How many tomato plants?

[Bigmallly]

I don't want to come across confrontational but you have asked a question, most if not all the replies agree yet you still feel 30 is not too many.............so just grow them & see what happens.

[Newbiegrower1970]

What kind? That's the problem, i want to grow all of them. I don't even have a poly tunnel yet. Just wondering whether i can cram them all in. Opinion seems to be that i shouldn't

[veggiechicken]

There's no point in "cramming" in too many - we're all saying that. But its your choice, not ours.

[Bigmallly]

If you are going to grow Determinates, you'll need 3-4ft between plants. For indeterminates I would go at 2ft spacings.............Other growers may give more room per plant.

[sparrow100]

I've said it before on your other thread, but I put 15 cordon tomato plants in an 8x6 greenhouse. It means watering carefully (through bottles sunk in the ground) and they are grown in the ground not in pots. I remove sideshoots twice weekly and also the lower leaves. On a cherry/salad tom I get 7-8 trusses to set and ripen. On beefsteaks rather less than that. I also have 4 plants outside. Last year's less than great harvest was 13kg from July to October.

Why not try one side at the spacing you want, and the other at the spacing suggested and see whether there's any difference?

[Jungle Jane]

If you run out of space in the polytunnel,plant the rest out in the open. I grow a lot of tomato plants in my little garden,none of them undercover,I had blight on two plants but got rid of them quickly & no other plants got it. If you do have extra plants,friends & neighbours might be interested? I've got 48 varieties this year I've narrowed down from about 52,not very narrowed down is it I don't know what I'm going to do??

[Scarlet]

I've got 48 varieties this year I've narrowed down from about 52,not very narrowed down is it I don't know what I'm going to do??

Haha, that is not narrowed down!

[vixylix]

Bear in mind you need to have enough space to get into them to nip out sideshoots etc - I had 7 in 3 metres (outside) this year and they rapidly became a tangled tomato jungle!

[Newbiegrower1970]

I am taking the comments on board. Perhaps I'll increase space to 2 feet, that should be 24 plants

[Scarlet]

Perhaps I'll increase space to 2 feet, that should be 24 plants

I'm getting confused here....How big is your tunnel? if its 12Ft long you will get 6 down the length. If its 6ft wide you will have enough room for a 2ft bed either side of a 2ft path. ( you cant plant straight against the glass - you will need at least 12 inches from the glass all the way around) Plant in the middle at the back and that's 13 plants?

[Bigmallly]

I'm getting confused here....How big is your tunnel? if its 12Ft long you will get 6 down the length. If its 6ft wide you will have enough room for a 2ft bed either side of a 2ft path. ( you cant plant straight against the glass - you will need at least 12 inches from the glass all the way around) Plant in the middle at the back and that's 13 plants?

I'm more confused than you Scarlet...........Glass in a Polytunnel?...........

[Scarlet]

oh...bu@@er of!!

I was thinking plastic..you cant plant right upto it, there needs to be at least (IMO) a foot away from the plant to the side and you also need to factor in the curve.

[Bigmallly]

I knew what you meant.............I'm just in one of those moods...........Here's a new saying for you......People in Polytunnels shouldn't throw stones...........

[veggiechicken]

...........because they bounce back and hit them in the chops?

[Alison]

I am taking the comments on board. Perhaps I'll increase space to 2 feet, that should be 24 plants

I don't understand. You say your tunnel is 4 x 2, we're assuming that you mean meters. Assuming this is the case you can only get a narrow bed down each 4m side and even then they'll be quite close to the walls and therefore restricted by the tunnel curvature. That aside, 4m = 157". Assuming 2' spacing, that only allows for 6.5 plants, obviously you can't have half a plant so worst case, assume 7 degrees when each side which is only 14 in total. Don't understand where you get 24 from unless I've misunderstood the size of the tunnel.