Is it possible to plant peppers and tomatoes in the same greenhouse? Rules for neighboring plants

Not everyone has the resources to build a greenhouse for every vegetable. Therefore, several crops are grown in a single greenhouse, which saves space for garden beds. Every vegetable crop requires a certain amount of light, moisture, and heat. You can plant tomatoes and peppers in the same greenhouse if you follow certain rules and meet the necessary conditions.

Planting tomatoes next to peppers: advantages and disadvantages

Before choosing which plants to plant, you should consider some factors that affect how the crop grows and develops:

1. Height of a mature bush. There should be sufficient light for all plantlets.
2. Obtaining the required amount of moisture.
3. The temperature should be comfortable for both plants.

Since tomatoes and peppers belong to the same family, Solanaceae, their growing requirements are roughly the same. However, a high yield can be achieved with proper care.

Mutual influence of vegetables

Tomatoes and peppers require almost the same temperature: 22-28°C. They also require the same amount of moisture. An advantage of tomatoes over peppers is that they produce phytoncides, which can repel various pests from the greenhouse. Tomatoes also limit the spread of aphids.

Both crops require a lot of nutrients and beneficial substances. Therefore, it's important to regularly and evenly distribute them among the soil. The root system of each plant should not touch the roots of neighboring plants.

Pros and cons of neighboring

Saving space in a greenhouse is one of the advantages. Another positive aspect of such a greenhouse arrangement is the ability to obtain a decent harvest from both crops simultaneously, as they have similar agricultural requirements.

A disadvantage of growing together is the difficulty of maintaining different humidity levels. Regular ventilation is essential for tomatoes to prevent fungal diseases. However, excessive ventilation is detrimental to peppers.

Growing conditions

Although the plants belong to the same family, they have slightly different agricultural requirements.

Preparatory activities

To ensure plants thrive and don't interfere with each other's normal growth, it's important to choose the right varieties, prepare the soil, and choose the right planting pattern for peppers and tomatoes.

Location and layout for planting with greenhouse division

Peppers can be planted next to tomatoes in a greenhouse made of film or polycarbonate. It should be of an appropriate height (up to 2 meters) to allow the tomato plants to fully develop.

You can divide the greenhouse into two zones using a film, where two crops can be planted simultaneously. The film should be stretched across the entire height of the greenhouse, from the ground to the ceiling. This will create optimal microclimates in each zone.

Planting without separation

There are several options for planting greenhouse tomatoes and peppers without dividing the greenhouse into zones. One is to plant the peppers along the walls, where the plants will receive more heat and are also less prone to drafts. The center receives more airflow during ventilation, so tomato beds can be placed there. Furthermore, they won't shade the shorter peppers.

You can also plant vegetable crops in a staggered pattern. Plant tomatoes first, and 14-20 days later, plant pepper seedlings between them. Removing the lower shoots from the tomatoes ensures each plant receives sufficient light.

Selecting a variety

When planting adjacent plants, it's best to use hybrid vegetable varieties. If the greenhouse is small, then plant tall-growing tomato varieties and short-growing pepper varieties next to each other.

For peppers, these varieties include Fakir, Apricot Favorite, Lastochka, Albatross, Isabella, Lisichka, and Timoshka. The following tomato varieties can be planted with peppers: Typhoon, Evpator, Aksinya, Pablo, or Zhenaros.

Soil preparation

To ensure successful seedling growth, the soil must be prepared in advance. This requires fertilizing them with all the necessary micronutrients and minerals. It's also recommended to add peat to the soil, which will retain heat, a favorite ingredient of these two plants.

The soil should be clay-based, with equal amounts of humus, peat, and sawdust added. The amount of substrate depends on the size of the greenhouse: 3 buckets are sufficient for one. The soil itself should be slightly moistened and loosened.

Pest and disease control

Dangerous parasites and diseases can interfere with the normal growth and development of vegetable crops. Therefore, it's important to know what problems may arise during cultivation and how to deal with them properly.

