Hey everyone! I'm a total newbie to gardening and I've got a bunch of tomato plants that I need to figure out how to arrange. I'm considering planting them in a layout of four 4x4 squares, but I'm curious if I can plant herbs next to my tomatoes or if they need to be separated. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Everything feels a bit overwhelming right now.
4 Answers
I've found that keeping my tomato beds around 2 feet wide helps with reaching in to take care of them. You can make the length however long you want, but I wouldn’t go over 8 feet to avoid struggling with the weight of the plants. I like to plant marigolds with my tomatoes, but they tend to get shaded out as the tomatoes grow. I suspect herbs will have the same issue, so it might be tricky to maintain them in the same space.
I’ve planted herbs and flowers around my young tomatoes before, and it worked out well! Just give it a go—if it doesn’t work, you can always rearrange things next season or even during the season. Plants are generally pretty forgiving!
Some tomato varieties really grow big and can overshadow anything nearby, making it tough for those little herbs to get enough light. Plus, reaching for them among the tomato branches can turn into a bit of an itchy adventure! If you use an app like Planter, it’ll suggest the best plant combinations and where to place them.
I totally get how overwhelming it can feel when you’re starting out! I’m new too, but I found the 'Planter' app super helpful. It helps you figure out which plants are good companions and which ones should stay away from each other. It’s worth checking out!