvest, actually the opposite is true. All that dense foliage together helps keep the flowers (and thus, pollen) cooler, which extends fruit set a little bit before summer shutdown.

October 28, 2009	#1
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	Distance between plants...?? I'm sure I have read this already but cannot find it now... What distance is a fair rule of thumb to leave between plants? Sure, it will depend on variety, but just to get me going?? Thanks!

October 28, 2009	#2
dipchip2000 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma Posts: 664	didtance Huntsman, Im sure that you will get many different measurements so read them and then make up your own mind. For me I plant determinates a minimum of three feet apart and indeterminates mininum of four feet apart.. If you have lots of room farther apart if you like. I prune lower branches but not upper branches on both to keep leaves from touching soil or mulch. Dcarch plants very close and who can argue with his results. Just try to leave yourself enough room to attend each plant. just an ole mans thoughts dipchip2000

October 28, 2009	#5
pete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: cincinnati Posts: 202	tom distance 4-5' apart for indeterminents in rows 6-7' apart. Sungold is always the largest plant and it gets planted 6' from every thing, by itself so the kids can 'have at it'.

October 29, 2009	#10
icelord Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: 23463 copemish Mi 49625 Posts: 180	Apart I plant 2 feet apart 3 between rows, it is tight but I put 100 plants in a row and support with wire. I use cages for my cherries, I build them out of untreated scrap wood. Dean

October 29, 2009	#14
BigdaddyJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zone7 Delaware Posts: 399	I am same as camo. Minimum 4 feet and 5 is even better for indet. Remember there are roots involved here too! I cage and never prune and the plants still grow into each other by September. Big plants need big roots. __________________ Farmer at Heart

October 28, 2009	#3
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	I plant two feet apart in rows three feet apart. Very crowded, but I'm limited on space.

October 28, 2009	#4
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I planted my indeterminates 6 ft apart on a large trellis this year and they still needed more room. The one thing I can count on down here is if my plants become too bushy the diseases follow. I would rather have occasional sunscald than a dead plant. I would love to have lower humidity and be able to plant closer because I would have room for more varieties.

October 28, 2009	#6
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	I usually put 6 plants in 48 sq. ft. beds. Still gets crowded later in the year, but I just prune some. 8 sq. ft./plant seems to be just about right if you have the room.

October 28, 2009	#7
camochef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 707	I like a minimum of 4 ft between plants and 5 ft between rows. I keep all plants in cages and it still gets difficult to manuever between towards end of season. If you can increase each measurement an additional ft each way, so much the better. Good airflow helps to prevent disease and I still prune the bottoms of my plants to allow good airflow at those distances. Good Luck! Camo

October 29, 2009	#9
Farmer Matt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Tracy, California Posts: 63	2 ft got determinate and 4ft for interdeterminate. That's how I plant mine, and thet still grow crazy.

October 29, 2009	#11
Aussiemark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 49	I plant 60 cm between plants, 80cm between rows when space is tight. When space is amble I plant 90-120cm between plants 80cm between rows. I let then plants intertwine and eventually support each other, but I live in a very low humidity area so don't have the disease problems crowded plants in high humidity areas have. All plants indeterminate. Also be mindful that some of the plants, cherry tomato in particular, can be very vigorous and take over the space of the near by plants, in these cases you just need to trim it back to keep it under control. Mark

November 1, 2009	#15
AZRuss Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 171	Here in the Arizona desert I deliberately plant densely--no more than 2 feet apart. Though it seems that this might reduce my harvest, actually the opposite is true. All that dense foliage together helps keep the flowers (and thus, pollen) cooler, which extends fruit set a little bit before summer shutdown.