You may be interested in:

Growing tomatoes, peppers and eggplants together
For some reason, not all gardeners think about how to properly arrange their beds in their vegetable garden or greenhouse. Meanwhile,…Read more…

Aphid infestation

These pests love succulent bushes that contain a lot of water. Aphids begin to cause damage in late summer. They suck out all the beneficial juices from the plant, stunting its growth, which leads to the wilting and death of the seedlings. Aphids also attract ants and can infect the bushes with viruses.

If you inspect your seedlings carefully, you can spot the pest early and get rid of it. Aphids live on the undersides of leaves, on young stems, or at the tops of the bush.

Effective pest control products include "Healthy Garden" or "Fitoverm." Instructions for use are on the packaging. These products take effect within two days. "Fitoverm" also boosts the plant's immunity by absorbing the product into the plant's sap. This product can also be used to control other pests. It lasts up to three weeks.

Slug Attack

Slugs and snails thrive in a humid, shaded greenhouse environment. These insects damage stems, leaves, and fruit, and transmit various fungal and infectious diseases.

You can prevent slugs from appearing by placing slate between the beds. Over the course of a day, a sufficient number of slugs will accumulate on it, which can be easily destroyed by turning the slate upside down. There's no need to remove the dead slugs, as other slugs will come after them and feed on them, preventing them from reaching the crop's leaves.

You may be interested in:

On growing cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes together in a greenhouse
It's well known that the growth of vegetables is influenced by their neighbors. There's even a separate gardening science dedicated to it…Read more…

Care instructions

Although these two vegetables belong to the Solanaceae family, they require different care. Therefore, it's important to know and follow all the rules depending on the plant variety.

Proper fertilizing and watering

Since tomatoes don't like excessive moisture, watering them once every five days is sufficient. Peppers, on the other hand, thrive in moisture, so it's recommended to keep the soil slightly moist. Watering is best done in the morning or evening, when the sun isn't too hot.

Seedlings should be fed 14 days after planting them in the greenhouse. Fertilizers should be:

• phosphate fertilizers;
• nitrogen, potassium fertilizers;
• nutritional supplements in the form of folk remedies.

Correct pinching and side-sonning

Side shoots are removed from peppers when they reach 15 cm in height. Side shoots, the first flower bud, and the top are considered unnecessary. Pruning the side shoots helps create strong stems that will produce fruit. Removing the flower bud prevents the plant from producing an inhibitor, which prevents the plant from growing large and juicy. Top pruning accelerates ripening and will also allow the plant to bear fruit longer. This should be done at the end of the growing season.

Pinching out the side shoots of tomatoes This allows all the nutrients to be directed to the stems, which will later bear fruit. It also removes excess leaves from the bush, ensuring good air circulation and sufficient light. Pinching is done when the flowers of the upper inflorescence open. Five clusters are sufficient on the main stem. After pinching, two leaves should remain above the inflorescence.

Rules for hanging and choosing a support

For tall tomato varieties, it's important to create a support structure to which they can be tied as they grow. Drive stakes into the edges of the bed and tie the plant stems to the support with twine. Staking is recommended if the vegetable is grown in a non-standard manner (for example, in bottles).

Reviews

Alexander

I've never tried planting tomatoes and peppers next to each other before. I always plant peppers and cucumbers. Their growing conditions are more similar than those of tomatoes. But I'm not afraid to experiment, so next season I'll definitely try combining these two vegetables and planting them in the same greenhouse. I'll just divide the greenhouse into zones right away; I think that way the chances of getting a higher yield are higher.

Tamara

I have two greenhouses on my property where I like to grow a variety of vegetables, even though they don't always have the same growing conditions. I've been growing peppers and tomatoes for two years now. I divide the greenhouse into two sections with plastic film and haven't seen any problems growing them. Each plant receives the conditions it needs, and we get a healthy and tasty harvest.

A greenhouse can accommodate a wide variety of vegetable crops, some of which may be completely compatible in terms of growing characteristics, others may be quite different. The key is to properly space the beds and choose the right varieties. Tomatoes and peppers can easily coexist in the same greenhouse. To achieve a high yield, each plant requires individual attention.