Is it okay to leave tomato plants close together?
Question:The plants seem to be growing strong and healthy. They have even started to flower. I know that they are supposed to be competing over nutrients and etc. But they seem to be very happy. I am worried about damaging the root system. I am a first time gardener so i'm not worried about cranking out major yields of tomatoes. It's only three of us and I have a total of 7 tomato plants. What is the best option? Should I risk moving the plants or just see what happens? I also have some bean plants next to the tomatoes and a line of carrots aren't these companions?
Answers:
You have too much vegetation together. I don't know what the area size is but plants, tomatoes especially need breathing and spreading room. take out the other beans and carrots to about 2 feet away.
Tomatoes must have 20-30 cm distance between them,in order to get sun .If they are close together,your tomatoes will be smaller and not so many.
If you try to move a tomato plant when it has flowers, the plant will die.
Whereas-- if you provide containment for the tomatoes, allowing for air circulation, watch for problems, feed and water well-- I say keep them and learn.
Beans will put nitrogen in the soil so that should help your tomatoes-- carrots are in the ground a long time-- so I would have gone with radishes and lettuce--
Rodale books have many that speak to "the square foot gardner" or something like that-- you might check them out..
and start composting now!!
good luck
Depends on where they are grown, If your in the hot dry south you should be fine, If your in the soggy northeast, odds are you will have to deal powdery mildew and bacterial spot
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