tomatoes and wild strawberries July 1 2009
tomatoes july 1 2009

cucumbers July 1 2009

8 feet tomatoes July 1 2009

squash july 1 -2009

armenian cucumber almost ready for picking july 1 2009

Wow I didn't know we had different time zones in CA, hahha !!

Those look great! We have over 8 plants of maters and 0 yet and they are pretty big

oops, I am living in the future

The earthbox forums are a wealth of information! I think we may have to get 2 now and try them out..

have you done potatoes in them?

I would do high yield plants in earthboxes: tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc. Since there are 3 cups of fertilizer (I use organic) in each box, the potatoes will come into direct contact with it and might not work out.

If you have a backyard, I think it is better to grow potatoes in old truck tires. They explain it here http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/sanders98.html
scroll down to Potato stacks.

"Generally, a stack of four or five tires that are progressively filled with some good compost and a couple of pounds of seed potatoes will produce around 25 pounds of potatoes. A few of these stacks can provide your winter’s supply of potatoes with no problem. "

Awesome info.

Thanks

Since the Earthbox plant spacing is mostly pre-defined, I will assume that you're asking about a more traditional "in the ground" garden scenario. So, here's my opinion as it relates to that.

Sometimes, the spacing of the plants doesn't really matter at all... and, sometimes, it can make a real difference.

In general, if your garden tends to be damp/wet most of the time, a little more spacing for the plants to "get some air" can help ward off disease/rot problems.
For gardens that tend to be too dry, plants being closer together can shade the soil, which often helps to retain some moisture and "choke out" weeds. Wide Row plantings are a popular technique.

That's a very general way to look at it, but lots of other factors can be involved.

Tomato plants seem to like to "rub elbows" with each other.
"Heavy feeders" (like Corn) that take up a lot of nutrients and water, can suffer from lower productivity if spaced too tightly.
For melons, you will think you gave them too much room when planted, and then they look so thick that you can't even find the ground when the vines mature.

Every soil and climate combination is different; so, it's best to just experiment and see what works the best for you.