Proper formation of rows for tomatoes will increase yields: plant less – get more. Find out the optimal schemes for planting tomatoes inside your greenhouse.
The distance between plants in the greenhouse should be such that the tomato bush gets enough air. This is important for high-quality pollination of flowers. The fruits need a lot of light. Due to the foliage and fruits of another plant, vegetables on a nearby neighboring bush may be completely or partially hidden, which will affect the timing and quality of their ripening. For each plant and type of greenhouse, there is its own, proven by gardeners, arrangement of bushes. What distance should be between the tomatoes in the greenhouse, we will now tell.
Planting a tomato in a greenhouse: distance, planting patterns and seedling density
Planting tomatoes in a greenhouse involves organizing the most favorable microclimate and creating suitable conditions for plant life. Among the measures to fulfill these tasks, one of the main places is the correct location of tomato bushes in the greenhouse area. The successful organization of seedlings will provide the plants with the necessary level of lighting and ventilation. In addition, the struggle between bushes for nutrients will be less pronounced. Therefore, each plant will be able to receive from the soil a sufficient amount of useful vitamins and minerals for the normal development and nutrition of fruits.
To get a good harvest, you need to follow all the rules for planting tomatoes. As well as take proper care of these very demanding plants.
Today, there are three main plant placement schemes:
- Traditional. Suitable for early ripe varieties of tomatoes and involves the arrangement of bushes in rows at a distance of 27 inch, while maintaining a distance of up to half a meter between plants.
- Double line, ribbon. It is implemented by arranging ribbons in two rows at a 20 inch distance in a checkerboard pattern or parallel to each other.
- Combined. You can use this scheme to place seedlings of different varieties of tomatoes in a greenhouse. So, plant low-growing plants along walls and 12-15 inches apart between plants. Tall plants – at the aisle, with a distance of 20-24 inches.
The density of the bushes depends on the chosen variety and the placement of tomatoes.
So, for the most common greenhouse 9’x21′ meters, with a central aisle between two beds, the following number of bushes will do:
- Undersized and dwarf – about two hundred, when planting two plants each hole and a hundred – if one plant in each.
- Determinate, with average height – no more than forty plants in several lines on each row.
- About thirty bushes of tall tomatoes, planted on each row in two lines in a checkerboard pattern.
Large, sprawling tomatoes can have a maximum of 14 plants in one line.
At what distance to plant tomatoes in a hothouse
The placement of plants depends, first of all, on the tomato variety chosen by the gardener (determinant or indeterminate). So, for medium tall plants, it is customary to leave a distance between greenhouse rows of at least 28 in., for undersized tomatoes – 24in.. As for the distance between the bushes, for large crops it is at least half a meter, for small ones – 16 inches.
For planting tall varieties, a distance of 16 in. between rows and 28 in. between bushes is observed. At the same time, do not forget to leave a path separating the rows with a width of 40 in.. This is necessary so that it is convenient to take care of the planting
In addition, the location of plants depends on the method of formation of the bush and the order of planting. For determinant varieties formed into one stem, leave a distance between the bushes of 8-12 in.. For two plants planted in one hole – 14-16 in.. The planting scheme for indeterminate varieties assumes their location in the garden with a distance of 32 inches. In this case, you should separate the beds from each other at a distance of 40 inches. For holes, you should plant tall plantsin holes 12 inches in diameter, short ones – 8 inches.
For planting tomatoes, they usually choose greenhouses with a height of at least 40 inches more than the height of the bush and a maximum width of 40 in.. This creates the conditions necessary for the normal plant growth and the ripening of fruits. Tomatoes are planted in holes and rows, which must be equidistant from each other at a distance of at least 16 in.. At the same time, the height of the beds should be in the range of 12-14 in., and they should be located at a width of 16-18 inches. After the seedlings get stronger and bushes begin to form, you should deepen your plants into the soil. Add enough soil to keep bushes from falling over.
Stam and dwarf varieties of tomatoes are best suited for greenhouses.
Scheme of planting tomatoes in a 9’x21′ greenhouse
9’x21′ greenhouses are functional shelters that can be easily placed in the garden.
With a single-stem form, the distance between the bushes can be 12 in., it is optimal to leave 20 in. between rows.
In order to maximize the effective placement of tomatoes in such a greenhouse, you must:
- Organize beds 20 inches deep from east to west direction.
- Lay comfortable single-row beds along the walls of the greenhouse with a minimum width of 14, a maximum of 16 inches. At the same time, the distance between the holes should be kept at 16 in..
- Form beds with two trenches (double row) on the main greenhouse area. Plant your tomatoes in a checkerboard pattern on such beds. At the same time, the distance between undersized bushes should be at least 16 cm, between tall ones – 25 cm.
- The distance between the beds of indeterminate bushes should be at least 34 in., for determinant bushes – 20 in..
The scheme for planting tomatoes for a 9’x21′ greenhouse depends on the plant variety, the formation of a bush (in one or more stems). Medium, sprawling plants can be planted in 40-45 bushes, tall, liana tomatoes or tree tomatoes formed in one stem – in 10-15.
Every gardener who wants to get a large and ripe crop of tomatoes in a greenhouse should know at what distance to plant tomatoes. Properly maintained distance will help protect plants from many diseases, and the soil from overload, provide the fruits with light and nutrients from the soil necessary for ripening. Plant tomatoes according to the above recommendations, and you will get maximum result from growing tomatoes in a greenhouse!
Climapod Virtue 9×14 & 9×21 Greenhouse Series With 6-mm Polycarbonate
