Only one type of plant per box...

I have several different types of tomatoes that I want to grow.  The book says only one type of plant per box. Does that mean I need 6 different boxes if I want to grow 6 types of tomatoes?

My recollection is that the ANSFG book and the ANSFG Answer Book say that there is great value in planting different crops in every square in every box. It confuses insect predators, balances nutrient depletion in soil, and makes it harder for viruses and bacteria to always find a nearby host, as well as to perfectly adapt to your conditions before they might have to go without their natural host(s) for a while and die out instead.

The main problem with tomatoes in an ordinary healthy environment is that they take up a lot of room. So Mel recommends not growing bush (determinate) tomatoes, since they can take over so many squares, and going for indeterminate vining tomatoes instead, training them up a trellis at the north side of the box. But if you want to grow two or three different kinds of indeterminate tomatoes in a single box -- whatever size your box will comfortably hold -- that's fine.

Marc, thank you for the information!

WifeMom, I plant 1 to 3 varieties per box. My back yard is so teeny that I grow both determinant and indeterminant tomatoes vertically. 3 tomatoes per 4' of trellis is comfortable. You can plant a few flowers, basil, leaf lettuce or radishes in some of the bare spots between the tomatoes.

Some of my boxes had four different vining types like in this picture, these were thinned out a lot and I had to keep cutting off the 8 ft. tall tops. I didn't want to climb any higher.

What a nice, big FLAT yard you have, Llama Mama...  (drool, drool).  I can just see all SORTS of boxes filled w/ lots of yummy things...

On the tomatoes - I know I should take out the side shoots that develop.  What about some of the lower leaf stems, etc.?

Yes.  Its hard to see in the picture but the first foot or so of tomato branches were removed. The yard, well, we always dreamed of elbow room. Many addresses through the years so this should be it for quite awhile.

Thanks. I can hear your excitement, it's very rewarding to grow things successfully. Making more boxes becomes so addictive too.  I have to stop at 10 this year because there is just the two of us.  I produce all of my compost so I have to commit my energy to produce enough finished compost to get all the veggie boxes 'fed' for the whole season, plus feed other non-sfg flower bed areas.