What Happens If Tomato Plants Are Too Close?

Tomatoes planted too closely together may be more likely to develop problems, such as: Disease – A lot of plant diseases flourish on moist leaves. If tomatoes are planted so closely together that sunlight and air can't dry out the leaves, the plants will be more likely to develop harmful diseases.

Can tomato plants be too close?

Close Spacing and Growth Habit

Tomatoes are sun-loving plants that do best when they receive full sun for the majority of the day. When plants are spaced too closely, they grow tall as they reach for the light, developing long, scrawny branches that tend to be weak.

Do tomato plants like to be crowded?

When planting tomatoes upright in tomato cages, it's a good idea to give plants at least one and a half feet between them, although two feet is the ideal spacing. The sprawling tomatoes will require about 3′-4′ feet spacing. It is critical to support plants so that they do not fall on the ground.