How Far Apart to Plant Tomatoes

Correctly spacing out your tomatoes is key to their success. So if you’re wondering how far apart to plant your tomatoes this article will provide you with all of the details!

Fresh tomatoes are my absolute favorite! Of all the things I grow in my garden each year, tomatoes are the one thing that never goes to waste.

And for the most part, tomatoes are pretty easy to grow but they can also be a bit tricky.

Luckily there are a few things you can do at planting time that will help tremendously with their overall growth and production, and one of the most important steps is giving them the correct amount of space to grow.

Unfortunately, sometimes even the plant tags recommend spacing them too close together. I have found that more space between each plant makes a significant difference.

So let’s go over how far apart you should plant your tomatoes to have the best success without wasting garden space.

How Far Apart to Plant Tomatoes

After all the years of trial and error with planting tomatoes, one of the most important things I’ve discovered is that giving them the proper amount of space is key to their success.

The exact amount of space between tomatoes really depends on the variety but an ideal amount of space is 3.5 – 4.5 feet apart, in rows at least 3 – 4 feet apart.

This may seem like a lot, but if your tomatoes are staked or trellised this extra space makes a huge difference in the overall health and success of your tomato plants.

The added space allows your tomato plants to get plenty of air circulation which helps prevent disease and pest issues and in return, your plants will grow larger and healthier.

Check out my video below for a quick overview!

How Far Apart to Plant Tomatoes (for the best tomato crop)

The confusing part when planting tomatoes is that most plant tags say to plant tomatoes 24 – 36 inches apart for all varieties.

For some varieties that grow smaller, this is plenty. But for many varieties that is not enough.

So when it comes time to plant the first thing you need to check is what type of tomato you are planting.

Tomato Types

There are two main types of tomatoes determinate and indeterminate, and then semi-determinate.

Determinate and semi-indeterminate tomatoes are smaller bush-type tomatoes and they can be planted closer together, 2 – 3 feet is sufficient.

But indeterminate tomatoes continue growing all season long and will definitely benefit from being planted 3.5 – 4.5 feet apart.

A few common determinate tomato varieties include,

• Roma
• Ace 55
• Bush Early Girl

A few common indeterminate tomato varieties include,

• Better Boy
• Beefsteak
• Supersweet 100

Benefits of Proper Tomato Plant Spacing

Giving your tomato plants the proper amount of space will give them extra airflow and circulation which will help minimize or prevent disease and pest issues.

It will also give your plants the extra space needed so that they are not competing for sunlight, water, and nutrients.

And lastly, it will make it much easier to harvest your tomatoes.

So before you plant your tomatoes be sure to check the type and then plant them at the proper spacing so that you set them up for a successful season!

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