Obviously spacing the plants 4' apart instead of 3' apart would be better for them. The plants would be less crowded and would have better air flow which would help keep foliar diseases at a minimum.

If you want to walk between the rows though, I'd put the rows 6' apart if there is enough space for you to do that. This sort of spacing likely would give you more production (even though production is not a problem for you this year) but, more importantly, it would make it easier for you to work around the plants, and it would help keep the plants healthier and happier.

If space isn't an issue, that would be great spacing. If space is an issue, there's nothing wrong with 3' spacing between plants and 3' spacing between rows as long as you don't get lost in that tomato jungle.

I just had a man and his companion leave that want to inspect my tomatoes trellises because he can not manage his tomatoes. The first two trellises I put in were 4' apart with spacing of 32" between plants. I then went to 52" between trellises. Next year I will just plant tomatoes on every other trellis or move me trellises to 60 or 72 inches apart. I plant my tomatoes 30 to 36 inches apart, depending on the plants. Next year that will change also because I need the space for air circulation and for me to get up and down the rows. I hope to get as much production, even with the new spacing, if not, so be it, I get too many tomatoes anyway. Another thing I did last year that I was happy with was plant some plants in late may or early June. The late plants (8 or less, last year only one) will give us more tomatoes than what we need up to frost. I can cut the water off of the old tired plants and start cleaning that part of the garden up.

Larry

Well, all other variables remaining constant, I'm beginning to think I can increase production, by growing the same number of plants over a larger area, as they will do better, wont' compete so much.

My original thought for expanding the garden, was to add more plants. But I don't think that's necessary.

I agree more plants in not really necessary as you often can get better production from changing the spacing which then means each plant competes less with its neighbors for nutrients and water.

Now, for me, more plants always is necessary because I like growing all the different colors, shapes and sizes, but even so, I have cut back by 50% the number of tomato plants I grow in an average year because we just don't get the rainfall any more to make it practical to grow any more plants than I currently do. My overall harvest isn't that different either, even with only half as many plants.