On Mon, 20 May 2013 08:28:51 -0400, Pat Kiewicz
wrote:

said:


I have a 4 x 6 matrix of spaces to plant 2 varieties of tomato plants
with somewhat varying exposure to full vs almost full sun. What
pattern is best, checkerboard, or alternate rows/columns?

When it comes to planting, I like staggered rows:

X X X X X X
X X X X X
X X X X X X

When it comes to varieties, I like to plant them in blocks,
so, for instance, with onions, block plant a white in staggered
rows starting on the left of the bed, then continue the pattern
with red onions in the middle of the bed and finish with yellow
onions on the right side of the bed.

This year, two varieties of paste tomatoes, one on the left side
of the bed, the other on the right. Helps me remember which
is which, when the fruit is quite similar.

Salad tomatoes I stake, one plant of each variety, sort of at random.
It's hard to mistake one variety for another as they are all so different.
I do like to take care toset the smaller fruited varieties on the north
side of the bed, as they always seem much more vigorous and would
overshadow the rest otherwise.

With vegetables gardens I like to plant all of each varietal of
similar plants (ie. different types of tomatoes, peppers, squash,
etc.) at opposite ends to minimize cross pollination and ending up
with aliens.